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There wasn't anything particularly sinister about the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) outage that prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ground US flights on Wednesday — it appears to have been a relatively simple glitch. As part of its early investigation, the FAA has determined that the outage was prompted by a "damaged database file." The agency is still working to identify the exact causes and prevent repeat incidents, but says there's still "no evidence" of a cyberattack.

The FAA grounded all domestic departures in the US on Wednesday morning after the NOTAM system failed the afternoon before. This was the first such failure in the country, and it prompted hundreds of delays that took hours to resolve. NOTAMs provide important information about potential problems along a flight's path, such as runway closures and temporary airspace restrictions.

The initial findings may be reassuring for those concerned the outage may have stemmed from another critical infrastructure hack. However, it still leaves some unanswered questions about the fragility of NOTAM in the US. A single corrupted file was apparently all it took to disrupt flights nationwide for over half a day — whatever redundancy was in place clearly wasn't enough.

Everything was going great until it wasn't in the skies over Cornwall, UK on Monday. Virgin Orbit, the space launch division of Sir Richard Branson's sprawling commercial empire, was in the midst of setting a major milestone for the country and the nation: to be the first orbital launch from European soil. The carrier aircraft, Cosmic Girl, had successfully taken off from Spaceport Cornwall, LauncherOne had cleanly separated from the modified 747 and properly ignited its first stage rocket, blasting it and its payload of satellites into space. But before they could be pushed into their proper orbit by the rocket's second stage, something went wrong. On Thursday, Virgin Orbit leaders provided a preliminary explanation as to just what happened.

"At an altitude of approximately 180 km, the upper stage experienced an anomaly. This anomaly prematurely ended the first burn of the upper stage," the company told Engadget via email. "This event ended the mission, with the rocket components and payload falling back to Earth within the approved safety corridor without ever achieving orbit."

Virgin Orbit has also announced a "formal" investigation into the root causes of the anomaly which will be led by Jim Sponnick, who developed the Atlas and Delta launch systems, and Chad Foerster, Virgin Orbit's Chief Engineer. Despite the setback, the company is already in contact with UK officials to reschedule the launch for as soon as late 2023.    

Sam Bankman-Fried is in a world of trouble. He’s facing up to 115 years in prison if he’s convicted of federal fraud and conspiracy charges. And yet the embattled founder of collapsed crypto exchange FTX — who has pleaded not guilty and is out on a $250 million bond while awaiting trial — figured it’d be a great idea to write about his perspective on the saga in a Substack newsletter.

In his first post, which is ostensibly about the collapse of FTX International, Bankman-Fried (aka SBF) claims that “I didn’t steal funds, and I certainly didn’t stash billions away.” SBF notes that FTX US (which serves customers in America) “remains fully solvent and should be able to return all customers’ funds.” He added that FTX International still has billions of dollars in assets and that he is “dedicating nearly all of my personal assets to customers.” SBF, who once had a net worth of approximately $26.5 billion, said at the end of November that he had $100,000 in his bank account, though he pledged to give almost all of his personal shares in Robinhood to customers.

The post covers much of the same ground that SBF has gone over in the myriad interviews he gave between FTX's collapse in November and his arrest last month. He discusses the multiple crypto market crashes in 2022 and a tweet from Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao that sparked a run on FTX’s FTT token and prompted the implosion of his exchange. SBF also writes about how he was pressured to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for FTX. Meanwhile, he notes that many of the numbers he cites in the post are approximations, since he has been locked out of FTX's systems by those overseeing its bankruptcy proceedings.

What's more interesting is what SBF doesn't address. He does not mention the fact that FTX co-founder Zixiao "Gary" Wang and former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison pleaded guilty to fraud charges and are cooperating with prosecutors.

SBF has continued to give interviews and tweet about the situation while he's out on bail. That's despite the complaint filed against him by the Securities and Exchange Commission citing his tweets and comments he made in an interview in early December. Perhaps this whole Substack thing will turn out to be a mistake too.

Intel has just introduced a new desktop processor, the Core i9-13900KS, that can reach up to 6GHz without overclocking, making it the fastest desktop processor available. This is made possible by the processor's Thermal Velocity Boost feature, which allows the chip to run faster when it’s cool enough.

