Google’s interest in cloud gaming is evolving. At the company’s Games Developer Summit, the technology underlying has become an enterprise cloud product called Immersive Stream for Games. It’s not the best name, but that’s typical of products in the Google Cloud portfolio. Third-parties will be able to license the tech to stream games to their customers, giving Google somewhere else to focus its gaming efforts after the consumer-facing service failed to meet expectations. Google made the announcement during its Games for Developers Summit, we’ve embedded the video at the appropriate time below: We got our first hint of what white label Stadia streaming could look like last year when AT&T began offering a cloud version of Batman: Arkham Knight.
Valve’s has finally started shipping to those who pre-ordered the machine early. It will take a long time for everyone to get their handheld game machine, and maybe Windows will work well by the time they do. It doesn’t work particularly well right now, but Valve did just release the drivers last week. Testing with the early Windows implementation shows the Linux-based SteamOS performing better, which is not what you’d usually expect from a Windows vs. Linux matchup. The Steam Deck looks like a larger, modern take on the Sega Game Gear — it’s a chunky black slab that runs more advanced games than its handheld competition, but it doesn’t last very long on a charge.
Apple’s updated iPhone SE is officially in reviewer’s hands, and the company’s least-expensive phone is getting decent reviews. Although previous SE models used older parts throughout their design, Apple changed that formula for 2022. This year’s phone gets both the latest A15 Bionic SoC from the iPhone 13, as well as a 5G radio. The inclusion of its newest A-series chip ensures many years of software updates from Apple. Plus, although 5G coverage is still somewhat spotty, it will only improve in the years to come. Both of these inclusions make this a pretty future-proof phone, if you don’t mind its tiny 4.7″ display.
AMD has announced the launch date for its upcoming Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU as well as a half-dozen new CPUs. The top-end chip is the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. This is the first commercial CPU with a vertically mounted L3 cache, and it’s expected to add up to 15 percent to Zen 3’s gaming performance compared to the mainstream Ryzen 7 5800X. According to AMD, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D will be available on April 20, at an initial price of $449. That’s significantly above the Ryzen 7 5800X, which currently appears to retail for ~$349, but it matches the Ryzen 7 5800X’s debut price.
AMD has announced that it will add a feature enthusiasts have long-requested. After a future AGESA UEFI update, AMD Ryzen 5000 CPUs will be supported in 300-series motherboards. This will substantially extend the longevity of original AM4 motherboards, provided motherboard manufacturers actually issue the updates. In order to take advantage of this feature, users will need to track down a UEFI update that implements support for the AGESA 1.2.0.7 standard. Assuming that your board vendor issues such an update, the 300-series motherboards — X370, B350, and A320 — will be able to support all Zen 3 CPUs, including chips like the Ryzen 9 5950X and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
The International Space Station (ISS) is a powerful symbol of international unity and cooperation in space. It is also the most expensive object humans have ever built. And it rests on a foundation of international innovation — including Russian technological achievements. Fifteen member nations keep the station aloft, but Dmitry “Dimon” Rogozin (head of Roscosmos, the Russian space corporation) only has eyes for the USA. Rogozin has made it a point to threaten the station, as a proxy for Putin’s bitter anger over American sanctions and support for Ukraine. So we’re here to lay out the facts and ask the question: What will happen to the International Space Station, in the wake of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine?
Last week, eagle-eyed customs officials in China noticed something fishy about a shipment of XFX GPUs coming in from Hong Kong. Authorities spotted that some of the GPUs had specification labels taped over previous labels. Upon closer inspection, the specs of the GPUs in the shipment didn’t match their actual specs. How these officials were able to determine this with the naked eye is unclear. Once the dust settled authorities had confiscated 5,840 graphics cards, a seizure worth about $3.15M USD more than the cards’ paperwork indicated. The shipment was moving through the Huanggang Port, in Shenzen. It seems the GPUs were from Hong Kong on their way to the Chinese mainland.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is now more than two weeks old, and companies worldwide have primarily sided with Ukraine. Apple, Microsoft, McDonald’s, and many other US-based companies have stopped doing business in the Russian Federation, but what’s a search engine to do? Over at DuckDuckGo, they stand with Ukraine, according to founder Gabriel Weinberg. The company has decided to demote Russian propaganda, but the user base is up in arms about this decision, which many believe is a “slippery slope.” DuckDuckGo has made its name as a privacy-focused alternative to Google. While it has ads, it does not collect any user data that would enable them to target those ads.
After Apple’s Peek Performance event this week winded down the company unveiled a new accessory: a 3M Thunderbolt 4 cable. At first blush it seems like a nothingburger served with a side of Apple gouging. Upon closer inspection though, there’s more to it than you might think. The introduction of the new for $159 came amidst the announcement of Apple’s new , which boasts six Thunderbolt 4 ports (four on the rear, two on the front). Although Thunderbolt 4 cables are easy to find, they typically come in lengths that top out at 2M (6.56 feet). That’s because according to , which developed the spec with Apple, that length allows for “full speed” 40Gb/s data transfers.
