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Posted by: xSicKxBot - 11-19-2020, 02:45 AM - Forum: Windows
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Tips for enjoying the holidays together – from afar
Enjoy game night online Puzzles. Word games. Card games. Board games. Games of all types are a hallmark of the holidays. Since gathering the whole group around a living or dining room table may be out of the question this year, it’s time to get creative. Discover new ideas with some of the best online games to play remotely like Sea of Thieves, Roblox, and Minecraft.
Kick off an adventure with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Board games are fun, but maybe video games are more your style. You can get together with family or friends across distances using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Play directly on your PC, console, and Android mobile devices from the cloud (beta), and hunt for lost treasure, defend against alien invasions, race supercars, and more. There are hundreds of games waiting to be played and more are added all the time.
And if you need to make sure “one more hour” of Minecraft really means one more hour, you can set screen time limits that work across devices, apps, and games with Microsoft Family Safety.
Watch a movie together
Holiday movie classics. Comedies. Action adventures. Sometimes the fun of watching a movie is talking about it with your friends afterwards. You might not be going to movie theaters this holiday, but you can still enjoy a movie together using the new Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party) extension on Microsoft Edge.
This extension works with your favorite streaming services including Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO GO, Disney+, Netflix, and more. Use it to sync video playback with your group so you can discuss and react together in a chat—no matter how far away they live.
And, through our partnership with Netflix, Microsoft Edge is currently the only browser that delivers 4K UHD video streaming. Teleparty is available on the Microsoft Edge add-ons site. Download and install Teleparty now to host your next virtual viewing party.
Build your own laptop
Yes, you read that correctly. Keep your child(ren) busy by having them build their own powerful computer.
The Kano PC comes disassembled with a set of simple instructions, so your kids can learn to build it themselves. You’ll inspire them to learn how computers work, plus they’ll come away with a powerful 2-in-1 laptop they can use for class or for fun. Along the way, they’ll also gain skills in coding, design, 3D modeling, and more.
Learn something new
If you’ve been meaning to learn a new skill, another language, or how to play an instrument, go ahead and make that happen now. Just choose what you want to learn from home with these handy apps.
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription or have been meaning to get one, don’t forget to make use of the great additional benefits from our partners that are available with your subscription, such as:
CreativeLive: Want to learn how to play guitar, take great family photos, or learn skills you can add to your résumé? Explore over 300 hours of classes ranging from photography and music to business, design and more.
Blinkist: Learn anytime, anywhere with fast 15-minute audio bits from over 4,000 top nonfiction titles.
While you might not be able to gather with everyone you want in person this year, you can still stay connected through online games, video games, and virtual movie nights. And if you want more “me time,” you can choose to use the time to learn new skills or listen to an acclaimed nonfiction book. Whatever mindfulness or connection you seek, there are many creative ways to find it this holiday season.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 11-19-2020, 02:45 AM - Forum: Lounge
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PS5 PSA: Turn Off Trophy Videos To Save Storage Space, Here's How
If you're a longtime PS4 user playing on your fancy new PS5, you might've noticed that Sony changed up the way that Trophies are documented on the console. In addition to saving a screenshot, the PS5 will now save a clip of the exact moment you earned a Trophy. This new functionality can be great for those who want to ensure that their Trophy hunting accomplishments are recorded.
But as you can imagine, these video files will add up over time, resulting in a packed media folder filled with videos of you earning all sorts of Trophies--even the minor ones that don't require much effort. While it is nice to record these moments, it's not especially conducive to ensuring you've got plenty of space to store new games.
It's best to disable this feature outright to save on storage space. From your PS5 home screen, go to Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Trophies, and then disable Save Trophy Videos. You can also disable Save Trophy Screenshots while you're at it
Humble are running another bundle of interest to game developers, this one is the BIG Royalty-Free Music Bundle, a collection of “albums” containing game ready music in WAV and MP3 formats. The music is licensed in a way that enables you to distribute the music in your games, commercially or otherwise. As with all Humbles, this one is organized into tiers:
1$
Dark skies and other disasters
Haunted
The vanishing of Elisabeth Rose
Chronicles of the illusion world
Archives vol 1: the dark side
15$
Chuck kick ass
Shadows guild
The monster that lies within
Cult
Mindhunter
Forever and a day
Imagine
Archives vol 2: the love
25$
Chaos logic chaos the butterfly effect
The 29th planet
Black sails
Darkventures
Jotun
Pandemonium
Once upon a nightmare
Witchcraft
Slasher
The Lab
Dreamagination
Pixel: faster stronger harder
Superheroes
As with all Humble Bundles, you decide how the money is allocated, between Humble, Charity, the publisher and if you so choose (and thanks if you do!) to support GFS by purchasing with this link. You can learn more about the bundle in the video below.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 11-18-2020, 08:45 PM - Forum: Windows
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Federal agencies advancing government and our nation
Note: In Part 1 of a two-part series, Rick Wagner shines a spotlight on federal agencies demonstrating resiliency to respond and rebound from 2020 challenges and reimagine a future of innovation and transformation.
