tweaktown
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July 29
- Activision ran a secret experiment with 50% of Call of Duty's players1. Activision conducted a secret test on 50% of North American Call of Duty players, removing skill-based matchmaking. 2. The test resulted in a 90% decrease in returning player rates outside the top 10% of players. 3. Activision believes that complete removal of skill-based matchmaking could lead to rapid erosion of the player population.
- Apple Intelligence features won't all release with the iPhone 161. Apple's AI features under iOS 18 are delayed and will not be released with the iPhone 16. 2. The features will be available to software developers in the first betas for iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 next week. 3. The delay is due to additional time needed for bug fixes, and the features will be rolled out incrementally throughout the year.
- AMD Ryzen 9 9700X spotted, Zen 5 CPU delays could've been because of a typo1. AMD's Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 series CPU launch delayed due to a potential typo. 2. A batch of Ryzen 7 9700X processors shipped with the label 'Ryzen 9 9700X'. 3. AMD is working with channel partners to replace the mislabeled units.
- MSI issues statement on Intel CPU issue will release BIOS update 'as soon as possible'1. MSI confirms working with Intel to address the instability issues with 13th and 14th Gen Intel Core desktop processors. 2. The company plans to release a BIOS update as soon as the new microcode is available in mid-August. 3. Intel has not halted sales of affected CPUs and will offer replacements for damaged ones.
- Samsung's wild new rollable display revolutionizes interacting with devices1. Samsung has filed a patent for a revolutionary foldable display. 2. The display can be expanded horizontally and resized based on usage. 3. The technology could change how we interact with devices.
- NASA rover discovers 'Trinity' of signs ancient life existed on Mars1. NASA's Mars rover discovered a rock with potential signs of ancient life. 2. The rock shows calcium sulfate veins, organic compounds, and 'leopard' spots, all indicative of microbial life. 3. This is the first time all three signs have been found together on Mars.
- Meta's huge 16,384 NVIDIA H100 AI GPU cluster: HBM3 memory crashed half of Llama 3 training1. Meta's Llama 3 405B model training on 16,384 NVIDIA H100 GPUs experienced half of its failures due to HBM3 memory issues. 2. The 54-day training run encountered 419 unexpected component failures, averaging one every 3 hours. 3. Meta's team improved efficiency with proprietary diagnostic tools and managed 90% effective training time despite disruptions.
- Lenovo's new YOGA Portal Ultra Compact PC: up to Core i7-14700, up to RTX 40701. Lenovo launches new YOGA Portal Mini-PC with up to Intel Core i7-14700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060. 2. The Chinese version features a less powerful CPU but a more powerful GPU compared to the global market version. 3. The system allows for upgrades including CPU, RAM, SSD, and potentially GPU.
- GIGABYTE releases BIOS update for Ryzen 9000 Series, its motherboards are now Zen 5 ready1. GIGABYTE releases BIOS updates for X670, B650, and A620 Motherboards to support AMD's new Ryzen 9000 Series CPUs. 2. AGESA 1.1.7.0 Patch A and AGESA 1.2.0.0a Patch A are critical for compatibility and optimized performance. 3. The updates enable full support for AMD's new memory overclocking features and the Curve Shaper tool.
- AMD Amuse is a new AI image generation tool that runs locally on Ryzen and Radeon PCs1. AMD introduces Amuse 2.0, an AI image generation tool running locally on Ryzen and Radeon PCs. 2. The tool features AMD XDNA Super Resolution integration for image upscaling. 3. Amuse uses Stable Diffusion models and offers a user-friendly interface developed with TensorStack.
- AMD Ryzen AI 300 series 'Strix Point' APU laptops launch: Zen 5 CPU, RDNA 3.5 GPU, XDNA 2 NPU1. AMD launches Ryzen AI 300 series 'Strix Point' APU laptops with Zen 5 CPU, RDNA 3.5 GPU, and XDNA 2 NPU. 2. The new APUs offer flexible TDP settings ranging from 15W to 54W. 3. AMD's XDNA 2 NPU provides 50 TOPS, outperforming competitors in the AI PC market.
July 28
- US DOE wants to make Discovery: world's fastest supercomputer, 3-5x faster than Frontier1. The US Department of Energy plans to build a supercomputer named Discovery, which will be 3-5 times faster than the current fastest, Frontier. 2. Proposals for the Discovery project are due by August 30, 2024, with delivery expected to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory by early 2028. 3. Discovery will be used for advanced scientific research including climate change prediction, drug discovery, cancer treatment, high-energy physics, and green energy development.
- MSI unveils fleet of new high-end AMD Ryzen AI 300 'Strix Point' APU-powered laptops1. MSI unveiled a series of high-end AMD Ryzen AI 300 series 'Strix Point' APU-powered laptops. 2. Models include TITAN 18 Pro, Alpha 17, Stealth 16 AI+, Creator 16 AI+, and Summit 16 AI+ 2024. 3. Features include advanced APUs, high-performance GPUs, and large displays.
- GEEKOM Mega Mini G1: water-cooled Mini-PC with Core i9-13900H, RTX 4060 for $10001. GEEKOM introduces the Mega Mini G1, a water-cooled Mini-PC with a futuristic design. 2. Features up to Intel Core i9-13900H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU. 3. Includes OCulink and Thunderbolt 4 support, priced around $1000.
