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Submission + - Nvidia Accused of Media Manipulation Ahead of RTX 5060 Launch

jjslash writes: Hardware Unboxed has raised serious concerns about Nvidia's handling of the upcoming GeForce RTX 5060 launch. In a recent video, the independent tech reviewers allege that Nvidia is using tightly controlled preview programs to manipulate public perception, while actively sidelining critical voices.

The company is favoring a handful of more "friendly" outlets with early access, under strict conditions. These outlets were given preview drivers – but only under guidelines that make their products shine beyond what's real-world testing would conclude. To cite two examples:

  • One of the restrictions is not comparing the new RTX 5060 to the RTX 4060. Don't even need to explain than one.
  • Another restriction or heavy-handed suggestion: run the RTX 5060 with 4x multi-frame generation turned on, inflating FPS results, while older GPUs that dont support MFG look considerably worse in charts.

The result: glowing previews published just days before the official launch, creating a first impression based almost entirely on Nvidia's marketing narrative.

Submission + - AI Godfather Geoffrey Hinton Warns: 1-in-5 Chance of Machines Taking Over (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: Geoffrey Hinton, one of the renowned pioneers often referred to as the "Godfathers of AI," is raising fresh alarms about the dangers posed by the fast-moving and loosely regulated AI industry. Hinton cautions that most people remain unaware of the risks ahead, warning there is a 10 to 20 percent chance that artificial intelligence could one day seize control from humanity. TechSpot reports:

Speaking during an interview earlier this month that was aired on CBS Saturday morning, Hinton, who jointly won the Nobel Prize in physics last year, issued a warning about the direction that AI development is heading.

"The best way to understand it emotionally is we are like somebody who has this really cute tiger cub," Hinton said. "Unless you can be very sure that it's not gonna want to kill you when it's grown up, you should worry."

"People haven't got it yet, people haven't understood what's coming," he warned.

It was Hinton's ideas that created the technical foundations that make large-scale models such as ChatGPT possible, including the first practical way to train deep stacks of artificial neurons end-to-end.


Comment Missing the point (Score 0) 180

Chrome winning on merit over a decade ago doesnâ(TM)t excuse Googleâ(TM)s web monopoly. Itâ(TM)s not just about browsers... itâ(TM)s about Google steering web standards, privacy, and ad tech for its own gain. We donâ(TM)t need an âoe800-pound gorillaâ controlling the open web. Competition matters and what they are doing with search alone (or web ads), damaging all parties involved for their own gain and to survive the AI threat is a pure monopolistic play.

Submission + - UK testing new algorithm that seeks to prevent violence before it happens (techspot.com) 1

jjslash writes: The UK government is working on a new data-driven program designed to predict who might commit serious violent crimes in the future. Originally dubbed the “homicide prediction project,” the initiative uses algorithms to comb through data on hundreds of thousands of individuals — including crime victims — in an effort to identify those deemed most at risk of becoming violent offenders. TechSpot reports:

There have been several stories over the years about different governments creating crime-predicting algorithms, leading to comparisons to the 2002 movie Minority Report – even though that film involved clairvoyant humans. The UK government is the latest to come under the spotlight for working on this technology, but officials insist it is only a research project – at least for now.

Civil liberties group Statewatch uncovered the project through the Freedom of Information Act. It claimed that the tool was developed using data from between 100,000 and 500,000 people. Statewatch says the group includes not only those with criminal convictions, but also victims of crime, though officials deny this is the case, claiming it only uses existing data from convicted offenders.


Submission + - Corsair launches web-based tool for updating firmware without extra software (techspot.com) 1

jjslash writes: Corsair has just launched an online tool that simplifies the process of updating firmware for PC accessories. Called the Firmware Update Utility, this browser-based solution lets users easily upgrade their device’s firmware without needing to download or install any additional software.

Modern PC peripherals are jam-packed with features and customization options, so they usually require bloated software tools to express their full potential. Corsair, one of the worst offenders in the bulky software business, is now offering an alternative – at least when it comes to updating a device's firmware.

Corsair Vice President Tobias Brinkmann said they developed the new tool in response to customer feedback. The web-based installer is lightweight and flexible – though accessing a device's low-level hardware over the internet might sound counterintuitive to many. Corsair already offers its iCUE software suite for customizing keyboards, mice, and other compatible gear, including RGB lighting effects.


