Apple might be focused on Macs with in-house silicon, but that doesn't mean it's completely neglecting the Intel-based models. The tech firm has updated the Mac Pro with new high-end GPU options that promise big strides forward for graphics- and compute-intensive apps. AMD's Radeon Pro W6800X, W6800X Duo (shown here) and W6900X cards tout 50 percent improved performance per watt over their Vega II predecessors, Apple claimed, and that translates to significant speed boosts in relevant apps.

You can expect up to 84 percent better performance in the Octane X rendering app, Apple said. The 26 percent and 23 percent claimed jumps in Cinema 4D and DaVinci Resolve aren't quite so impressive-sounding, but they're still meaningful if you're either buying a new Mac Pro or upgrading from one of the more modest GPUs.

Apple isn't shy about the origins — these are workstation-oriented parallels to the Radeon RX 6800 and 6900 series consumer boards. The biggest differences, as you might guess, are tweaks to cater to the pro market. All of them include four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2 connector, and they support an Infinity Fabric Link that lets up to four GPUs (such as two W6800X Duo modules) talk to each other five times faster than PCIe. Both individual GPUs include 32GB of GDDR6 memory, while the W6800X Duo unsurprisingly includes 64GB.

These GPUs are replacing the Vega II and Vega II Duo cards in the lineup, and they're priced accordingly. It will cost you $2,400 extra to configure a new Mac Pro with the W6800X inside, $4,600 for the W6800X Duo, and $5,600 for the W6900X. Go all-out and you can spend $9,600 on two W6800X Duos or a staggering $11,600 on two W6900X modules.

The Mac Pro has otherwise gone untouched with this update, and it won't be surprising if this is the only hardware refresh for Apple's pro tower in 2021. There are rumors of Apple giving the Intel-based Mac Pro one last hurrah with an Ice Lake Xeon update, but that wouldn't happen until 2022. It might not happen at all when there's also talk of a 40-core Apple Silicon model that same year. It's safe to say that you'll want to strongly consider a W6000-equipped Mac Pro if you absolutely depend on high-end x86 apps or just need the kind of macOS performance that only the Pro can currently deliver.

Boeing finally has a chance to redeem itself after its first Starliner test flight went awry, and you can watch as it happens. NASA is launching Starliner Orbital Flight Test-2 from Cape Canaveral today (August 3rd) at 1:20PM Eastern, with a livestream available from NASA's YouTube channel (below) starting at 12:30PM ET. If successful, the unoccupied spacecraft will deliver over 400lbs of cargo to the International Space Station before returning to Earth with 550lbs of material.

Starliner will start an orbital insertion burn about 30 minutes after launch. You'll have to be patient after that, though. The capsule isn't expected expected to dock with the ISS until August 4th at 1:37PM ET, and will touch down in the western US after its "daylong" mission.

The vessel was originally supposed to launch on July 30th, but was delayed after the new Russian ISS module Nauka accidentally activated and forced a correction.

Much depends on a successful flight. Boeing and NASA will follow a successful test with six crew rotation missions. For Boeing, this is also about pride. SpaceX beat Boeing to the punch by successfully launching a crewed capsule in 2020, and is already performing crewed operational flights. The sooner Starliner is cleared to launch with people aboard, the sooner Boeing can catch up and play a key role in the privatization of spaceflight.

Blizzard Entertainment's leadership is in upheaval following a California lawsuit over sexual discrimination and harassment. Studio president J. Allen Brack, who was named in the lawsuit, is "stepping down" from his role. Executive development VP Jen Oneal and GM Mike Ybarra (also a former Xbox executive) will take his place as co-leaders.

The company didn't formally explain the exit, but indicated a desire to change company culture. It said that Oneal and Ybarra would strive to make Blizzard the "most welcoming workplace possible" and help with "rebuilding your trust."

Brack previously said in a company email (shared by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier) that he was against harassment and "bro culture." As Massively Overpowerednoted, though, California accused Brack of taking "no effective remedial measures" to curb sexual harassment at the company. The executive allegedly held multiple conversations with employee Alex Afrasiabi about his drinking and harassment of women, but didn't offer much more than counselling in an attempt to correct the behavior.

There was certainly pressure on Blizzard to change leadership. Workers balked at the developer's dismissive initial response to the lawsuit, prompting a walkout protest. Activision Blizzard chief Bobby Kotick even labeled the early reaction as "tone deaf" and promised quick action to improve company culture. In that light, Brack's departure isn't surprising at all — it's one of the fastest and easiest actions the company could take.

