Technology

Be that cute couple or family who sends a Christmas card.

Fancy cocktail kits and subscriptions aim to teach basic -- and not-so-basic -- mixology skills to the masses via giftable boxes of specialty ingredients with recipes to shake and stir. Here's what I thought after a three-month trial run.

Are you ready for our 2024 list of the best gaming handhelds? From the Nintendo Switch OLED to the iPad Mini, what do you think is the top device?

T-Mobile is changing things up by introducing new plans and new perks. Could this 5G Home Internet Provider meet your broadband needs? CNET has the details.

Fiber tops our list of the best internet connection types, so the best fiber internet providers are the best of the best. Here are CNET's picks.

• Microsoft is set to pilot a new closed-loop data center cooling system
• It will cool on a tighter chip level for improved efficiency
• By 2030 it wants to replenish more water than it consumes

Microsoft is aiming to reduce its reliance on natural resources by eliminating the need for water to cool its power- and resource-hungry AI data centers in a major leap forward for sustainability.

The company plans to employ chip-level cooling technology on a much tighter scale, enabling it to use a closed-loop system to recycle water and therefore stop wasting the resource.

Microsoft has already reported a 39% improvement in its Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) since 2021, and by 80% since its first-generation data centers in the early 2000 - and it hopes transitioning to a closed-loop system where the water is reused could see it improve this figure even more.

Microsoft closed-loop cooling for data centers

Comparing the new system to its performance this financial year, Steve Solomon, VP for Data Center Infrastructure Engineering, confirmed: “This design will avoid the need for more than 125 million liters of water per year per datacenter.”

Solomon explained how the system, which was introduced in August 2024, works: “Once the system is filled during construction, it will continually circulate water between the servers and chillers to dissipate heat without requiring a fresh water supply.”

This year, Microsoft reported using 0.30 liters of water per kWh of consumption for IT equipment for the purpose of humidification and cooling, down from 0.49L/kWh in 2021. It has also been sourcing reclaimed and recycled water for data centers in Texas, Washington, California and Singapore in order to reduce its impact on the natural water course.

Solomon added that existing data centers will continue to use their current mix of air-cooled and water-cooled systems, suggesting that they won’t be upgraded over time, however when they retire they will likely be replaced by closed-loop cooling systems. New projects in Phoenix, Arizona, and Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin are set to pilot the new closed-loop cooling system in 2026 before they’re taken online in 2027.

Moreover, Noelle Walsh, CVP for Cloud Operations and Innovation at Microsoft, said earlier in 2024 the company plans to replenish more water than it consumed locally for data centers by the end of the decade.

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• iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2 are now available
• They have new Apple Intelligence features including Genmoji and Image Playground
• The new update also adds ChatGPT integration to Siri

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 are now available adding new Apple Intelligence features such as ChatGPT in Siri, Genmoji, and Image Playground to your Apple devices.

These new upgrades are some of the biggest mid-cycle updates we've ever seen, they almost feel more significant than the initial Apple Intelligence-less iOS 18 launch in September. The headline features are Genmoji, generative emojis that have the potential to be a massive success, Image Playground which is Apple's answer to the best AI image generators, and smarter Siri thanks to ChatGPT integration. Each feature in itself is big enough to be a headline update, so to get all three wrapped into one package is the perfect early holiday gift. Both Genmoji and Image Playground will arrive on Mac at a later date.

iPhone 16 owners also get their hands on Visual Intelligence, the exclusive Apple Intelligence feature that takes advantage of the best iPhone's Camera Control. Visual Intelligence lets you search for anything you take a photo of using Google or ChatGPT, so it's similar to Google Lens.

The updates also add new language support to Apple Intelligence, with the AI now working in English (Australia), English (Canada), English (New Zealand), English (South Africa), and English (UK).

The new languages mean you can now use Apple Intelligence without changing your device settings to US English.