- TSMC receives 'super rush orders' from China customers willing to pay 40% premium on chips1. TSMC has received numerous 'super rush orders' from Chinese customers willing to pay a 40% premium for faster chip delivery. 2. The urgency is driven by concerns over potential negative impacts from the upcoming US presidential election on China's access to advanced chips. 3. Major Chinese customers of TSMC include Bitmain, Alibaba T-Head, and ZTE.
July 27
- From bad to worse: Intel's 13th-gen and 14th-gen CPUs reportedly have astonishing return rates1. Intel's 13th-gen and 14th-gen CPUs have significantly higher return rates due to instability issues. 2. A European retailer reports four times more returns for 13th-gen Raptor Lake processors compared to 12th-gen Alder Lake. 3. The return rate for these CPUs is around 5%, significantly higher than the normal 1%.
July 26
- SK hynix board approves Yongin Semiconductor Cluster: the 'world's largest mega fab complex'1. SK hynix board approves a 9.4 trillion won investment for the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster. 2. The cluster will house 4 state-of-the-art fabs and a cooperation complex with over 50 local companies. 3. The project aims to establish a global AI semiconductor production base by 2027.
- SpaceX announces Falcon 9 will return to the skies after its critical failure flight1. SpaceX investigated a critical failure in a Falcon 9 rocket leading to a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly (RUD).; 2. The failure was caused by a liquid oxygen leak due to a cracked sense line.; 3. SpaceX has implemented changes including removing the failed sense line and sensor, and has worked with the FAA to ensure safety.
- NASA releases images of the coldest exoplanet ever photographed1. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured images of Epsilon Indi Ab, the coldest exoplanet observed to date. 2. The exoplanet is located 12 light-years away and is more massive than Jupiter. 3. The discovery provides insights into the properties of this Jupiter-like planet.
- NASA sends 4K video to the ISS faster than you can download games1. NASA successfully transferred 4K video at speeds over 900 Mbps from an aircraft to the ISS. 2. The HDTN project tested the network capabilities using lasers and satellites. 3. This technology supports future missions like Artemis II and potential Mars landings.
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X overclocked to nearly 6GHz, beats all other flagship CPUs in single-core perf1. AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X, based on Zen 5 architecture, has been overclocked to nearly 6GHz. 2. The overclocked processor shows a 20% performance increase compared to stock settings. 3. It outperforms Intel's Core i9-14900KS by 19% in single-core benchmarks.
- Runway busted stealing 100,000+ YouTube videos for AI training1. Runway, a popular AI video generator, used thousands of YouTube videos to train its AI model without permission. 2. The company reportedly used pirated content and violated YouTube's Terms of Service. 3. A spreadsheet detailing the sources of the videos was obtained, revealing extensive use of content from major news outlets and individual creators.
- AMD Ryzen 9000 reviews, here's when you can read all about the new Ryzen 9 9950X and Zen 5 CPUs1. AMD has delayed the launch of its Ryzen 9000 Series CPUs to August due to quality issues. 2. The Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X will launch on August 8, followed by the Ryzen 9 9950X and Ryzen 9 9900X on August 15. 3. Official reviews for these CPUs will be embargoed until one day before their respective launch dates.
- Global Windows outage estimated to cost Earth multiple billions1. CrowdStrike's faulty update caused approximately 8.5 million Windows PCs to enter infinite boot loops. 2. The global IT outage is estimated to cost affected companies billions of dollars. 3. Industries hit hardest include airlines, banking, healthcare, and retail.
- NVIDIA has a new GeForce RTX 3050, and it's built on Ada Lovelace1. NVIDIA plans to release a new version of the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU. 2. The new GPU will feature Ada Lovelace architecture and use a larger chip than the GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU. 3. The AD106M GPU, listed in NVIDIA's latest driver release, confirms the upcoming launch of this new GPU.
- Bethesda's Skyrim is now available on GeForce NOW, making sure you can play it on anything1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is now available on NVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming service. 2. GeForce NOW Ultimate members can stream Skyrim at up to 4K and 120 frames per second. 3. Seven additional games, including Skyrim, have been added to GeForce NOW this week.
- AMD Zen 5 HX 'Fire Range' APUs use FL1 package, RTX 50 GPU laptops with Ryzen chips coming1. AMD's Zen 5 HX 'Fire Range' APUs will use the same FL1 package as Zen 4 HX 'Dragon Range' processors, simplifying motherboard design for laptop manufacturers. 2. NVIDIA's RTX 50 series GPUs are expected to be integrated into Ryzen gaming laptops. 3. Intel's new Core Ultra 200 CPUs require redesigned motherboards, creating an opportunity for AMD to gain market share in the high-performance laptop sector.
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 rumor: 48% faster than RTX 4090, TITAN AI is 63% faster than RTX 40901. NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 is rumored to be 48% faster than the RTX 4090. 2. The TITAN AI variant is reported to be 63% faster than the RTX 4090. 3. Both cards are based on the new GB202 architecture and feature next-gen GDDR7 memory.
- NVIDIA AI Foundry helps companies train and develop custom AI 'supermodels'1. NVIDIA introduces AI Foundry, a service to help companies build custom AI 'Supermodels' using NVIDIA software and Meta's Llama 3.1 model. 2. The service leverages NVIDIA's DGX Cloud AI platform for advanced hardware and technology access. 3. NVIDIA and Meta's partnership aims to democratize access to generative AI for enterprises.
- ADATA's new SC750 External SSD shows us the future of USB thumb drives1. ADATA's SC750 External SSD offers high-speed performance in a compact size. 2. It supports read and write speeds of up to 1,050 and 1,000 MB/s respectively. 3. The device is compatible with various operating systems and gaming handhelds.