Submission + - Car prices could jump $6,000 as Trump's 25% import tariff kicks in (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: President Trump has introduced a new 25% tariff on imported cars and auto parts, sparking debate about its effects on the U.S. auto industry. TechSpot reports:

While supporters argue that the policy will spur growth, attract investment, and create jobs domestically, critics warn that it will lead to significantly higher prices for shoppers.

The new tariff on imported cars will take effect on April 2, while the import duty on car parts will go into effect on May 3. The components subject to the new policy include engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain components, and electrical systems.

Under the plan, imported vehicles will be taxed only on their non-US content.


Submission + - SPAM: How profitable are TSMC's nodes: crunching the numbers

jjslash writes: In 2024, nearly half of TSMC’s revenue came from older manufacturing nodes (7nm and above), highlighting a sharp contrast with Intel’s historical approach of phasing out legacy processes. As Intel pivots to the foundry business, this lack of older-node capacity presents a challenge. Curious about the profitability of TSMC’s mature nodes, TechSpot dug into available data—and did some interesting estimating...

TSMC's advanced nodes generate 52% of revenue but only 27% of profit. That being said, it is important to remember that the nodes – especially 3nm – are still in very early stages and are advancing in profitability quite rapidly.

The figures for 2023 actually show both 3nm and 5nm to be loss-making. They have made a lot of progress in recent years, and our estimate is that by next year, revenue share and profit share will align more closely. Just in time for a new node to launch.


Link to Original Source

Submission + - Lisa Su says Radeon RX 9000 series is AMD's most successful GPU launch ever (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: In a conversation with Tony Yu from Asus China, AMD CEO Lisa Su shared that the Radeon RX 9000 series graphics cards have quickly become a huge hit, breaking records as AMD’s top-selling GPUs within just a week of release. TechSpot reports:

AMD CEO Lisa Su has confirmed that the company's new Radeon RX 9000 graphics cards have been a massive success, selling 10 times more units than their predecessors in just one week on the market. Su also stated that more RDNA 4 cards are on the way, but did not confirm whether the lineup will include the rumored Radeon RX 9060.

When asked about the limited availability of the new cards, Su said that AMD is ramping up production to ensure greater supply at retailers worldwide. She also expressed hope that increased availability would help stabilize pricing by discouraging scalping and price gouging.


Submission + - Man lives 100 days with artificial titanium heart in world-first medical success (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: An Australian man has made history as the first person to be discharged from a hospital with a total artificial heart implant, representing a major breakthrough in heart failure treatment. He relied on the device for more than 100 days before undergoing a donor heart transplant in early March, setting a new record for the longest survival with this technology. As reported by TechSpot:

The patient, a man in his 40s from New South Wales, received the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) during a six-hour procedure at St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney on November 22, 2024. The operation, led by cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon Paul Jansz, was part of the Monash University-led Artificial Heart Frontiers Program, which aims to develop three key devices to treat common forms of heart failure.

Globally, more than 23 million people suffer from heart failure each year, yet only about 6,000 receive a donor heart. To support the development and commercialization of the BiVACOR device, the Australian government has invested $50 million in the program. While still in clinical trials and awaiting regulatory approval, the device's ability to sustain patients for extended periods suggests it could become a long-term solution for those facing heart failure.


Submission + - TCL overtakes LG to become second-largest premium TV brand (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: TCL has emerged as a dominant force in the premium TV market, surpassing LG in global shipments and solidifying its position as a key competitor to Samsung. According to Counterpoint Research, TCL’s premium TV shipments more than doubled year-on-year in Q4 2024, capturing 20% of the market, while LG’s share fell to 19%. TechSpot reports:

You'd be forgiven for thinking TCL is behind LG when it comes to premium TV shipments. TCL, known for its affordable yet high-quality 4K, QLED, and Mini-LED TVs, shipped more than twice as many premium TVs YoY in Q4 2024. It captured 20% of global premium TV shipments. That puts it ahead of LG, which held a 19% share.

The two companies' shipment figures have gone in opposite directions since Q4 2023, when LG held a 26% share and TCL was on 12%.


Submission + - Nvidia RTX 5070 Reviewed: Overpromised, Underdelivered... 1

jjslash writes: Nvidia’s RTX 5070 was initially hyped as delivering RTX 4090-level performance for just $550, based on claims made by CEO Jensen Huang during his CES keynote. However, excitement faded when it was revealed that Nvidia’s marketing relied on multi-frame generation, making the performance comparison entirely misleading. TechSpot's review opened with a single head to head test comparing those two GPUs, the results are astounding:

In reality, the RTX 4090 is, on average, 63% faster than the RTX 5070 across our 16-game sample at 1440p. But the deception gets even worse when we turn to ray tracing, as there are cases where the RTX 5070 doesn't work at all due to its much more limited 12GB VRAM buffer.