Siri is better, thanks to ChatGPT

(Image credit: Apple)

ChatGPT's seamless integration into Siri is a sight to behold in these latest updates, allowing you to ask Siri complex questions and actually get answers for the first time since the voice assistant's inception over 10 years ago.

ChatGPT can be accessed via voice or Type to Siri and lets you ask the incredibly smart OpenAI model complex questions that Siri can't answer. The new update to Siri is a big step forward and while it's impressive, is only just a taster of what's to come once Siri has on-screen awareness and the ability to understand personal context next year.

These new upgrades show Apple is delivering on its promise to vastly improve Apple Intelligence with every update and the best is still yet to come.

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• Nintendo Alarmo's latest firmware update is live now
• It features a handful of scenes from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
• Alarmo owners can download the update now if they've connected the device to the internet

The Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo might just be the most bizarre piece of gaming hardware released this year, yet as promised by Nintendo at launch, it's just received another sizeable update.

This latest Nintendo Alarmo update brings Mario Kart 8 Deluxe scenes to the alarm clock device. As shared by the Nintendo of America X / Twitter account, Alarmo owners can now update their clock to the latest version (should they have painstakingly entered their Wi-Fi password via the clunky dial on top of the device) to receive the new scenes.

The Nintendo Alarmo update adds seven unique Mario Kart 8 Deluxe scenes all featuring music and imagery from the Nintendo Switch's best-selling game. Honestly, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a pretty great choice for the Alarmo, with its upbeat jazz soundtrack certainly having the potential to make me into more of a morning person.

Otherwise, not much has changed with the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo. It's still a very expensive alarm clock that undoubtedly has that Nintendo-esque polish and quirkiness. But ultimately, it's still just a very extravagant way of waking you up at the crack of dawn when - perhaps rather cynically - you could just get your phone to do that instead.

Hopefully, Alarmo will get some more meaningful updates in the future to make a purchase more enticing. Perhaps integration with the recently-launched Nintendo Music mobile app, or even some kind of Nintendo Switch 2 support once that console arrives sometime next year.

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• GPU sales for Q3 are down almost 8% year-on-year
• This is normally a strong period for sales of discrete graphics cards
• It seems that gamers are holding off for RTX 5000 and RDNA 4 GPUs

Normally, this time of year would witness strong sales in the desktop GPU market, but one analyst firm observes that Q3 2024 has seen a distinct drop in buying activity.

This comes from Jon Peddie Research (JPR), which has compiled figures for Q3 sales of ‘graphics add-in boards’ (meaning standalone GPUs that slot into desktop PCs) finding that 8.1 million units were shifted in the quarter.

That’s down 7.9% on the same quarter in 2023, a fairly hefty drop, and it’s also down compared to Q2 2024, with an even larger decrease of 14.5%.

AMD lost a bit more ground here, too, as Nvidia now has 90% of the discrete graphics card market (up from 88% in Q2), with Team Red holding the remaining 10% (down from 12%). Intel Arc products don’t register on the scales for standalone GPUs, sadly for Team Blue - though unsurprisingly it still holds the majority share when it comes to CPU-integrated graphics.

The future also looks gloomy, JPR forecasts, as discrete GPUs are forecast to have a negative compound annual growth rate of -6%, with the market set to shrink further through to 2028.

(Image credit: Nvidia) Analysis: Buyers are playing a waiting game

Obviously, this isn’t great news for any of the GPU giants, but AMD will be particularly displeased to see more market share slip away from it – the company is only just clinging onto double digits at this point.

A year ago, Team Red had a 17% share of the market. So, despite some notably successful Radeon GPU launches in recent times – namely the RX 7900 GRE, which in fact tops our list of the best graphics cards, and the RX 7800 XT, a strong mid-range offering that headed up that list when it came out last year – AMD is floundering, at least according to these stats.

Why are overall GPU sales down in a reversal of the normal picture for the third quarter? That’s surely due to the proximity of next-gen graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia, which are about to launch, in theory, at CES 2025 in both cases.

