National Enquirer responds to Jeff Bezos’ blackmail claims in nude photo scandal
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos claims The National Enquirer had blackmailed him into dropping an investigation. After details of Bezos' affair were published, Bezos wanted to know if the story was politically motivated. The tabloid tried to tie Bezos' hands by threatening to publish his nude photos.
Mozilla exec calls on Congress to restore 2015 net neutrality protections
To restore net neutrality protections, Mozilla COO Denelle Dixon argued that Congress needs to bring back at least the same protections granted by the 2015 order. Dixon argued that net neutrality is needed to help small businesses flourish, and an internet without gatekeepers is the best way to do that.
Microsoft blames constrained chip supplies for PC market slowdown
Microsoft's earnings report gave us some interesting insight into the state of the PC market. Microsoft attributed the slowdown in the market due to constrained inventory of chips, but the Surface line experienced a huge 39 percent growth rate. Could it be that Surface is cannibalizing sales from OEM partners?
Dell’s 75-inch monitor is a Surface Hub competitor built for the classroom
With a focus on collaboration and a more affordable $5,999 price to start, Dell is hoping that the Dell 75 4K Interactive Touch Monitor will be a good fit for the classroom. Like the Surface Hub, this display supports multi-touch and pen input, but you'll need to bring your own computing power.
How good are you at spotting phishing scams? Take this quiz to find out
Given the rising incidents of phishing attacks, Google created a quiz to help internet users understand phishing and learn how to avoid these emails to avoid falling victim. The quiz will teach users how to identify a sophisticated phishing email and offer some tips to help users secure their accounts.
Cortana wants to be friends with Alexa and Google Assistant
Rather than make Cortana a stand-alone digital assistant with its own ecosystem of connected speakers, Microsoft now wants to integrate Cortana into Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. This turns Cortana into a skill that can be integrated into competing digital assistants to help Microsoft push its cloud services.
Microsoft leans on A.I. to resume safe delivery of Windows 10 Update
Microsoft is starting to push out the October 2018 Update after halting the latest build of Windows 10 after problems were widely reported initially. Now that those issues have been resolved, Microsoft is using artificial intelligence to ensure that the update gets pushed safely to all compatible PCs.
Faster new PCIe 5.0 standard leapfrogs the best feature of AMD’s Ryzen 3
PCI-SIG, the industry body behind the PCI Express standard, just leapfrogged AMD's recent announcement that Ryzen 3 will be the first processor to support PCIe 4.0 by announcing that it ratified PCIe 5.0 version 0.9. PCIe 5.0 doubles the data throughput rate of PCIe 4.0, which already was twice as fast as PCIe 3.0.
Dell teases new XPS laptop with Intel’s 10th-gen Ice Lake for summer 2019
Dell teased that it will have a new XPS laptop ready with Intel's 10th-generation Ice Lake processor in time for the summer, and a Dell executive suggested that the company may debut the laptop as early as summer 2019. The XPS laptop could be a new addition to Dell's lineup and not just a refresh.
Get the top-notch Dell XPS 13 laptop with Core i7 processor at a $400 discount
One of the best Windows laptops is now $400 off. If you're in the market for a stylish Ultrabook, Dell's late 2017 XPS 13 delivers long battery life, along with great performance, thanks to Intel's quad-core Core i7 processor. And now, the XPS 13 is 30 percent off, bringing the price to just $899.
Everything Nvidia announced at CES, including mobile RTX, the RTX 2060, and more
As part of its focus on gamers at CES this year, Nvidia showcased a number of technologies that will help improve performance of your games. The company announced the new RTX 2060 graphics card for desktop, an initiative to improve A-Sync displays, and new RTX mobile graphics for laptops.
The 5 best desktops of CES 2019, for everything from gaming to graphics
With mobile chips announced by AMD, Intel, and Nvidia at CES this year, PC users may be tempted by the hype of more powerful laptops. But if you crave power, performance, and upgradeability, nothing beats a desktop. Whether you're a gamer or a workstation user, these are some of the best desktops that we saw at CES.