The review concludes saying that the RTX 5070 offers little excitement, as it’s essentially a slightly cheaper RTX 4070 Super. While it can sometimes rival the RTX 4070 Ti Super, its 12GB of VRAM limits its competitiveness.

Submission + - Another Consumer GPU Flop? Nvidia's RTX 5080 is Actually an RTX 5070 (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 5080 is here, but there’s a catch—it’s not really an 80-class GPU argues TechSpot. Based on its hardware configuration, the RTX 5080 should be an RTX 5070, priced lower and offering the kind of generational leap gamers expect. Instead, Nvidia has shifted the goalposts, squeezing consumers with inflated prices while delivering underwhelming specs.

We looked at the hardware configurations in each class and compared them relative to the flagship of the era. This allowed us to create a "typical" Nvidia GPU generation – an average of what we saw over the last six generations. Now that we know for sure what the hardware of the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 is, we can slot this into the comparison and see how Nvidia's latest generation is stacking up.

Spoiler alert: it doesn't stack up well at all.

This summary of the six-generation average Nvidia GPU configuration shows the issue perfectly. The GeForce RTX 5080 has a configuration that would normally sit around or slightly below the level of a 70-class GPU, yet the price is more in line with what is charged for a model between the 70 and 80-class. In effect, this makes the RTX 5080 a slightly worse-than-normal 70-class GPU in its hardware configuration, for which Nvidia is charging 70 Ti relative money. This mismatch between hardware configuration – which drives performance – and the price is why most reviewers and many people in the community feel Blackwell is an extremely underwhelming generation.


Submission + - ByteDance's OmniHuman-1 may be the most realistic deepfake algorithm yet (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: ByteDance has unveiled OmniHuman-1, an advanced AI system capable of generating hyper-realistic deepfake videos. Trained on 18,700 hours of video data, it uses a novel "omni-conditions" approach, learning from multiple inputs like text, audio, and body poses simultaneously. TechSpot reports:

We may be well past the uncanny valley point right now. OmniHuman-1's fake videos look startlingly lifelike, and the model's deepfake outputs are perhaps the most realistic to date. Just take a look at this TED Talk that never actually took place.

The system only needs a single photo and an audio clip to generate these videos from scratch. You can also adjust elements such as aspect ratio and body framing. The AI can even modify existing video footage, editing things like body movements and gestures in creepily realistic ways.


Submission + - Atari Limited-Edition Asteroids Watches Sell Out Instantly for 45th Anniversary (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: Atari teamed up with luxury watch brand Nubeo to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Asteroids with a collection of five limited-edition timepieces. Each watch, originally priced at $1,650 but discounted to $499, was limited to 125 pieces—and they sold out almost immediately.

The watches feature a unique Japanese automatic movement, where three rotating discs replace traditional hands. The smallest disc, featuring the classic Asteroids spaceship, acts as the second hand, while the minute and hour hands are represented by asteroid-filled outer discs.

While they're not smartwatches, the timepieces feature Swiss Super-LumiNova glow-in-the-dark ink sitting underneath a sapphire lens within a stainless-steel case. They're water resistant up to 21 ATM (atmospheres) and have a screw-down crown, so you can show them off while at the beach or diving.


Submission + - Apple Quietly Integrates Starlink Satellite Connectivity into iPhones (techspot.com)

jjslash writes: Apple has been secretly collaborating with SpaceX and T-Mobile to bring Starlink satellite connectivity to iPhones. Previously, T-Mobile had only announced Starlink support for select Samsung devices, while Apple relied on Globalstar for emergency SOS messaging. However, recent testing confirms that Apple has been quietly working on full Starlink integration. TechSpot reports:

Apple has been secretly collaborating with SpaceX and T-Mobile to integrate Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet into the latest iPhone software. The fruits of the partnership came to light this week with the release of iOS 18.3, which now supports connecting to SpaceX's orbiting Starlink network. Essentially, this functionality allows your iPhone to surf the web and more via satellite when cellular service is out of range.

The Starlink tie-up is an unexpected twist, since T-Mobile had previously only listed Starlink as an option for certain Samsung phones like the S24 models. Meanwhile, Apple already offered its own satellite SOS service through Globalstar that lets users send emergency texts when off the grid.


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