Gamers are likely holding off for those RTX 5000 GPUs and RDNA 4 GPUs – I know I am, as it just makes sense at this stage of the launch timeframe. Indeed, sales may have been affected earlier this year, too, as would-be buyers may have still been hopeful that these next-gen graphics cards could turn up late in 2024 – along with Intel’s Battlemage desktop GPUs (2nd-gen models that were recently revealed). We're also likely to see some potential RTX 4000 and RX 7000 price drops when the new cards are revealed, which cash-strapped PC gamers could be waiting for.

A further issue that Jon Peddie points out is that the attach rate of discrete GPUs relative to CPUs in desktop PCs has dropped, meaning that more PCs are shipping with no discrete graphics card, relying on integrated graphics instead. That attach rate fell by 26.9% in Q3 compared to the previous quarter, which again is a shaky sign for GPU makers.

Finally, the reason for the prediction of negative growth through to 2028 is Trump coming into office in the US and imposing import tariffs (particularly on China) that are potentially going to push up the price of PCs and components by a hefty amount.

So those who are waiting for next-gen GPUs in the US might need to move pretty swiftly when these models (hopefully) go on sale early next year, before potentially major price hikes start kicking in for all manner of consumer electronics.

Via Tom’s Hardware

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• Popular language learning app Duolingo has teamed up with Netflix to help people learn Korean
• Duolingo’s app features over 40 keywords and phrases from the show
• Duolingo hopes it will "enrich learning" by connecting lessons to the Netflix hit through its "Learn Korean or Else" campaign

TV fans all over the world are hyped for Squid Game season 2, where one of the best Netflix shows will return for a highly anticipated follow-up. But while many global viewers will no doubt choose to watch the series with subtitles or dubbed audio, language learning app Duolingo wants to change that by helping you learn Korean..."or else", the companies warned.

That warning is quite literally the name of the marketing campaign that Duolingo and Netflix have used to bring the world of Squid Game to the language learning app. If that green bird wasn't scary enough, he's already started donning the iconic Squid Game jumpsuit and is encouraging users to learn Korean by immersing himself in that terrifying world, which is pretty on-brand for him, admittedly.

Magno Herran, vice president of partner and brand marketing at Netflix, said of the collaboration: "We discovered there were a lot of shared traits between Duo the Owl and the Pink Guards – both very determined and menacing. So we made it official and gave Duo a Pink Guard uniform and ultimately created something we know fans will love and talk about, cheering A-ssa! in celebration."

What can we expect from the 'Learn Korean or Else' campaign?

Duo, the green owl mascot, will be everywhere in the run-up to Squid Game season 2's debut, being his usual menacing self to encourage people to take Korean lessons. As well as wearing the Pink Guard uniform in the app, fans will also start to see Duolingo ads on Netflix's ad-supported tier, so if you thought you could escape him, you're wrong!

A Duolingo press release also teased that: "Whether [he's] chasing down users in videos or appearing at fan events and on billboards, Duo reminds fans to learn Korean or “face the consequences”.

If you're up for the challenge, you'll start seeing these lessons in-app, featuring over 40 keywords and phrases from the show like 'dolgana', 'Trust no one', 'Let’s play a game', and 'You’ve been eliminated'.

(Image credit: Duolingo)

The Squid Game-specific phrases will be integrated with regular Korean lessons, so the experience won't be too threatening. Then again, it's Duo, so I'd make sure you don't lose your streak. You know he doesn't like that.

This news comes after Netflix's improved dubbing strategy which aims to make non-English language movies and shows even better. So if you are eliminated from your Duolingo lessons, you can always turn on dubbing. You tried your best!

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• Aurora is a new photorealistic image generator for Grok
• It appeared for a few hours, then vanished
• Musk claims it was a beta released by mistake

Grok had a new image generator, at least for a few hours this weekend when some X users stumbled upon Aurora, a photorealistic image generator apparently inadvertently released for the social media platform. Aurora offered some fun for users for a little while before it vanished as quickly as it arrived.