As we look ahead to the close of 2020 and the beginning of a new year and administration, I’m more excited than ever to be leading our 3,000-member Microsoft Federal team. Formed in July – the same time I came aboard – this new organization reflects Microsoft’s commitment to, and investment in, federal government agencies and the specialized partners who join us in supporting their mission-critical work.
In this year of unprecedented challenges, we’ve seen U.S. government agencies respond to the health and economic crisis posed by a global pandemic, civil unrest over policing and racial justice issues, raging wildfires, catastrophic hurricanes and more. Unlike the private sector, the business of government is always open, especially during times of uncertainty, adversity and disruption. I’m inspired by the speed of federal agencies to address evolving demands while advancing government and our nation. I’m also proud that Microsoft Federal kept pace with our customers in using technology as a core enabler for innovations that serve everyone.
Leadership, resiliency, momentum
Federal agencies are demonstrating leadership, resiliency and momentum in building solutions for some of the most pressing issues of 2020. That’s why our Microsoft Government Leaders Summit digital broadcast on Dec. 7 is focused on empowering mission and leadership resiliency. With our trusted cloud, AI and other leading-edge capabilities, federal organizations are quickly tackling coronavirus issues to ensure seamless delivery of important services and continuity of operations. For example:
Roll Call and FedScoop reported on the DOD’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center integrating supply-chain data to better inform the military’s response to the pandemic. In weeks, Project Salus produced an Azure- and AI-powered prototype with data from 150-plus sources to quickly assess national supply chains and identify potential shortages of water, medicines, food and other essentials.
Meeting diverse missions
While the pandemic requires great agility and resiliency, federal agencies also moved forward across several fronts to better meet their diverse missions, such as:
Veterans Affairs, Microsoft, Medivis and Verizon joined forces in February as Project Convergence to establish the nation’s first 5G-enabled hospital at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Not only will this public-private partnership result in 5G-based innovations, but it will create opportunities to improve veteran healthcare by leveraging the power of Microsoft HoloLens 2 and our Azure cloud. USA Today recently highlighted this initiative, with Susie Adams capturing its impact: “Doctors will be empowered to plan and perform live surgeries, see ultrasounds in 3D, and train doctors, surgeons and nurses to learn and understand human anatomy in new ways.”
Microsoft is partnering with the U.S. Air Force to support its mission through more modern IT solutions, including Microsoft 365, Teams and Azure. The move is allowing the Air Force to scale more easily, improve cloud performance, and empower better cross-agency collaboration and communication while complying with strict DOD requirements.
With two tropical storms headed for the Gulf Coast, we partnered with a U.S. Navy team over the Aug. 22–23 weekend to successfully deploy an enhanced weather model in a production-like Microsoft Azure environment. Capable of rapidly scaling weather and ocean pattern predictions on demand, the system confirmed the potential of using our secure cloud to deliver faster, real-time tropical cyclone forecasts.
We’re working with the federal government to accelerate progress in other ways, such as The First Five Consortium with the Department of Energy to develop disaster-response AI tools that help first responders quickly address floods, wildfires and windstorms. The Wall Street Journal explained the name as a reference to “the importance of the first five minutes in responding to a natural disaster,” and Susie Adams noted our Azure cloud and AI models will be used to analyze massive and disparate data sets in real time to help first responders better allocate resources or inform the public.
Microsoft Federal and our industry team are pleased to collaborate with the DOD in advancing microelectronics technology and strengthening the American microelectronics industrial base through the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes (RAMP) using Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project. We believe RAMP is vital to protecting national security, maintaining U.S. technological leadership and strengthening the economy.
We also hope the path is soon cleared to begin the essential work on the DOD’s Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI), providing fast, responsive, flexible and adaptive cloud services to users at all classification levels. Originally announced Oct. 25, 2019 but stymied by litigation, we remain committed to delivering the best technology, the greatest value to our women and men in uniform, and the highest speed to adoption, innovation, capability and scale.
Respond, recover, reimagine
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has been widely attributed with seeing the world going through three pandemic phases: respond, recover and reimagine. As evidenced by the above examples, federal agencies have successfully responded to initial COVID-19 impacts and are now rebounding through collaboration and modernization with secure cloud and AI solutions. We’re also seeing great strides to shape a future of economic growth, transformation, and increased public trust and confidence.
For more than 40 years, Microsoft has supported federal agencies as they fulfill missions and create more efficient, effective government. Microsoft Federal is fully dedicated to continuing our company’s history of serving as the trusted partner to government customers as they digitally transform, reimagine tomorrow and achieve more for all of us.
