Most people know the value of Pi as 3.1416, but it's gotten longer and longer over the years as researchers try to find its most accurate calculation. A team from the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden in Switzerland now claims it has broken the world record for computing for the mathematical constant: It said it has calculated for 62.8 trillion digits of Pi. The current record holder, Timothy Mullican, calculated up to 50 trillion digits and was recognized for his work last year.
According to the Swiss university, its team took 108 days and 9 hours to compute for the new value. That's 3.5 times faster than Mullican's efforts and almost twice as fast as the record Google set in 2019. A couple of years ago, Emma Haruka Iwao and her colleagues used the power of 25 Google Cloud virtual machines to calculate for 31,415,926,535,897 digits of Pi within 121 days.
The Swiss team, as The Register explains, used a rig powered by two 32-core AMD Epyc 7542 processors with 1 TB of RAM and a program called y-Cruncher. Its setup had 38 hard drives with 16 TB of storage space each, 34 of which were used for the process while four were used to store the new value of Pi. The team didn't use SSDs, even though their speed would've made the process quicker, because the large number of write cycles needed for Pi calculation would've resulted in high wear and tear on the SSDs, which aren't cheap. That wouldn't have worked, since the university wanted to demonstrate that it's possible to carry out an extremely memory-intensive calculation with limited budget and resources. Guinness has yet to confirm the new record, but after it does, the university plans to publish the new and expanded value of Pi.
Qualcomm is showing off the type of drones that could wind up being built on its dedicated Flight RB5 5G platform. The chip-maker has released a new reference design that contains all the latest connectivity and processing tech it has been talking up since last summer. That's the exoskeleton above, which is equipped with a Qualcomm Spectra 480 Image Signal Processor that can capture 200 megapixel photos and 8K video at 30 FPS. In addition, the drone can record in 4K at 120 FPS with support for HDR.
At its core, the Flight RB5 5G platform uses the QRB5165 processor and Kryo 585 CPU and Adreno 650 GPU, based on the Snapdragon 865 CPU. The AI enhancements come by way of the Hexagon Tensor Accelerator in the Hexagon 698 DSP. Third-parties that use the platform will also get access to a trio of software development kits for neural processing, computer vision and multimedia applications.
Qualcomm
As its name implies, Qualcomm's drone platform includes support for 5G connectivity — including mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands — and WiFi 6. The chip-maker says the networking tech can help support drone-to-drone communications and drone swarms. Both use cases are being explored across industries, from delivering and transporting goods to aerial light displays to military warfare. The reference drone is available to pre-order now, ahead of a late Q3 shipping date, at ModalAI for $400 sans 5G and $500 with 5G. Those interested will also have to put down a $1,000 deposit to reserve it.
On a macro level, Qualcomm will be hoping the dedicated platform can accelerate drone development by leveraging the power of its latest mobile chips. This is far from an experiment for the company. It threw its weight behind drones back in 2015 and more recently waded into robotics. Last year, the company combined both fields under the RB5 platform and now it's focusing its efforts on aerial UAVs. Giving companies a reference on which to base their drone designs could help get the wheels (or propellers) turning on its long-running project.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot system. Since 2018, Tesla cars driven by Autopilot have crashed into first-responder vehicles on 11 separate occasions, causing 17 injuries and one fatality. Given that first responders vehicles have flashing lights, arrow boards and road cones, officials are concerned the system lulls drivers into a false sense of security.
The NHTSA will now investigate how Tesla’s Autopilot system studies the road and, more importantly, ensures drivers engage with what’s going on. This could be the first brick in the road toward tougher supervision of all autonomous and semi-autonomous driver assistance systems. After all, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has already criticized Tesla for beta-testing its product on public roads with very little oversight.
For years, Intel has wanted a piece of NVIDIA’s (and AMD’s) discrete graphics card business, and now we know a little bit more about its plan. The struggling chip giant has announced it will release hardware under the Intel Arc name, with its first card due to arrive at the start of 2022. The first GPU, currently codenamed Alchemist, will offer hardware-based ray tracing and mesh shading and support DirectX 12 Ultimate. As part of the announcement, it also showed off a sizzle reel of games running on its new silicon which, unsurprisingly, looked pretty good. Continue Reading.
Earlier this year, Qualcomm and ASUS announced the snappily named Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders. It’s an ultra-premium smartphone designed, in theory, for diehards who expect their Android phones to be a cut above whatever else is on the market. Now, Engadget’s Cherlynn Low has put the phone through its paces and found a handset that was simply too undercooked to review. With a number of headline features not yet available to test, the end result is a device that, right now, can’t justify its high price. Continue Reading.