Aurora's brief appearance marked a significant upgrade from the current Flux AI image creator. One thing they have in common is a somewhat laid-back approach to copyright and trademark rules, judging from what was shared online. Whether any lawyers have told people to take down AI images they post of Mario, as happened with Flux, isn't clear as of yet. That said, even the most impressive images had the usual quirks, subtle or otherwise, of AI creation, including weirdly long or short limbs and poreless faces. The only thing it apparently wouldn't show is nudity.

Musk’s response to Aurora’s sudden spotlight? A casual acknowledgment on X. “Just the beta version, but it will improve very fast,” he posted in reply to a fan’s praise of the model. That comment suggests Aurora’s development is far from over, and this little test run was likely an unpolished preview of what’s to come.

Just the beta version, but it will improve very fastDecember 7, 2024

Grok the picture

For a model that’s not ready for full release, it's still pretty obvious that X wants Aurora to compete with DALL-E and other AI image models. The goal is likely to keep X users willing to pay for premium services like Grok with the aid of high-quality AI images.

Aurora would tie in nicely with other moves made by Musk for X to expand access to Grok with a new free tier offering limited access to the AI chatbot. While the sudden retraction of Aurora implies there are some issues that the developers are ironing out, the overall goal is still to compete in every facet of AI tools. It also fits with the expanding presence of Grok in other areas, such as an expected mobile app launch in the near future.

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The handheld Kyu camera captures clips up to nine seconds in length and has space to hold only 27 videos at once. The strict limits are meant to bring “emotional consideration” to your digital memories.

• Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.4 arrives next week
• It overhauls the combat and exploration experience
• Two new agents will also be added, with one free for players

Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.4, or ‘A Storm of Falling Stars’, is on the way and it looks to be one of the biggest and best updates that the game has received yet.

It introduces a wealth of improvements designed to streamline and overhaul the gameplay, finally ditching the controversial 'TV mode' exploration system in favor of a much more immersive 3D environment that you can actually move around. To accommodate this change, Main Story stages have been redesigned all the way from the Prologue to Chapter 3.

Contracted Agents will finally be playable in the city, which sounds like a great way to snap more in-game pics of your favorites. A new Quality Time Mode will be added too, letting your Agents follow you around Sixth Street and other locations on your daily tasks.

Combat has received a small but noticeable tweak in that Decibels, the units you need to accumulate in order to trigger powerful ultimate abilities, are no longer shared between your squad - letting you now use Ultimates sequentially with different characters.

As you might expect, new story content will be introduced focusing on the Section 6 faction and a new Port Elpis environment. In addition to the S-Rank Bangboo Agent Gulliver, two new S-Rank characters from Section 6 are being brought in.

Image 1 of 3

Hoshimi Miyabi (Image credit: Hoyoverse)Image 2 of 3

Asaba Harumasa (Image credit: Hoyoverse)Image 3 of 3

Agent Gulliver (Image credit: Hoyoverse)

This includes the powerful Section 6 leader Hoshimi Miyabi, a Frost Anomaly Agent armed with a magical katana that inflicts Frost Anomaly damage on enemies. There’s also Asaba Harumasa, an Electric Attack Agent with a bow. You will actually be able to obtain Harumasa completely for free, provided you are Inter-Knot level 8 or above after the update is live.

A few new combat modes are coming too, such as the Deadly Assault periodic operation. New environment Reverb Arena will then host a wide range of events with unique gameplay mechanics, including a tower-defense challenge with Bangboo.

Finally, the update adds PlayStation 5 Pro support introducing “enhanced performance” and ray-tracing for even more pristine visuals. Version 1.4 will release on December 18.

If you’re interested in trying Zenless Zone Zero, it’s available now as a free-to-play title on PC, mobile, and PlayStation 5.

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• Another Samsung Galaxy Watch is getting the Wear OS 5 treatment
• One UI 6 Watch is rolling out to the Galaxy Watch 4 range
• It comes with new AI fitness features, watch faces, and more

After a slow, gradual rollout of Wear OS 5 to its Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 5 models, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Watch 4 is now also receiving the free upgrade, as One UI 6 Watch rolls out to users.

