tweaktown
Author page description
December 10
- GTA 6 will have a 'significant online mode' to generate revenue for years into the future➀ GTA 6 is expected to feature a significant online mode, generating revenue for years; ➁ Rockstar has missed multiple deadlines but is now on track; ➂ GTA 6 is anticipated to surpass GTA 5's $9 billion revenue.
- Samsung finishes development on next-gen 400-layer NAND, 1Tb 400-layer TLC NAND in early 2025➀ Samsung Electronics has developed a 400-layer NAND technology, surpassing SK hynix's 321-layer NAND; ➁ The 400-layer NAND will enter mass production in the second half of 2025; ➂ Samsung plans to provide details on its new 1Tb 400-layer TLC NAND at the ISSCC 2025.
- ASRock Phantom Gaming UG32UFS: 32-inch 4K 240Hz gaming monitor, can switch to 1080p 480Hz➀ ASRock unveils the Phantom Gaming PG32UFS, a 32-inch 4K 240Hz OLED gaming monitor; ➁ The monitor can switch to 1080p 480Hz; ➂ The new flagship OLED gaming monitor features a 31.5-inch OLED panel with native 4K resolution.
- Google unveils its state-of-the-art quantum chip, Willow: destroys supercomputers in benchmarks➀ Google introduces the Willow quantum chip, capable of computations in under five minutes that would take supercomputers 10 septillion years. ➁ The chip's development began over a decade ago, led by Google Quantum AI Founder Hartmut Neven. ➂ Willow's performance on this benchmark is astonishing, performing a computation in under five minutes that would take one of today's fastest supercomputers 10 septillion years.
- GTA 6 release has every other game developer scared, publishers pushing launch dates far away➀ GTA 6 is expected to be a massive release, potentially generating billions in revenue; ➁ The anticipation is causing other game publishers to delay their releases to avoid competition; ➂ Rockstar is still working on GTA 6, and some publishers are waiting as long as possible before committing release dates for their games in 2025.
- Apple's new Vision Pro could sport in-house 5G modem, chaeper model with M5 chip in 2025 first➀ Apple's next-gen Vision Pro headset may feature an in-house 5G modem; ➁ The 2025 model will not have an in-house 5G modem but will ship with M5 chip; ➂ Apple's in-house 5G modem, codenamed 'Sinope', is designed to be more space and power-efficient.
- GPD's new Win Max 2 gaming handheld: 10-inch screen, AMD Strix Point APU, OCulink, costs $1462➀ GPD launches the Win Max 2 (2025) with a 10.1-inch 1080p 120Hz display and AMD Ryzen AI HX 370 'Strix Point' APU; ➁ Features include 64GB LPDDR5X-7500 memory, dual M.2 SSD slots, and 4G LTE support; ➂ Priced at $1462, the device offers comprehensive connectivity options.
December 8
- TSMC's new 2nm chip yields are 'better than expected' in trial runs at its fab in Taiwan➀ TSMC's 2nm chip yields exceed expectations in trial runs; ➁ Mass production is scheduled for 2025; ➂ The 2nm node introduces nanosheet architecture, a first in the semiconductor industry.
- ASUS unveils ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV: 32-inch 6K with crazy 216 PPI clarity➀ ASUS has introduced the 32-inch ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV monitor with a 6016 x 3384 resolution and 226 PPI for exceptional clarity; ➁ The monitor features 98% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB coverage, VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification, and ASUS LuxPixel technology; ➂ The ProArt PA32QCV offers extensive connectivity options and an ergonomic stand.
- Ubisoft headed towards 'privatization and dismantling' in 2025, industry expert predicts➀ Industry expert Joost van Dreunen predicts Ubisoft will dismantle by 2025; ➁ Ubisoft is considering partners to take the company private; ➂ The company's valuable assets, such as Rainbow Six Siege and Assassin's Creed, could be sold off.
- ViewSonic to unveil monster 27-inch 1440p 520Hz OLED gaming monitor at CES 2025➀ ViewSonic is set to unveil a 27-inch 1440p OLED gaming monitor with a 520Hz refresh rate at CES 2025; ➁ The monitor may feature 'Dual Mode' functionality for different resolutions and refresh rates; ➂ The new monitor will have a higher resolution than AOC's AGON PRO AG276FK, which is also 520Hz but at 1080p resolution.
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake slashes onto the market with 2 million sales on all platforms➀ Square Enix's Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake has sold over 2 million copies; ➁ The game combines old-school and new-school graphics; ➂ The success follows a series of sales misses and is cost-effective compared to AAA projects.
- iFixit now sells Xbox Series replacement parts, motherboards, power supplies and more➀ iFixit now offers OEM replacement parts for Xbox Series consoles, including Series S and Series X models. The store provides a range of components such as motherboards, power supplies, and fans, along with necessary tools for repairs. ➁ iFixit's storefront has added official genuine Microsoft replacement parts for Xbox consoles. ➂ The store sells replacement console hardware components, including motherboards, power supplies, and fans, and offers tools for disassembly.
December 7
- WiiBoy Color 2.0 transforms a full Wii into on-the-go handheld➀ The Wiiboy Color 2.0 is a portable Wii console with a thinner design and a 480p IPS panel; ➁ Created by Ginger of Oz, it will be open-sourced for DIY enthusiasts; ➂ The build is challenging but showcases advancements in modding, with commissions available for $1,500.
