The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 has recently undergone a comprehensive durability test with JerryRigEverything, providing valuable insights into its strengths and weaknesses. While the device features minor design tweaks and new features, it still exhibits some vulnerabilities similar to those of its predecessors. The test evaluates the phone’s resilience against scratches, heat, and bending, […]
People are so excited for the next-gen Switch, they're likely holding off on buying Nintendo's current consoles and games. At least that's what the company's latest earnings report seems to indicate. For the quarter ending on June 30, Nintendo posted a net profit of 80.9 billion Japanese Yen, which is higher than its forecast but over 50 percent lower than its net profit for the same period last fiscal year. In addition, the company said it only sold 2.1 million Switch consoles for the quarter. That means it experienced a 46.3 percent decline on unit sales year-on-year. Even its games didn't sell well, seeing as Nintendo posted a software sales figure that's 41.3 percent lower than last fiscal year's at 30.64 million units sold.
In its report, Nintendo admits that the low sales figures for games was caused by the lack of big releases, such as the previous year's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The Super Mario Bros. Movie also helped "energize" its business back then. But since hardware sales for this quarter are similar to the previous one's, Nintendo considers its Switch sales to be stable.
Nintendo is expected to launch its "Switch 2" console soon. It was expected to come out sometime this year, but according to reports published in the previous months, it will be released in early 2025 instead. There's still very little known about the upcoming console, but rumors say it will have backwards compatibility, as well as 4K capabilities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-profits-fall-55-percent-as-people-save-their-cash-for-the-switch-2-140019403.html?src=rss
Our pick for the best budget Android phone is looking even better right now as the Google Pixel 8a has dropped to a new all-time-low price. You can pick up the device for $399. That's 20 percent off the regular price, and it's even lower than any of the deals we saw for it during Prime Day.
The Pixel 8a has the same Tensor G3 chip as the rest of the Pixel 8 lineup, which means you get access to the same AI features that its higher-end siblings have. We're fans of the cameras, 120Hz OLED display and battery life too (it lasted 20-and-a-half hours on our video rundown test). IP67 dust and water resistance is definitely welcome as is Qi wireless charging, even if it's not the fastest at a max capacity of 7.5 watts. Add all of that up and it's little surprise that the Google Pixel 8a earned a score of 90 in our review.
But that's not all, folks. The rest of the Pixel lineup is on sale too. The standard Pixel 8 with 128GB of storage is $499, which is $200 off the regular price. We gave that model a score of 90 in our review.
The Pixel 8 Pro pipped that, however, with a score of 93. That's our pick for the best Android phone on the market right now, and you can pick up one with 128GB of storage for $699, or $300 off.
This all comes with one key caveat in that Google is set to unveil the Pixel 9 lineup later this month. Those are expected to have more fancy features (some of which will come to Pixel 8 devices eventually), a more deeply integrated Gemini AI chatbot, an upgraded chipset and a revamped camera system. If you want the latest Pixel device — which will come with an extra year of software support — it'll be worth holding off for a couple of weeks. However, if you need a new phone of the Android variety right now, you can't really go wrong with any of the above options.
Google Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser, has taken a significant leap forward with its latest update, introducing three groundbreaking AI features that are set to transform the way users browse the internet. These innovative features, powered by innovative Google AI and Gemini models, aim to enhance user experience by making browsing faster, safer, […]
Some gadgets have become an integral part of our lives. Arguably, these are the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods when you’re in the Apple ecosystem. Whether you are at your desk or on the road, the power in your devices is a must. The two common ways to keep them powered are to either have three different chargers plugged into as many ports, or one charging solution waiting to take turns with different devices.
This is where versatile charging solutions like the Urban Armor Gear’s SRGE 3-in-1 Travel Charger come in. A charging solution tailored to handle all three of your devices simultaneously so that they are ready to go throughout the day; the lightweight, foldable, and immensely compact charger is a one-stop solution you will need to power the devices on the go.
Urban Armor Gear is known for providing stylish yet rugged phone cases that meet US military Standards for protection against accidental drops and shocks. There is no such certification assurance for this SRGE 3-in-1 Travel/Desktop Charger, but it does have a very robust smooth PU finish exterior accompanied by a slim and folding form factor to facilitate storage and transportation.
Featuring dedicated charging slots for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and a pair of AirPods, the charger shares 5W to 15W of power to keep them wirelessly charged. The charging solution opens up like a book to reveal a MagSafe charging stand for the iPhone, while the provided 25W adapter – with three different charging tips to ensure convenience during international travel – powers the folding charger to deliver maximum possible output.