It's a major milestone for Samsung, as its entire Wear OS smartwatch range now supports the latest software, despite a fairly clunky and disjointed rollout.

Samsung has confirmed that it's now rolling out the One UI 6 Watch (Samsung's skin for Wear OS 5) upgrade for its Galaxy Watch 4 range. So what's new in the One UI 6 upgrade for 2024?

Wear OS 5 comes to the Galaxy Watch 4

(Image credit: Future)

As with the Wear OS 5 updates for the Galaxy Watch 5 and 6, the new software brings a host of upgrades, tweaks, and improvements.

Galaxy Watch 4 owners will get new watch faces and visual improvements to the interface, with a new default font, buttons, and toggles. Tile graphics have also been upgraded to make things look better.

Under the hood, new health metrics and improvements bring Samsung's AI-powered energy score, showing you your physical and mental condition based on your sleep and exercise, with advice to help you stay on top of your wellbeing.

There are also more detailed sleep insights, custom workout routines, and the new double-pinch gesture to make navigation easier.

There's also a new power-saving mode that limits some health features and extends battery life.

First released in August 2021, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 marked the return of Wear OS to the Galaxy Watch lineup, but it's possible that this year will be the last major software update the aging model gets.

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• New Reddit Answers tool will search Reddit for the answer you want
• It produces a summary of the information on Reddit
• The feature is in testing right now and US-only

Reddit is full of great information, at least if you can find it. Now, the forum is testing an AI solution to dig up the actual information you are seeking in the depths of its threads. The new Reddit Answers tool, hinted at earlier this year, sorts through all those posts for you, filtering out any irrelevancy (or personal digression) in the way of what you’re looking for.

Reddit Answers has a simple premise: You ask Reddit a question, and Reddit Answers digs through relevant posts and threads to give you curated responses. No more clicking through page after page of search results—just the insights, recommendations, and entertaining banter you’re actually looking for.

Say, for instance, you’re planning a trip to Tokyo and want the best local food spots. Instead of scrolling through endless threads or posting a question and waiting hours for replies, you ask Reddit Answers, “What are the best hidden food gems in Tokyo?” The AI pulls together summaries from threads where people have already debated this topic, giving you a bite-sized collection of recommendations, complete with links to the original threads for deeper exploration. Whether you want ramen joints hidden in alleys, quirky cafes, or sushi spots only the locals know, Reddit Answers helps you zero in on what you need.

Or maybe you’re staring at a long row of wood and nail options at the hardware store because you believe you can build a backyard deck on your own. Instead of sifting through conflicting opinions, Reddit Answers might serve up a summary of tips from r/HomeImprovement, like which materials to use, what mistakes to avoid, and links to step-by-step guides posted by fellow DIYers.

Reddit AI

Of course, if the summaries only whet your appetite, you can get more in-depth. A quick round-up explaining why a particular movie from the ‘90s is having a resurgence in popularity is nice, but if you want to see all of the arguments, jokes, and debates that led to that conclusion, you can jump to the end of the original thread. It’s like getting a highlight reel before deciding if you want to binge the whole series.

Reddit Answers is only in testing right now and limited to the U.S. and in English. The company has plans for a wider rollout if the testing goes well. Reddit Answers also fits with Reddit’s broader push to integrate AI across its services. Earlier this year, Reddit announced a partnership with OpenAI, allowing the AI powerhouse to train its models using Reddit’s vast ocean of posts and comments.

Combining AI and the content on Reddit makes sense since AI can be quite good at collecting information but not always great for people looking for specifics, especially on less active threads. But, with AI summaries and guidance, you might find a lot more people leaning on the Reddit community for advice on everything from their personal lives to what electronics to buy, the source of a weird noise in your car, or even just which website always has the best insight into new AI tools being released for you to find those answers (hint: you're already there).