- Path of Exile 2 is a huge hit, breaks 459,000 peak players at early access launch➀ Path of Exile 2 launched into early access on PC, achieving over 450,000 peak concurrent players on Steam; ➁ Despite the success, server issues arose due to high demand; ➂ Over 1 million keys have been redeemed, leading to potential queues.
December 6
- NASA confirms cracked heatshield in Orion test won't kill the astronauts going to the Moon➀ NASA has completed its assessment of the cracked heatshield on the Orion module and determined that Artemis II astronauts will be safe without a redesign. ➁ The investigation into the cracked heatshield on the Artemis I Orion module revealed that the re-entry method caused the cracks. ➂ Despite the cracks, NASA reports that the module's internal temperatures remained safe for any potential crew.
- Assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO allegedly used AI to deny sick people coverage➀ A class-action lawsuit alleges that UnitedHealthcare uses a faulty algorithm to deny patient coverage, filed by two now-deceased individuals. ➁ UnitedHealthcare CEO Brain Thompson was killed in Midtown Manhattan earlier this week, and the suspect is currently on the run. ➂ The lawsuit claims UnitedHealthcare pushed employees to use an algorithm with a 90% error rate to deny coverage.
- NASA sets colossal 'spiderwebs' on surface of Mars as next target for famed rover➀ NASA has designated the giant 'spiderwebs' on Mars as the next exploration target for the Curiosity rover; ➁ The rover will travel to a location known as 'boxwork' to investigate signs of ancient microbial life; ➂ Researchers believe Martian boxwork deposits could be evidence of liquid water oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams that once existed on Mars.
- Intel's Xe3 'Battlemage-next' architecture has been finalized, team already working on Xe4➀ Intel has finalized the Xe3 'Celestial' architecture and is already working on Xe4; ➁ The Intel Arc B580 'Battlemage' GPU is set to launch on December 13, 2024; ➂ The Arc team has already moved on to developing the next generation of Xe architecture.
- GPU shipments in Q3 2024 dip, as gamers wait for NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs➀ JPR reports 73.6 million GPUs shipped in Q3 2024; ➁ GPU shipments are expected to decline at a -1.9% CAGR from 2025 to 2028; ➂ AMD and Intel released new CPUs in Q3.
- OC legend Splave sets new DDR5 frequency world record with a speed of DDR5-12666➀ OC champion Splave sets a new DDR5 frequency world record with a speed of DDR5-12666 using G.SKILL memory and ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF board; ➁ The record highlights the potential of Intel's Z890 platform and G.SKILL's OC-friendly kits; ➂ The achievement was made with Intel Core Ultra 285K CPU and liquid nitrogen cooling.
December 5
- Elden Ring creator confirms 'multiple projects' underway, with 'new FromSoftware' coming➀ Hidetaka Miyazaki confirms multiple projects in development at FromSoftware; ➁ The projects span a wide range of genres, some not directed by Miyazaki; ➂ Speculation about an Armored Core title, but no confirmation yet; ➃ Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree nominated for Game of the Year 2024
- Microsoft kills hope old PCs will run Windows 11 as death of world's most popular OS nears➀ Microsoft has confirmed that it will not relax the hardware requirements for Windows 11; ➁ The strict hardware requirements, including TPM 2.0, exclude older machines; ➂ Windows 10's market share remains high, and support ends in October 2025, posing security risks and hardware disposal issues.
- Bitcoin hits record peak of $100,000 per coin, marking a 126% increase since January➀ Bitcoin reached a new milestone at $100,000 per coin; ➁ The increase is attributed to Donald Trump's election victory and potential integration of Bitcoin into the US national reserve; ➂ Bitcoin's all-time high was $104,000, marking a 125% gain since January.
- SpaceX is in talks to sell shares at new global top 25 company valuation➀ SpaceX is in talks to sell private shares at a valuation of approximately $350 billion; ➁ The deal would make SpaceX the world's most valuable private company; ➂ SpaceX is a leader in space transportation with its Falcon rockets and has over 5 million Starlink users.
December 4
- Elon Musk launches new attack at OpenAI to prevent its much-wanted evolution➀ Elon Musk files an injunction against OpenAI and its CEO to prevent the company from becoming for-profit; ➁ Musk argues that OpenAI has deviated from its original non-profit mission; ➂ The case will be heard in January in California.
- Windows 11 loses customers amid the world's most popular OS gaining traction➀ Despite Microsoft's push to move Windows 10 users to Windows 11, the new OS is losing market share to its predecessor. ➁ Windows 10's market share has slightly increased while Windows 11's has decreased. ➃ Many Windows 10 devices may not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11, potentially leading to 240 million PCs becoming obsolete.
- Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger officially departs company likely against his will➀ Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has unexpectedly departed; ➁ The departure is effective December 1, 2024; ➂ Gelsinger's exit comes amidst Intel's challenges with CPU failures, AI market misses, and significant financial losses.
- NVIDIA's next-gen Rubin AI GPU could be pushed up 6 months ahead of schedule with HBM4➀ NVIDIA's Rubin AI GPU architecture, originally set for 2026, is now expected six months earlier; ➁ Utilizing TSMC's 3nm process and next-gen HBM4 memory; ➂ Follows the Blackwell architecture, with NVIDIA collaborating with Taiwanese partners on R100-powered AI servers.
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will need a GeForce RTX 4090 for 4K 60FPS ray tracing➀ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle requires a GeForce RTX 4090 for 4K 60FPS ray tracing; ➁ The game's PC requirements have been announced, with high-end hardware needed for full ray tracing mode; ➂ The game is set to launch on December 9.