YikYak was, or is, an anonymous messaging app that only let you communicate with people in a five-mile radius. Unfortunately, the anonymity offered meant it quickly became a hotbed for abuse, and it shut down in 2017. Now it’s back, equipped with a whole new set of guardrails designed to stop its communities becoming toxic. It’s only currently available for iOS in the US but is expected to grow in the near future. It’ll need to work very hard to coax everyone away from their current social media platforms of choice. Continue Reading.
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has filed a complaint against NASA, saying the way it picked a contractor for the Human Landing System was unfair. It’s the second time in a month the company has launched a courtroom brace against NASA after officials picked SpaceX for its lunar lander contract. This was after Bezos essentially offered the US government a $2 billion discount to put Blue Origin at the front of the line. Unfortunately, this latest complaint will force work on the Artemis lander to be put on hold, which may mean NASA misses its 2024 goal of returning to the moon. Continue Reading.
Like most consumer tech companies, Apple has seen its retail and workplace setup severely disrupted by the pandemic. (Its bottom line, on the other hand, has emerged unscathed.) The iPhone maker has previously been forced to temporarily close stores and recently delayed its return to the office as the virus has surged. In the latest sign that things are returning to normal for the company, Apple is planning to bring back its educational classes to retail locations in the US and Europe, according to Bloomberg.
The sessions, known as Today at Apple, are expected to kick off on August 30th, though that roadmap could be delayed in areas where the virus is on the rise. Scouring its site, we found scheduled in-person classes at Apple stores in New York, California, Massachusetts, Washington and even states where COVID-19 cases are at all-time highs including Florida, Oregon and Hawaii.
Apple moved the events online last year. The last time it held an in-person class was in March, 2020, right before governments began imposing coronavirus-induced lockdowns. However, it reportedly opened its reservation portal on Monday to allow people to sign-up for the courses in advance. The classes range from iPhone photography tutorials to augmented reality workshops to music sessions to beginner coding guides.
According to Electrek, GM has informed some Chevy Bolt EV owners that it will replace all the modules in their batteries with new ones. This is the latest step the automaker has taken to address issues in some Bolt EV models that make their batteries more likely to catch fire. As the publication notes, GM has recalled the Bolt EV twice in a little over a year before this and after over a dozen incidents wherein the vehicle went up in flames due to battery-related issues.
GM recalled over 68,000 Bolt EVs back in November and rolled out a firmware update to limit their charging capacity to 90 percent. In July, the National Highway Traffic Administration issued a safety alert in July advising owners of 2017 to 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EVs not to park their cars indoors or leave them charging overnight. That warning came after two Bolt EVs caught fire in the US. Finally, in April, the automaker released what's supposed-to-be the final software fix for the issue. Clearly, that wasn't able to completely solve the problem, and GM had to find another solution.
Electrek says GM has informed some owners that they'll be able to start booking appointments to have all the modules in their batteries replaced starting on August 23rd. Owners who go through with the replacement will also get a new 8-year 100,000 mile warranty. That said, Chevrolet will only replace battery modules in Bolts produced within the timeframe GM suspects battery manufacturing defects were present. Based on the vehicles that caught fire, Electrek says GM will likely prioritize 2019 models followed by 2017 and 2018 models. The company will also replace modules for owners who routinely do deep discharges.
GM told the publication that they're taking this step "out of an abundance of caution." Further, GM and LG (the battery's manufacturer) will examine the replaced modules and find their defects. They'll also try to figure out if they can devise an in-situ detection method that would allow owners to figure out if their batteries are at risk of catching fire.
As someone who regularly attends conventions like PAX, I know the importance of a good bag for your gaming gear. You need something that can snugly hold your Nintendo Switch, controllers and headsets while also making room for all their cables and plugs. I’ve tried various solutions over the years but nothing’s ever really hit that sweet spot. However, today Astro is taking another swing at the problem with the help of storied bag brand Timbuk2.
Kris Naudus / Engadget
Timbuk2 is best known for its striped messenger bag, but the brand’s new collaboration with Astro skips that style in favor of two different pieces, a backpack and a sling bag. Astro already offers the $100 Scout Backpack with plenty of pockets to store your gear, but the $200 BP35 is bigger: 35 liters of space compared to the previous model’s 32. It also has two laptop pockets, and a full clamshell opening to make it easier to remove your stuff — which certainly should make your life easier at airport security. One internal pocket is designed specifically to carry Astro gaming gear, with a loop for holding your headset, a padded sleeve for a MixAmp Pro and additional pockets for cords and controllers.
There are also plenty of small, thoughtful touches throughout, including mesh shoulder straps to keep you cool, velcro to showcase your pins and patches and a d-ring to hold your keys. And if you’re of the environmentally-conscious sort, all Timbuk2 products are made of recycled materials, and the company has an exchange program for your old bag so you can dispose of it in an eco-friendly way.