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Play your music loud with a portable speaker, down to a new low of just $79.

The key to AI success is having the right data foundation in place. Put simply, there is no AI without data. But data alone isn’t enough; organizations need to bridge the silos between data, AI and infrastructure to get the most value out of “traditional AI”.

Most organizations, especially non-digital natives, are missing the connection between these three efforts, which is hindering scaled innovation ambitions.

Bridging the gap

In today’s digital world, organizations are focusing on monetizing data as an asset. To achieve this, there needs to be a deliberate business strategy on how to leverage the technology innovations happening in the world of data, AI and infrastructure.

The basic value chain of data and AI is simple: Data is converted into insights, which is converted into actions and decisions to create solutions and services. For example, with traditional AI use cases like personalization, an AI tool provides insights based on someone’s personal data, like from social media, and then generative AI (GenAI) models produce the relevant content for the specific individual.

What’s often missing from this unified data and AI strategy is infrastructure. Both data and AI are infrastructure hungry, and while storage costs have become lower over time, if organizations don’t consider the infrastructure strategy, then the ROI becomes highly questionable.

Very few organizations have an enterprise-wide unified data strategy that connects both AI and infrastructure, as well as structured and unstructured data. Organizational models need to pivot to break these silos. Agile DevOps ways of working and embracing change management are imperative to scale AI to transform your business.

Connecting the dots

Once a business strategy is created, to build the connections between data, AI and infrastructure, there are four steps that organizations can follow:

1. First, understand that you need to shift from collecting to connecting the dots. A mindset shift needs to occur.

2. Identify the big problem you're trying to solve and the use cases that will create the maximum business impact, rather than just collecting data and building AI models and use cases in isolation.

3. Determine the optimal way to run AI models — either by sending the data to the model, such as with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, or getting the AI or the model to the data, which resides in a private, secure environment. Either route depends on factors like data sensitivity and cost, and infrastructure must be a consideration, as AI models consume a lot of GPUs.

4. Strategically ensure the AI, data and infrastructure teams are aligned and working together to solve the problem, rather than operating in silos. Otherwise, organizations will end up with multiple flavors of execution from a technology standpoint for the same project.

Scaling AI and innovation

Once the dots are connected, organizations can start scaling AI and innovation initiatives throughout their enterprise by following these steps:

1. Shift from a use-case-driven approach to a capability-driven approach, building reusable AI capabilities like conversational AI and voice analytics for internal or external service desks.

2. Establish a centralized data, AI and infrastructure team to build the core foundation, platform and capabilities, while allowing business units to build their own AI-powered applications on top. This is crucial for establishing efficiency and consistency.

3. Ensure the technology approach is aligned to the organizational model.

4. Democratize the use of AI across the organization, making it easy for non-technical employees to leverage the capabilities and create value. It’s important to understand how to make it easy for the employees to consume AI create value.

5. Focus first on targeting the low hanging fruit, which is driving efficiencies before transforming employee and customer experiences and then creating new products and services.

The shift has begun

The organizations that will succeed in scaling their innovation and AI ambitions need to shift from simply collecting data to connecting the dots between data, AI and infrastructure through a simplified, outcome-focused approach.

By adopting a unified data, AI and infrastructure strategy, organizations can lay the foundation to effectively scale their AI ambitions and drive tangible business value.

A shift in attitude is taking place and organizations are realizing they need to be much more strategic about how they leverage these three areas to scale innovation effectively and achieve their business’ goals.

It’s advisable to start with the outcomes and then work backwards to figuring out what datasets are needed and how to industrialize that data with AI. The good news today is that cloud, AI and data management technology is now available to change ways of working, bridge connections and drive innovation at scale.

We;ve lised the best Gantt chart software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth controller is available now in the US
• Comes in blue or pink colors and has a number of notable upgrades
• Worldwide release isn't confirmed as of yet

One of my favorite controller brands has just released a new version of its excellent budget gamepad: the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth controller.