JBL might just have a HiFi tailor-made for the emerging world of high-resolution streaming music. The newly introduced L75ms doesn't have a catchy name, but it combines a slick-looking walnut wood cabinet with a higher-end speaker system that includes both a 32-bit/192kHz DAC and modern streaming audio conveniences. While you can't really use the built-in Bluetooth for lossless sound, you can use the Ethernet and other wired connections to stream top-tier audio, including through AirPlay 2 and Chromecast.

The company even offers a 90-day Qobuz trial to help sell you on the concept.

This could be a sweet-sounding system regardless of the audio source. The L75ms includes a pair of 1-inch titanium dome tweeters with wave guides, two 5.25-inch white cone woofers and a 4-inch mid-range driver, all of them with dedicated channels for amp and DSP tuning. They sit on a "multi-angled" baffle, too. On top of the networking, you'l find a 3.5mm input, a vinyl-friendly moving magnet phono stage and ARC-capable HDMI for connecting to your TV. You can connect an external subwoofer if you need deeper, separated bass.

The L75ms won't ship until the fourth quarter of the year, and it won't be a trivial expense at $1,500. However, it's also a rare combination of high-res audio, streaming support and a relatively compact design that would look right at home in many living rooms. You might not need much else to get the most out of a premium music service.

The US military's AI experiments are growing particularly ambitious. The Drivereports that US Northern Command recently completed a string of tests for Global Information Dominance Experiments (GIDE), a combination of AI, cloud computing and sensors that could give the Pentagon the ability to predict events "days in advance," according to Command leader General Glen VanHerck. It's not as mystical as it sounds, but it could lead to a major change in military and government operations.

The machine learning-based system observes changes in raw, real-time data that hint at possible trouble. If satellite imagery shows signs that a rival nation's submarine is preparing to leave port, for instance, the AI could flag that mobilization knowing the vessel will likely leave soon. Military analysts can take hours or even days to comb through this information — GIDE technology could send an alert within "seconds," VanHerck said.

The most recent dry run, GIDE 3, was the most expansive yet. It saw all 11 US commands and the broader Defense Department use a mix of military and civilian sensors to address scenarios where "contested logistics" (such as communications in the Panama Canal) might pose a problem. The technology involved wasn't strictly new, the General said, but the military "stitched everything together."

The platform could be put into real-world use relatively soon. VanHerck believed the military was "ready to field" the software, and could validate it at the next Globally Integrated Exercise in spring 2022.

The advantages of this predictive AI are fairly clear. Instead of merely reacting to events or relying on outdated info, the Pentagon could take proactive steps like deploying forces or ramping up defenses. It could also provide an "opportunity" for the civilian government, VanHerck added. He didn't provide examples, but this could help politicians call out acts of aggression while they're still in the early stages.

There are still limitations. The AI is looking for out-of-the-ordinary clues, such as a greater number of parked cars or aircraft. It can't say for certain what's happening — humans will still be heavily involved. Even so, the tech could be worthwhile if it prevents a 'surprise' attack or leads to negotiations instead of conflict.

Epic Games is continuing its string of superstar Fortnite concerts. The game developer has revealed a "Rift Tour" concert series that will star none other than pop songstress Ariana Grande. The first show takes place August 6th at 6PM Eastern, with subsequent shows on August 7th and 8th to ensure people in other time zones can tune in.

The game developer is warning concertgoers to arrive early (an hour before the show). The Rift Tour playlist will go live 30 minutes beforehand. It won't surprise you to hear that there will be themed cosmetic items, either. You can pick up an Ariana outfit to play as the pop star, and Piggy Smallz Back Bling adds a cute touch while you take down your battle royale rivals. Both should appear in the Fortnite Item Shop on August 4th at 8PM Eastern, and show attendees will pick up an umbrella glider.

Like with J Balvin, Travis Scott and other Fortnite performers, this is as much about attracting newcomers to the game as it is enticing people to come back. It's also notable that Epic is widening the range of artists to include female stars (recently unearthed plans for a Lady Gaga concert never panned out). In theory, Grande could help reel in people who wouldn't otherwise play Fortnite — even if only a fraction of them stick around once the "7 Rings" singer has moved on.

YouTube is no stranger to temporarily banning media outlets for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, but its latest crackdown might be its largest yet. The Guardian and BBC News say the video service has banned Sky News Australia from uploading new videos for a week over accusations it spread COVID-19 misinformation. Multiple Sky videos reportedly violated rules denying the existence of the new coronavirus or claiming that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin were effective treatments.

