European Commission levies $9.5 million in fines for ‘geo-blocked’ Steam games
TechSpot News and Comments January 22, 2021 0
In context: Video games have a long history of geo-blocking (aka region locking). In many cases, the practice has legitimate uses, such as preventing software from running where it might be illegal or censored. However, in 2018, the EU imposed rules against “unjustified geo-blocking” and views it as a... Read more
Gabe Newell says more Valve games are coming, gives verdict on Cyberpunk 2077
TechSpot News and Comments January 21, 2021 0
Something to look forward to: Some gamers were disappointed when they discovered the next Half-Life entry was a VR-only game, but its success has spurred Valve into creating more games. That’s according to boss Gabe Newell, who also gave his opinion on Cyberpunk 2077 in a recent interview. Newell,... Read more
Arctic is launching a successor to its renowned MX-4 thermal paste
TechSpot News and Comments January 20, 2021 0
Bottom line: Arctic, the PC cooling specialist formerly known as Arctic Cooling, has quietly introduced a new version of its renowned MX-branded thermal paste that’s set to arrive in the coming months. It might not be worth upgrading if you already use a quality paste but if you’re running... Read more
No Trump pardon for Assange or Silk Road’s Ross Ulbricht, clemency for Anthony Levandowski
TechSpot News and Comments January 20, 2021 0
What just happened? As his presidency comes to an end, Donal Trump has pardoned 73 people while another 70 have had their sentences commuted. Despite speculation that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Silk Road’s Ross Ulbricht would be granted clemency, neither made the list. NSA whistleblower Assange, currently serving... Read more
Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 870 is a speedier version of last year’s flagship
TechSpot News and Comments January 19, 2021 0
Why it matters: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 isn’t the only new mobile SoC on track to grace flagship smartphones in 2021, nor is it the fastest or most advanced. Still, the new Snapdragon 870 could play an important role in Qualcomm’s product portfolio this year. The chipmaker on Tuesday formally... Read more
This wristband lets friends, family, and even bosses monitor your mood
TechSpot News and Comments January 18, 2021 0
In brief: It’s no surprise that cases of depression and anxiety have increased since the start of the pandemic. Isolation, fear, loneliness, and lockdowns can erode even the strongest person’s mental health, but a wearable could benefit those who can’t or won’t seek help. Called the Moodbeam, the device... Read more
Virgin Orbit sees its first commercial launch carrying satellites for NASA
TechSpot News and Comments January 17, 2021 0
TL;DR: For the first time, Virgin Orbit’s customized Boeing 747 will escalate to 35,000 ft and drop a rocket carrying several small satellites for NASA, hoping to send them into orbit. This will be the startup’s first commercial flight and its biggest test since its failed mission last May.... Read more
Intel’s self-driving tech division Mobileye is picking up speed, set to become a true…
TechSpot News and Comments January 17, 2021 0
Highly anticipated: Tesla has long overtaken the headlines around self-driving vehicles, but Intel’s autonomous vehicle division Mobileye is laying the groundwork to be its biggest competitor. Mobileye’s CEO revealed its upcoming lidar tech at CES 2021, and marked an exciting, differentiating strategy between the industry’s leading giants. The world... Read more
A leaked build of Windows 10X shows what to expect from Microsoft’s Chrome OS clone
TechSpot News and Comments January 16, 2021 0
Something to look forward to: Microsoft’s initial plans for Windows 10X were derailed and then shifted last year, but the company is getting close to delivering a version for single-screen devices. A leaked build of the upcoming operating system shows a striking similarity to Google’s Chrome OS. Windows 10X... Read more
Jessica Rosenworcel assumes FCC chair following Ajit Pai’s exit
TechSpot News and Comments January 22, 2021 0