The i9-13900KS is an upgraded version of the i9-13900K, which Intel released last fall. The main differences between the two processors are that the older chip reached a maximum speed of 5.8GHz and had a lower base power of 125W compared to 150W in the new chip. However, the i9-13900KS has the same number of cores (24), amount of cache (36MB) and number of PCIe lanes (20) as the i9-13900K. In addition, the new processor is compatible with Z790 and Z690 motherboards; however, an updated BIOS is recommended.

The Thermal Velocity Boost is a feature in 11th Gen and later Intel Core chips that lets them run faster when they’re cool. It does this by increasing the clock frequency by 100 MHz when the temperature is below a threshold of 70 degrees C. However, you'll need a good cooling solution to get the most out of it.

This release comes before the launch of AMD's Ryzen 9 7950X3D, which is set to be released in February. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D can reach standard speeds of 5.7GHz and has 144MB of 3D V-Cache technology, which allows for more cache to be added to the CPU. The i9-13900KS is available starting today, with a suggested starting price of $699.

Autonomous transportation assistance isn't limited to cars. Airbus has started testing a pilot assistance feature, DragonFly, that could save an aircraft in an emergency. The system can automatically divert a flight in an emergency. It can not only pick a flight path to the best airport (using factors like airspace rules and weather), but communicate with air traffic control and an airline's operations center. If the pilots are incapacitated, the aircraft can still land safely.

Accordingly, DragonFly can automatically land on any runway using sensors and computer vision algorithms. Pilots can even get help taxiing around airports through technology that translates air traffic control's clearance into usable guidance clues in a companion app. It can assist with speed control and alert pilots to obstacles. Crews can spend more time getting ready for the actual flight.

The testing has so far been limited to one A350-1000 demonstrator aircraft. It could be a while yet before DragonFly reaches production, and regulators (like the Federal Aviation Administration in the US) will need to approve its use.

All the same, this hints at where autonomous flight systems are going. Although completely self-flying airliners might not arrive for a long while, you could see aircraft that require little intervention even in the middle of a crisis. This could also help increase flights to airports with difficult landings (such New Zealand's Wellington Airport) and minimize taxiing-related delays.

Warner Bros. Discovery is increasing the price of an HBO Max subscription for the first time. As of today, new users on the ad-free plan will pay $16 per month. Existing subscribers, who are currently paying $15 per month, will have to pony up an extra buck starting on their next billing cycle, but not before February 11th.

“This price increase of one dollar will allow us to continue to invest in providing even more culture-defining programming and improving our customer experience for all users,” WBD told Variety in a statement. It's not clear whether the price of the ad-supported plan is going up. That currently costs $10 per month.

HBO Max debuted in May 2020, so it has gone almost three years without a price increase. WBD is planning to merge HBO Max and Discovery+ this spring, so the timing of the price hike is intriguing, given that the company hasn't indicated how much the combined service will cost or even the name of it. A report last month suggested that the fused streaming service may simply be called "Max."

In the meantime, subscribers might be forgiven for feeling aggrieved about the price increase. Since WarnerMedia and Discovery merged to create WBD last year, the company has been slashing costs at HBO Max. It has canceledsomeprojects, removedtitlesit owns from the platform and canned unreleased exclusive movies in favor of tax writeoffs. Despite adding more recent shows, films and other content to the platform in recent months, there's a case to be made that WBD is charging more for less.

Spotify has revealed when it will run the next edition of its Stream On event. The presentation, which is largely aimed at creators, will take place on March 8th at 1PM ET.

The company started running Stream On events in 2021 to showcase product updates, tools for creatives and exclusive podcasts. You can expect more of the same this time around, with Spotify pledging to show how it's "unlocking new possibilities for more creators than ever before." It will reveal tools and initiatives designed to help creators be seen by new audiences, build a community and achieve success across music, podcasts, audiobooks and other audio formats (though Spotify has dialed back its live audio efforts). 

Here's hoping we finally get more details about the long-overdue CD-quality music streaming option. The company announced Spotify HiFi at the first Stream On showcase nearly two years ago and told us in early 2022 that the offering was still in the works.