The built-in magnetic stand for the iPhone flips up to charge. It can also securely hold the phone at an optimal viewing angle if you want to consume media while the devices are charging. Designed to be carried in the backpack, or used on the nightstand, the SRGE 3-in-1 Travel Charger comes packed in a premium accessory pouch with a 4-foot braided cable and the 25W adapter (with attachments) in the box. Compatible with iPhone 12 and later; Apple Watch Series, Ultra, SE; and AirPods Pro 2nd and 3rd Gen, the UAG charger is retailing for $169.95 in gray and black colors.
The highly anticipated Volkswagen Transporter has finally been unveiled, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of commercial vehicles. This seventh-generation model features a complete overhaul in both design and functionality, setting new standards in the industry. With its increased space, enhanced payload and towing capacity, and improved efficiency, the new Transporter is poised to […]
Intel is extending the warranties for its controversial Core 13th and 14th-gen processors by two years, it has announced in a community post. The company says it will share more details in coming days, but for now, customers just waiting for their computers to conk out can at least know that they may not have to spend money to replace their processors. Intel revealed in July that after extensive analysis, it found that elevated operating voltage was causing these particular processor models' instability issues for a lot of people.
A microcode algorithm has apparently been sending incorrect voltage requests to the processor, causing users' computers to crash. The company is working on a patch that it plans to release in mid-August, but for some people, it may be too late: As Tom's Hardware notes, the patch will not fix processors that are already crashing. An indie gaming studio called Alderon Games reported that based on its personnel's observations, the processors' failure rate is 100 percent. Even CPUs that work well deteriorate and fail in the end. That's why an extended warranty is very much welcome, especially since some models only have a year-long warranty.
"Intel is committed to making sure all customers who have or are currently experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported in the exchange process," the company wrote in its announcement. It also admitted that "this has been a challenging issue to unravel and definitively root cause." For now, Intel advises those who purchased systems from computer manufacturers to reach out to the brand's support team. Meanwhile, people who purchased boxed CPUs for their PCs can contact Intel's customer support.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intel-makes-good-on-cpu-instability-issues-by-extending-warranties-by-two-years-130010567.html?src=rss
The Federal Communications Commission's voted to restore net neutrality protections back in April, but the process isn't as smooth-sailing as its proponents would like. According to Reuters and Fast Company, the Sixth Circuit US Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked the rules from taking effect because the broadband providers' legal case challenging their reinstatement will likely succeed. A group of cable, telecom and mobile internet providers sued the FCC shortly after its three Democrat commissioners voted to restore net neutrality protections
Under net neutrality rules, broadband services are classified as essential communications resources. That gives the FCC the power to regulate broadband internet and to prohibit providers from offering paid prioritization, which some ISPs have been using to charge bandwidth-heavy companies like Netflix additional fees. It will also prevent ISPs from blocking or slowing down traffic to specific websites.
Net neutrality's opponents have long argued that the rules will put off investors. The group of providers that filed this recent case against the FCC said the rules' reinstatement would force them to "forego valuable new services, incur prohibitive compliance costs and pay more to obtain capital." In its decision, the court wrote that the "commission has failed to satisfy the high bar for imposing such regulations and that "net neutrality is likely a major question requiring clear congressional authorization."
The commission originally approved net neutrality rules back in 2015, though they have been in the works for years before that. Under the Trump administration, however, the FCC had voted to roll back the rules and to reclassify broadband internet services back to Title I, which means the agency would have less oversight on the industry. The rules were supposed to take effect on July 22 after the FCC voted to reinstate them, but a court blocked them from taking effect until August 5. Now, net neutrality's proponents will have to wait even longer. The appeals court has scheduled oral arguments discussing the issue for late October or early November, before or during the 2024 US presidential election.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/court-blocks-the-fccs-efforts-to-restore-net-neutrality-again-123029311.html?src=rss
In the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence, two tech giants, Google and Apple, are making significant strides with their latest innovations: Google Gemini and Apple Intelligence. These innovative AI systems are set to transform the way we interact with technology, offering unprecedented capabilities and user experiences. As these powerful AI tools gain prominence, it […]
Did you know that the AI processing power of the Hailo-8L AI Accelerator can deliver an astounding 13 Tera-operations per second (TOPS)? Pineboards has just unveiled its latest innovation, the Raspberry Pi AI Bundle Hailo 8L Raspberry Pi HAT+, which not only features this impressive processing capability but also supports high-speed NVMe SSD storage. This […]