Kris Naudus / Engadget
But what if you don’t need a bag that big? 35 liters is a lot of space, after all, and all you have is your Switch Lite and a set of earbuds. This collaboration has you covered on that account with its $80 CS03 crossbody sling pack. You can wear it on your back, front or around your hips because fanny packs are back. But this is one made for your Nintendo Switch, with 14 slots for game cards and a tricot liner to protect your screen. There’s also a pocket for your smartphone and a key keeper so it’ll make a handy replacement for your purse or small shoulder bag. And I mean small, as the CS03 holds a scant three liters. It’s more of a daytripper than a convention pack.
I didn't get much time with the bags, but keep an eye out here for a hands-on after I test them on the mean streets of New York and Chicago. If you want to give them a whirl yourself, both bags go on sale later this month, and can be picked up on Astro or Tumbuk2’s sites as well as any of the six Timbuk2 flagship stores.
Images for the next Call of Duty game have recently surfaced online, giving us a glimpse of what to expect for the future of the franchise. Now, Activision has released a teaser trailer for the upcoming installment called Call of Duty: Vanguard, featuring elements clearly indicating that the game is set during World War II. It shows old weapons, beach littered with the remains of planes from the era, a forest that's located in Germany, among other things.
Vanguard was developed by Sledgehammer Games, the studio behind several other COD titles that include Call of Duty: WWII. The studio and publisher Activision will officially launchVanguard during an in-game event within Call of Duty: Warzone, a free-to-play battle royale that's part of Modern Warfare and is connected to Black Ops: Cold War. It will happen during the Battle of Verdansk, which starts at 10:30AM PT/1:30PM ET on August 19th. We'll likely hear more about the event before then.
Activision, the game's publisher, is launching Vanguard in the midst of a sexual harassment lawsuit against parent company Activision Blizzard. California's fair employment agency sued the gaming giant, accusing it of systemic gender discrimination and fostering a "frat boy" culture that's described as a "breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women."
Tinder plans to make ID verification — a feature currently only available in Japan — accessible to all its users, the company says.
For now, we have few details about how this update, which is expected to roll out in “the coming quarters,” will work. In a statement, Tinder said ID verification would “begin as voluntary” and that it would consult with experts to determine “what documents are most appropriate in each country,” and other details.
Tinder execs noted that ID verification can be a “complex and nuanced” issue, and that some users “might have compelling reasons that they can’t or don’t want to share their real-world identity with an online platform.” The company said it’s working with various experts to ensure its approach is “equitable.”
ID verification would be the latest safety update for the dating app, which has added other features meant to reassure users’ about their potential matches’ identity. The company has also implemented an anti-catfishing feature, and Tinder parent company Match Group partnered with background check platform Garbo earlier this year.
The FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) may have exposed the records of nearly 2 million individuals and left them accessible online for three weeks. Security researcher Bob Diachenko says he discovered a terrorist watchlist on July 19th that included information like the name, date of birth and passport number of those listed in the database. The cluster also included “no-fly” indicators.
According to Diachenko, the watchlist wasn’t password protected. Moreover, it was quickly indexed by search engines like Censys and ZoomEye before the Department of Homeland Security took the server offline on August 9th. It’s unclear who may have accessed the data.
“I immediately reported it to Department of Homeland Security officials, who acknowledged the incident and thanked me for my work,” Diachenko said in a LinkedIn post spotted by Bleeping Computer. “The DHS did not provide any further official comment, though.” We’ve reached out to the Department of Homeland Security.
Among the watchlists the TSC maintains is America’s no-fly list. Federal agencies like Transportation Security Administration (TSA) use the database to identify known or suspected terrorists attempting to enter the country. Suffice to say, the information included in the exposed watchlist was highly sensitive.
A recent bipartisan Senate report recently warned of glaring cybersecurity holes at several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security. It said many of the bodies it audited had failed to implement even basic cybersecurity practices like multi-factor authentication and warned national security information was open to theft as a result.
Apple has long allowed Mac, iPhone and iPad users to access their iCloud drives on a PC using an app you can get from the Microsoft Store. And while the software let you download your photos and files, any passwords stored on your keychain were a more complicated matter. That’s about to change for the better.
With version 12.5 of iCloud for Windows, Apple is adding a password manager to the software. Once you download the update from the Microsoft Store, you can use the tool to add, edit, copy and paste, delete and look up any passwords you have stored in your iCloud keychain. You can also use the app in conjunction with a Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome extension to autofill a password when you’re surfing online.
Apple says the app stores all your passwords within an encrypted database on your computer and transfers them to the relevant browser extension over a secure channel. The app will automatically save and sync any website usernames and passwords but won’t do the same for applications and other sensitive personal data like your credit card number.
It’s all pretty standard functionality apps like 1Password and Dashlane have offered for years, but if you’re an iPhone user who frequently saves their logins to iCloud, you’ll appreciate having easy access to them on your PC.