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Brad Smith, Toni Townes-Whitley, myself and others discussing the government landscape and what’s needed to address the most pressing issues for federal agencies.
Federal leaders who are responding to change and recovering through collaboration and modernization.
Author and historian Walter Isaacson, sharing insights on the leadership and resiliency strategies that powered great historic transformations during challenging times – and how these lessons can provide a roadmap for leaders in times of extreme disruption.
This Powerful Portable Console Has Us Dreaming Of A Nintendo Switch Pro
Nintendo hasn’t confirmed that a Switch Pro is happening, but we’ve certainly heard enough rumours and the company’s previous track record would suggest it will inject more power into its portable line in the fullness of time.
With a “Pro” model likely to include incremental improvements over the current version, the latest handheld from Chinese firm GPD – which is famous for its Windows-based handheld games machines – has us dreaming of could be possible if Nintendo really pushed the idea of a meatier, more potent Switch.
The GPD Win 3 looks a lot like a Switch – especially with that button and stick layout – but has some key cosmetic differences. The controls don’t detach from the main unit and the console’s screen slides up to reveal a keyboard – an essential feature when you consider that this is basically a tiny PC.
The company has released footage of the Win 3 running FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which, it’s fair to say, appears to be running with some graphical detail toned down.
Even so, it’s an impressive showing, and indicates that there’s a lot more scope in pushing portable hardware with a new Switch model – as some have suggested, Nintendo will hopefully keep the Switch alive for years (if not decades) thanks to regular iPhone-style hardware refreshes. Who knows? We may even be playing next-gen games on the move in 2025.
Cute Zelda-Style 2D Adventure Ocean’s Heart Looks Like It’s Switch-Bound
We love a good Zelda-style adventure, so it’s easy to see why Ocean’s Heart caught our eye – the game’s visuals call to mind the likes of Link to the Past and Minish Cap, and the lead character has another connection with the series thanks to her clothing, which looks a lot like Link’s outfit in Breath of the Wild.
Currently confirmed for release on Steam, Ocean’s Heart is described as “an action RPG featuring detailed pixel art with a heavy focus on exploration” which takes place “in a lively world teeming with secrets and mysteries.” You assume the role of Tilia, who is determined to find her missing father.
Ocean’s Heart is an action RPG featuring detailed pixel art with a heavy focus on exploration. In a lively world teeming with secrets and mysteries, Tilia sets out in search of her missing father. Follow the trail through the ruins of a flooded kingdom, shape the future of the current world, or keep your head down and focus on your own mission in this epic retro-inspired adventure!
Explore a detailed and beautiful world, brimming with secrets hidden in misty forests, isolated mountain peaks, or saltwater marshes. Every area is filled with unique and meaningful sidequests, ancient mysteries, and dangers.
Battle fearsome monsters and wield various weapons and ancient magic to defeat or outmaneuver them. Search for special materials to upgrade your weapons until you’re demolishing monsters who once put up a fierce fight.
Gather various items throughout the world to craft potions, upgrade weapons, and expand your ever-growing arsenal.
+ Retro-inspired action RPG with modern trimmings. +A lively and gorgeously pixeled world full of secrets free to explore at your own pace.+Menacing enemies and tense boss fights that’ll keep you on your toes. + An exciting array of weapons, spells, and abilities. Experiment to find your favorites for every situation and foe. + Unique, character-driven sidequests with heartwarming or twisted stories that expand upon the world’s lore. + Foraging and crafting elements to increase your chances of survival in a nasty fight. + Quirky charm and humor to keep you smiling on your extraordinary adventure!
Early Xbox launch numbers have been released for the UK via a VGC report, and it appears the console is performing slightly ahead of what the Xbox One managed back in 2013. This makes it the largest Xbox launch ever for the region. It was also the biggest Xbox launch of all time, with a global release instead of a region-stagged launch like Microsoft has done in the past.
The difference between the two generations isn't enormous, with the Xbox Series X and Series S managing to sell 155,000 units in its first two days compared to 150,000 for the Xbox One. However, when considering the supply shortages likely caused by the ongoing pandemic--and customers' tightened budgets because of it--it's promising news for Microsoft.
Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad corroborated the news on November 18, adding that this puts the systems ahead of the launch sales for the 3DS, Wii, DS, and Nintendo Switch. It puts them about 90,000 under the PS4's launch sales in the UK.
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Apple’s M1 Macs deliver world’s first support for USB4
The first Apple Silicon chip used in the Mac, the M1, implements Apple’s first custom controller for USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 and delivers the world’s first systems meeting the new USB4 specification. Notably, Apple has bought this to market ahead of Intel’s own 11th Gen Tiger Lake processors for PC notebooks.