The clips didn't provide "sufficient countervailing context" to indicate the claims were false, YouTube told The Guardian. YouTube warned there was the potential for "real-world harm" from these videos. This just one "strike" against Sky — two more would lead to a permanent channel ban.

Sky said it found older videos that broke YouTube's rules, but rejected claims that any of its hosts denied COVID-19's existence. The broadcaster's digital editor alleged that YouTube was threatening free thought, although YouTube is notably focusing on demonstrable facts, not opinions.

The TV network has come under fire for its stance on COVID-19, particularly from host Alan Jones. He falsely claimed the SARS-CoV-2 virus was "not a pandemic" in 2020, and in July incorrectly maintained that the virus' Delta variant was neither dangerous nor affected by vaccines. An uproar over those last statements prompted Sky to make a formal apology on July 19th, removing the relevant video at the same time.

The suspension won't dramatically damage Sky's Australian revenue. It's still rare for YouTube to take that kind of action against a major media network, though. The move also sends a signal — large outlets can't count on their size to shield them against YouTube crackdowns.

Zoom is facing more consequences for its earlier privacy and security lapses. Reutersreports that Zoom has agreed to pay $85 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the video chat giant of violating privacy and enabling "zoombombing" (that is, trolls dropping into others' chats). The preliminary settlement also requires tougher security measures, such as warning about participants with third-party apps and offering special privacy-oriented training to Zoom staff.

Judge Lucy Koh said the company was largely protected against zoombombing claims thanks to the Communications Decency Act's Section 230 safeguards against liability for users' actions.

The settlement could also lead to payouts if the lawsuit achieves a proposed class action status, but don't expect a windfall. Subscribers would receive a refund of either 15 percent or $25, whichever was larger, while everyone else would receive as much as $15. Lawyers intended to collect up to $21.25 million in legal costs.

In a statement, Zoom denied doing anything wrong and said that privacy and security were "top priorities." The company previously agreed to settle a Federal Trade Commission complaint over similar privacy issues, including the permanent web server it installed on Macs.

Zoom scrambled to bolster security for its video chats after a surge in pandemic-related use drew attention to vulnerabilities in its software and services. It started rolling out end-to-end encryption in October 2020, conducted reviews and made zoombombing more difficult. The improvements were too late for some users, though, and it's safe to say the settlement is a warning to companies that only belatedly tighten security for their apps.

Are you still holding on to a Nexus One for sentimental reasons? It might be time to move on. Reddit users and 91mobiles have learned that Google will no longer let you sign into the company's apps on devices running Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) or lower from September 27th onward. You can still sign in on the web, but you'll have to update to at least the tablet-only Android 3.0 (realistically, Android 4.0) if you want to avoid major hassles while checking Gmail or navigating with Google Maps.

The cutoff is necessary to protect account privacy, Google said in an email to customers. We've asked Google if can elaborate on its reasoning.

This won't affect day-to-day phone use for many people, as you might guess. Gingerbread and earlier Android releases have so little usage share that they've been lumped into the "other" category for years, and the hardware already struggles to handle many modern tasks. However, it does mark a rare instance of Google cutting off basic functionality for older Android versions, not just OS updates or Play Services features. Think of this as Google setting a baseline — you'll need a device updated within the last decade to receive at least rudimentary support.

Paramount+ effectively revolves around Alex Kurtzman given its continued dependence on Star Trek, and it's clear CBS will do whatever it takes to keep the director and producer aboard. CBS Studios has signed a deal that will have Kurtzman and his Secret Hideout unit exclusvely producing shows for Paramount+ and other platforms through 2026. He'll continue to lead Star Trek efforts for the "next six years," CBS said.

CBS didn't say how much it paid, although Deadline sources understood the agreement was in the "$150 million range." Kurtzman had two years left on an existing deal, but that was worth far less at 'just' $25 million.

Kurtzman has no less than six Star Trek shows underway, including existing productions Discovery, Picard and Lower Decks as well as upcoming efforts like Strange New Worlds, Prodigy and the currently unnamed Section 31 spinoff. He's also responsible for Showtime offerings like the upcoming The Man Who Fell to Earth TV remake, and has Secret Hideout working on projects like a Stephen King short story adaptation. 

It's not surprising that CBS would pay a premium for Kurtzman as a result. While he's not the only one creating well-known shows for Paramount+, losing him and Secret Hideout would risk leaving a giant gap in CBS' streaming strategy. The risk, of course, is that CBS is further tying its fate to one person and one production company — Paramount+ might be in a tough spot if there are ever major problems with Kurtzman's shows.