Signed Steve Jobs memorabilia expected to fetch about $70,000 at auction
If you're interested in owning a piece of Apple history, a few artifacts with the handwriting of Steve Jobs will be available in two separate auctions. The first piece is an autographed copy of a rare first edition of Macworld magazine, while a second piece will be for a handwritten Apple I specifications sheet.
Best Buy’s flash sale takes up to $800 off Apple’s 2018 MacBook Pro today
Best Buy's single-day flash sale offers a discount of up to $800 off of Apple's latest 13-inch MacBook Pro. Best Buy has several configurations listed, but to get the most savings, you'll need to upgrade to a model with higher specifications. The sale applies to select 2018 MacBook Pros with Touch Bar.
Google transforms your browser into a digital easel with Chrome Canvas
Now, you can take quick notes or doodle straight within your browser thanks to the launch of Chrome Canvas. The Google-made app lets you use your finger or a digital stylus to draw from within the browser. And on a computer without a touchscreen, you can also create sketches with your mouse or touchpad.
Richly rendered ‘Asteroids’ demo showcases power of Nvidia’s RTX graphics
In a new Asteroids demo, Nvidia showed how the Turing architecture on the company's RTX graphics cards can be used to perform mesh shading to reveal rich details while reducing congestion on the CPU and GPU. When used in combination with task shaders, developers can leverage RTX cards to render rich scenes.
Prices leak for Intel’s 9th-generation CPUs without integrated graphics
Intel may soon debut new desktop processors as part of its ninth-generation product family that will ship without integrated Intel UHD Graphics enabled. The move could help Intel boost yields as it struggles with its manufacturing process, and high-end users could see improved thermals or even faster clock speeds.
Nvidia’s Jetson AGX Xavier module is designed to give robots better brains
Though it's not geared for consumers, you'll likely soon reap the benefits of Nvidia's Jetson AGX Xavier module. The system-on-a-chip is designed to give autonomous robots better performance, and Nvidia hopes it will be used inside every autonomous machine from delivery drones to medical imaging systems.
Amazon gifts an extra day for deliveries to arrive in time for Christmas
Amazon is giving last-minute holiday shoppers a break by extending the deadline for non-Prime members to get their orders in for deliveries by Christmas. Non-Prime customers have until December 19 for free Christmas shipping. Prime members have a bit longer to shop with free two-day shipping.
Leaked AMD Ryzen 3000 mobile benchmarks look fit for thin, low-power laptops
AMD's unannounced ultra-low-power mobile chips designed for laptops could give Intel's Core M series a run for its money. Leaked benchmarks for the Ryzen 3000 mobile APUs show scores that are competitive against Intel's Core M series. Hopefully, we'll hear more news about AMD's APUs at CES next month.
Microsoft could split up search and Cortana in the next Windows 10 release
Microsoft may be shifting direction on how searches are performed on Windows 10. Some Windows Insiders on the latest preview build of the OS noticed that Microsoft is splitting up Cortana and search. If this strategy is adopted, Microsoft could implement it on the Windows 10 Spring 2019 Update.
Qualcomm’s dual-screen PC concept looks like two connected Surface Go tablets
Though we're seeing evolving concepts of how a dual-screen device should look like and function, Qualcomm may have taken an interesting approach. Rather than two screens powered by a single processor, a teaser showed what appears to be two Surface Go tablets housed inside -- and likely connected by -- a folio cover.
3DMark’s Port Royal lets you benchmark ray tracing on Nvidia’s RTX cards
Ever wondered what the difference in ray tracing performance is between Nvidia's new GeForce RTX 2070, 2080, and 2080 Ti cards? UL announced that its new Port Royal utility will help measure how well your GPU handles ray tracing. The tool is slated for an early January release as part of the 3DMark suite.
The Empire strikes your wallet with a $250 Star Wars keyboard
Thanks to a collaboration between Lucasfilm and NovelKeys, Star Wars fan can convert their desktop keyboard into something that looks like it came from a computer terminal in the Galactic Empire. The set includes replacement keycaps in either full Aurebesh or Aurebesh and English along with novelty iconography.