Spotify doesn't run a ton of public events and it's always intriguing to learn about what the company has in the pipeline — especially when it comes to features that impact the consumer side of the platform. You'll be able to watch the upcoming edition of Stream On live on Spotify's website and YouTube channel.

If you're determined to listen to high-resolution audio on your phone using high-end earphones, you'll want a DAC — and Astell & Kern thinks it has one of the better options. The company has introduced its third USB DAC, the AK HC3, and this one may finally nail enough features to satisfy most users. It promises very high-quality 32-bit, 384kHz audio like its HC2 predecessor, but you can finally use your headset's microphone. You won't have to choose between pristine sound and making phone calls.

The AK HC3 also uses ESS' newer ES9219MQ dual DAC. A built-in LED even shows if you're using a high-res audio format. The USB-C connection supports Macs, Windows PCs, Android phones and many tablets (including recent iPads), but there's an included Lightning adapter in the box for your iPhone. Android users get a dedicated app to fine-tune the output.

Astell & Kern will sell the AK HC3 for $229, with pre-orders starting January 20th and a release estimated for February 13th. This isn't the absolute highest-quality DAC (Fiio's Q3 can manage 768kHz), but it's better than many mobile options and is relatively easy to carry.

There are two similarly new headphone amps if you're more interested in quality than size. The Acro CA1000T is a second-gen "carriable" model that uses ESS' new high-end ES9039MPRO dual DAC and a triple amp system that lets you switch between dual vacuum tubes, normal amping and a hybrid that combines both technologies. It arrives alongside the HC3, although the $2,299 price will limit it to well-heeled audiophiles.

The AK PA10 portable, meanwhile, is Astell & Kern's first device with a Class-A amp. The choice promises the "best" linear output and a warm, natural sound for 12 hours of battery-powered use. It also won't be cheap when it arrives on February 13th for $599, but it may be worth considering if you want a balance between portability and raw technical prowess.

Lucid had such lofty goals for 2022. It originally planned to build 20,000 vehicles during the year. But, due to supply chain issues and a shortage of parts, it had to revise down the target to between 12,000 and 14,000 and then again to between 6,000 and 7,000 units. Ultimately, though, Lucid ended up beating that annual guidance.

The automaker says it built 7,180 vehicles in 2022 and it delivered 4,369 of them. During the October-December period, it produced 3,493 vehicles (an increase of 53 percent over the previous quarter) and delivered 1,932. The company started delivering the Lucid Air in Europe in December.

We'll find out more about what this means for Lucid's bottom line when the company reveals its Q4 financial results on February 22nd. In any case, beating the annual guidance, even after it significantly slashed the target, is a positive sign that the automaker is overcoming its production issues. Meanwhile, Lucid will soon start taking reservations for its Gravity electric SUV, with deliveries slated to start in the US and Canada in 2024.

Electric cars tend to need extra bulk for their gigantic battery packs, and that's raising eyebrows at the National Transportation Safety Board. In a keynote speech, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said she was worried the size and weight of modern EVs could increase the risk of serious injuries and death. A Hummer EV is over 9,000lbs, the board leader said, while electrified versions of vehicles like the Ford F-150 and Volvo XC40 are far heavier than their gas engine equivalents.

Homendy stressed that she supported the Biden administration's environmental goals, and that transportation represented the largest contributor to American greenhouse gas emissions. She just felt that automakers had to be wary of creating "unintended consequences," such as more road fatalities.

There is some data to suggest that EVs' added weight may pose a danger. Green Car Congresspointed to a 2021 commentary in Nature where researchers calculated that the mortality costs of the F-150 Lightning's extra 700kg (1,543lbs) over the gas model 'rival' its zero-emissions benefits. The chances of passengers dying in a collision increase 12 percent with every 500kg (1,102lbs) of weight difference, the research team said. While those issues might diminish as more EVs reach the market, they could remain a problem as long as combustion engine and electric cars have to share the road.

Technical solutions might help. Scientists are already developing lighter batteries, and the first EVs with denser solid-state batteries (which can achieve similar range with smaller packs) are only a few years away. While EVs with this technology are still likely to be heavier than their fossil fuel-burning counterparts, the weight reduction could improve safety in addition to range.