Apple Silicon’s first with USB4 is a sign of things to come
M1’s support for USB4 isn’t exactly an earthshaking leap on the same level as Apple’s custom GPU, Neural Engine, or the Unified Memory Architecture of its new M1 System on a Chip. But it is noteworthy that Apple has been able to quickly implement and deliver a new emerging standard on its own custom Apple Silicon— a rapidly expanding advantage the Mac maker now holds over Windows PC and Android licensees.
The USB4 specification is largely an attempt to simplify and streamline the confusing array of definitions related to USB 3.x and other protocols that can work over USB-C cables, including HDMI and DisplayPort.
USB4 also represents the shift of Intel’s proprietary Thunderbolt protocol from a paid licensing scheme that required an Intel controller chip to an openly licensed standard now under the control of the USB standards body. In fact, most of the technical improvement in USB4 is effectively a copy of Thunderbolt 3’s high-speed connectivity features, now available from the nonprofit group that promotes USB as an industry standard.
Apple’s ability to develop its own custom controller supplying Thunderbolt 3 speed and compatibility, right on the M1, comes directly from Intel’s move to share the technology as part of USB4. The fact that Apple’s M1 hit the market before Intel could even finish its own chips supporting the new standard is eye-opening.
M1 MacBook Pro connected via 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 to an Intel Mac in Target Disk Mode
Thunderbolt was initially developed by Intel in partnership with Apple, originally under the name “Light Peak.” It was intended to be a modern, optical replacement for FireWire— a standard Apple had developed on its own in the early 90s but failed to gain broad PC industry adoption.
But a decade later, Intel’s Thunderbolt has seemingly suffered the same fate as FireWire: enthusiastic adoption by Apple on its Macs but with limited penetration on generic PCs with less appetite for pushing state of the art. Adoption of Thunderbolt has mostly been stymied by PC makers’ cost-cutting efforts to settle on the cheaper to implement but much more limited USB as “good enough” for most users.
USB4 standard mandates USB-C ports and cables
Last year, Intel announced plans with Apple, Microsoft, HP, and chipmakers Renesas, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments to define a unified USB4 standard. It would offer the same ultra-fast 40Gpbs bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 along with improved support for tunneling USB 3.2, DisplayPort, and PCIe protocols across USB-C cables.
In addition to mandating USB-C, USB4 also requires support for the USB-PD (Power Distribution) specification for charging devices over the same cable that delivers data.
Defining USB-C as a requisite part of USB4 should help to broaden the use of the modern, omnidirectional, and more robust USB-C hardware standard for cables and ports that Apple has exclusively standardized on in its recent Macs. This is happening even as some critics have bemoaned the loss of the legacy USB-A connectors that have been in widespread use since they were first popularized by the original iMac back 1998.
Apple added USB-C to its iPad Pro and now ships its newest iPhones with a Lighting to USB-C charging cable. Apple has also shifted to USB-C across its charging adapters for MacBooks.
Thunderbolt 3 strikes again
The USB4 standard also offers the potential, but not the requirement, to support existing Thunderbolt 3 peripherals, which involves supporting some unique differences from the core definition of USB4. For the first time, that means that other companies apart from Intel could build their own silicon controllers delivering Thunderbolt 3 speeds and even compatibility without needing to buy a component from Intel.
This agreement was ideal for Apple— and was necessary for the company to deliver its new M1 Macs with support for both the refreshed new USB4 and compatibility with existing the Thunderbolt 3 devices that Mac users already have. Previous Apple Silicon chips— including the A-series SoCs used to power iPhones and iPad— never could support Thunderbolt.
That’s why Apple’s WWDC20 Developer Transition Kit, basically a Mac mini case outfitted with an iPad Pro-class A12Z Bionic chip, could only deliver the same USB 3 support as the iPads that chip was initially designed for.
The Developer Transition Kit specs reflected a souped up A12Z iPad Pro
PC makers who wait for Intel to deliver chips for them are expected to gain support for USB4 early next year with Intel’s Tiger Lake processors. However, there isn’t much urgency elsewhere because those PC makers can already license Intels’ existing Thunderbolt 3 chips if they want to deliver ultra-fast connectivity.
No other PC makers have shown any ambition to develop their own custom silicon in the model of Apple’s M1, and few have been that enthusiastic about Thunderbolt. USB4 should help drive the adoption of cost-effective USB disks that can achieve Thunderbolt 3 speeds faster than the more typical 5Gbps of USB 3.x devices. That should benefit everyone, including Mac users.
Effectively, USB4 as a wide standard should help make the technology used by Thunderbolt 3 more broadly available. In supporting both existing Thunderbolt 3 devices and new devices appearing under the revised standard branded as USB4, M1 Macs will be ready for the peripherals of the future as well as the high-performance devices existing Macs can already use.