Microsoft asks Edge Insiders for help with its new browser development
Microsoft is asking for user input and feedback to help it shape the future of its Edge browser, which debuted alongside Windows 10. After having announced a dramatic shift that will see Edge use Google's open-source Chromium rendering engine, Microsoft is asking users and developers for input and feedback.
AMD’s Radeon graphics cards are nearly half off today only on Amazon
If you're a gamer or a VR enthusiast looking to buy a good graphics card at an affordable price, Amazon is discounting AMD's Radeon RX 580 and RX Vega 56 graphics cards today. The cards are nearly half off as part of the retailer's Deal of the Day promotion, but you have to act fast as the deal expires today.
Walmart denies that the Overpowered gaming PC has been canceled
When Walmart briefly pulled the listing for its branded Overpowered PC desktop on its website, there were rumors that the gaming rig had been canceled due to poor reception from gamers. However, that isn't the case, and Walmart had pulled the listing briefly to update the product page, partner Esports Arena noted.
Amazon’s Deal of the Day takes up to $700 off Dell’s refurbished XPS 13, XPS 15
If you're looking to score some savings off of some of the most popular Windows laptops on the market and don't mind buying a certified refurbished unit, Dell's XPS 13 and XPS 15 are discounted by as much as $700 on Amazon. In Amazon's Deal of the Day, Dell's refurbished Chromebooks are also discounted.
Google denies claim that it’s tracking internet users when incognito mode is on
After rival privacy-focused search engine reported that Google is following users on the internet to deliver personlized search results -- even when incognito mode is enabled -- Google released a statement denying those claims. Google claimed that DuckDuckGo's study was flawed, and that it's not tracking users.
A second Wells Fargo glitch results in the foreclosure of more homes
Wells Fargo bank is under fire again after revealing that a computer glitch resulted in the mistaken foreclosure of an additional 545 homes. This is the second computer-related error after Wells Fargo revealed in August the first error resulted in 400 homes being foreclosed in a federal assistance program.
Apple’s refurbished 15-inch MacBook Pro gets a $450 price cut on Amazon
As part of its Woot deals, Amazon is now selling refurbished models of Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro with a discount. The discounted models start at $1,549, depending on the configuration, and are backed by a one-year Woot warranty. Amazon's discount applies only to the mid-2017 MacBook Pro, and not this year's models.
AMD plans ray tracing cards, looks to compete with Nvidia’s premium GPUs in 2019
AMD may soon have an answer to Nvidia's high-end GeForce RTX series. CEO Lisa Su hinted that AMD will have a premium graphics option to take on its rival, suggesting the reason AMD had left Nvidia unchallenged so far in the space is because it was waiting for the ecosystem to fully support ray tracing.
Intel promises new experiences for its upcoming discrete GPUs in 2020
Intel confirmed that it is on track to launch new discrete graphics cards in 2020, which will have a different architecture from the now cancelled Larrabee prototype. Though Intel did not reveal much about the upcoming GPU, the company stated that it is focusing on delivering new consumer experiences with the cards.
Skype’s real-time A.I. captions and subtitles aim for better collaboration
Microsoft enabled a feature that brings real-time translation and transcription to your Skype video calls. Launched to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the closed-captioning feature aims to use A.I. to break down communication barriers to foster better collaboration.
Apple quietly delays Blackmagic eGPU Pro ship date to December
Without any explanation, Apple has updated its web store to reflect a new December ship date for the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. Originally slated to be released in November, the Pro edition of the Mac-focused eGPU brings the performance of AMD's Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics cards to Thunderbolt 3-equipped Macs.
Nvidia researchers use artificial intelligence to upgrade your game’s graphics
Artificial intelligence can be used to improve an existing game's graphics by adding more texture, lighting, and details to existing scenes. By using machine learning to study existing videos, researchers discovered that they could use A.I. to render realistic scenes in real-time, allowing old games to be remastered.