A refined version of the 8BitDo Ultimate C Bluetooth controller - which I also consider to be one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers - the 2C is currently only available in the US for an impressive $29.99. Coming in two distinct colorways - blue or pink - I imagine availability will extend to the UK and other regions in due time.

At a glance, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth controller has some noticeable upgrades over its predecessor. The Hall effect thumbsticks look to be improved with sturdy metal rings and a pair of remappable bumpers have been added. These are situated between the triggers, much like the ones we see on the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro.

Another change is found in the wireless controller's overall aesthetic. The rear shell now bears a lighter shade of its main color (again, either blue or pink), which I think is a very pleasing touch. It appears that the d-pad and bumpers have also been further refined, this time offering a more tactile and responsive feel overall.

You're also still getting gyro aiming with the 2C - quite a rarity for controllers that are this affordable. However, it does seem like near-field communication (NFC) support for amiibo figures and cards is still absent here, just like the original model. Though that's an omission I'm willing to forgive, especially given the controller's low price point.

Much like GameSir, 8BitDo is a brand that I find to rarely miss the mark when it comes to controller design. I've tested and reviewed several 8BitDo products including the 8BitDo Ultimate and 8BitDo Arcade Stick, and always found something to love with the brand's hardware. Be that in overall quality, affordability, or impressive feature sets, it's a brand that I'm typically confident in recommending to those looking to buy a new controller.

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• Judge orders Automattic to stop blocking WP Engine’s access to its servers
• WordPress owner must also restore access to how it was before the falling out
• Automattic CEO has indicated he’s unhappy with the decision

In the latest development in what has been a chequered few months for the WordPress hosting platform, the US District Court for the Northern District of California has sided with WP Engine in its battle against Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com.

The court’s order demands Automattic stop, “blocking, disabling, or interfering with WPEngine’s and/or its employees’, users’, customers’, or partners’ access to WordPress.org” and “interfering with WPEngine’s control over, or access to, plugins or extensions.”

Judge Martínez-Olguín also criticized Automattic’s defense, which argued WP Engine’s reliance on WordPress.org resource was self-imposed, noting Automattic’s targeted actions specifically against WP Engine exacerbated the harm.

WP Engine comes out victorious?

The dispute began when Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg accused WP Engine of being a “cancer” for taking more than it gives to the open source project.

Mullenweg later banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org’s resources for free after days of tit-for-tat arguments.

Apart from blocking WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org servers, WP Engine also accused Mullenweg of seizing control of its Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin. In response to Automattic's drastic measures, WP Engine took legal action.

Judge Martínez-Olguín confirmed that Automattic’s “conduct is designed to induce breach or disruption.”

The court also heard WP Engine “experienced a 14% increase in the average number of daily cancellation requests between September 26 and 30, and an increase of 17% in cancellation requests between October 1 and October 14, as compared to September 1 through September 25.”

The Judge also demanded Automattic “[restores] WPEngine’s and Related Entities’ access to WordPress.org in the manner that such access existed as of September 20, 2024,” including to functionality and development resources, data resources, security resources and support resources.

A WPEngine spokesperson told TechRadar Pro, "We are grateful that the court has granted our motion for a preliminary injunction. The order will bring back much-needed stability to the WordPress ecosystem. WP Engine is focused on serving our partners and customers and working with the community to find ways to ensure a vigorous, and thriving WordPress community.”

We’ve reached out to Automattic for their responses to the court ruling, but did not immediately receive a response - however, Mullenweg did share another user’s X post seemingly indicative of his disagreement. It reads: “Agree with him or not, the court is forcing an open source maintainer into providing services to a user.”

UPDATE: Automattic shared the following statement with TechRadar Pro in an email:

"Today’s ruling is a preliminary order designed to maintain the status quo. It was made without the benefit of discovery, our motion to dismiss, or the counterclaims we will be filing against WP Engine shortly. We look forward to prevailing at trial as we continue to protect the open source ecosystem during full-fact discovery and a full review of the merits."

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