Technology

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LG could be priming itself for an exciting new product launch according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) test application documents.

Test results published online detail the specifications for an as-of-yet unknown LG laptop device. Testing was carried out by Audix Technology Corporation, an FCC authorized equipment testing firm which has previously conducted assessments on LG devices.

Details are scarce, with no concrete evidence of a product name at present, but the results do hint toward it potentially being a new LG Gram Pro portable workstation - here’s what we know so far.

Mystery device

The aforementioned documents show the mystery device will leverage Intel’s Lunar Lake Ultra 9 CPU. The Ultra 8 288V mobile processor boasts eight cores, and officially launched in September this year.

Part of the broader Ultra 9 lineup, this processor leverages the Lunar Lake architecture, boasting 12MB of L3 cache and operating at 3.3 GHz.

Elsewhere, the test application does give us an insight into the display users can expect to face in the near future, with documents detailing a 16 inch LCD panel display. In addition to this, the laptop appears to be Wi-Fi 7 capable.

In terms of storage, testing was conducted on devices using Samsung SSDs ranging from 256GB memory up to 1TB, as well as with SK hynix SSDs across the same storage ranges.

While LG is yet to confirm any details, the launch of this new mystery device would join a growing roster for LG. In early September 2024, LG unveiled the Gram Pro 16 device at IFA 2024 to capitalize on the current AI PC trend.

This marked the launch of its first notebook equipped with an Intel Core Ultra CPU from the Lunar Lake range as well as the first laptop by the company to secure Copilot+ PC status on account of its NPU being able to meet Microsoft’s minimum requirements.

Boasting an NPU capable of 48 TOPS, LG said the notebook will set a “new standard for AI PCs”

“The LG gram 16 Pro is now more efficient thanks to advanced AI functionalities such as productivity assistants, text and image creation and collaboration tools,” the company said in a launch statement. “What’s more, its extended battery life helps users handle tasks without worry.”

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Intel’s new 128-core Granite Rapids Xeon 6900P processor family is designed to compete directly with AMD’s EPYC offerings and comes in five variations.

There's the 6960P (72 cores), 6952P (96 cores), 6972P (96 cores), and 6979P (120 cores), and the flagship 6980P with 128 cores and 256 threads, with a 2.0 GHz clock speed and 504MB of L3 cache.

The first reviews are in from some of the big tech sites, and they make for interesting reading, with the main consensus being that the 6900P family successfully heralds Intel's long-awaited resurgence in the server CPU arena.

Could boost Intel's data center presence

ServeTheHome hails Intel's return to form after trailing AMD EPYC for years, stating, "Welcome back Intel!" The site was provided with a pre-production 6980P model by Intel, with some aspects, such as power metrics, pending further validation. Overall, STH's Patrick Kennedy was impressed, stating “from a raw performance perspective the Intel Xeon 6900P with 128 cores is stellar and takes the performance crown for now. Of course, AMD said Turin is coming in 2H 2024, so we are not far from AMD’s modern offering. In any event, Intel will be competing with the same core count, and a more comparable process technology, instead of at a 50% or more core count deficit and much older process technology that it has found itself at for half a decade."

The Next Platform emphasized Intel's strategic advancements, noting, as did STH, that the Xeon 6900P's launch precedes AMD's anticipated Turin processor. The site recognized Intel's new chip's potential to slow the company's "CPU market share losses in the data center, even if it doesn’t reverse the trends." The article also highlighted Intel's new focus on power-constrained performance versus sheer IPC gains, showcasing a fresh approach in chip design.

On the performance side, Phoronix provided insights from Linux benchmarks, highlighting strong gains, particularly for the flagship 128-core Xeon 6980P, which pairs well with MRDIMM 8800MT/s memory. The site found that the Granite Rapids series exceeded expectations in various HPC and AI workloads, often outperforming AMD’s top EPYC Genoa and Bergamo models when the software was optimized for Intel’s AMX technology.

Despite some logistical challenges with the testing platform, Phoronix noted that with the Xeon 6900P series launch "Intel has shown they can return to competing with AMD EPYC at the top-end of HPC performance and other compute intensive workloads."

(Image credit: Phoronix) The Arm question

Finally, Tom's Hardware said "Intel’s Xeon 6 lineup finally brings it toe-to-toe with AMD’s traditional advantage in core counts, but the true story will be told in independent benchmarking and cost analysis of the differing platforms." Writer Paul Alcorn also noted we don't know how the range will fare up against competing Arm server chips. "Arm has steadily clawed its way into the data center, largely through custom models deployed by hyperscalers and cloud providers. That does make direct comparisons a bit tough, but we hope to see some virtualization comparisons against the Arm competition in the future."

Despite the accolades for its raw performance, Intel’s new Xeon 6900P CPUs won’t come cheap. High production costs translate into a premium price, making it a costly upgrade for data center operators looking to enhance their infrastructure. Although pricing for the flagship 6980P hasn't been announced yet, TheNextPlatform suggests it will come in at around $24,980.

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Following a years-long legal battle that began in 2020, Epic Games has finally come out ahead of Google with a US judge issuing a final ruling that the Android maker must open the Play Store to third-party rivals.

There are a lot of details to come from the ruling, so we’ve grouped the most important into four sections below to explain what the judge’s decision means for you.

There are two important things to note, however. The first is that Google has announced it’s appealing the verdict, adding in a statement that it will “ask the courts to pause implementing the remedies to maintain a consistent and safe experience for users and developers as the legal process moves forward.”

So while the following changes could happen, there’s a non-zero chance they won’t happen for some time (until after the appeal process is complete) or at all (if Google’s appeal is successful).

The other important detail is this ruling would only hold Google to these new rules for three years in the US – from November 1st, 2024, until November 1st, 2027. When the deadline passes we suspect Google won’t waste time returning the Play Store to how it was before the ruling, but we’ll have to wait and see. And if you live outside the US, Google won’t have to change a thing unless other similar rulings are passed there.

1. More choice

The biggest change for Android users will be they’ll have more choice in the app store they want to use, and finding those third-party stores will be easier.

That’s because Google will need to distribute these third-party store rivals through Google Play – so you’ll no longer need to go through the rigamarole of finding and downloading a third-party APK your phone warns you might be dangerous to install a non-Google Play Store app store.

This also won’t be one of those choices where it’s not really a choice because one option is clearly superior because it has all the apps. As part of the ruling, Google must offer these new rival stores full access to the complete Google Play Store software catalog – it’ll be up to app developers alone to individually opt-out of appearing on non-Play Stores.

2. No exclusivity deals

Genshin Impact and other apps won't be Google Play Store exclusive (Image credit: Mihoyo)

On that note, the ruling bars Google from incentivizing developers to launch on the Play Store exclusively or incentivizing them to launch on it first; Google’s also not allowed to incentivize developers to not launch their apps on rival stores (slightly tricky wording, but it should prevent exclusivity deal loopholes).

Google also can’t pay device makers or mobile phone carriers to pre-install the Play Store or to not pre-install a third-party app store.

One thing that doesn’t appear to break the rules however is offering incentives for developers to push users to one store over another – such as deals on in-app purchases, or Google offering exclusive discounts. This could be a major win for us as by changing your app store you could find you’re able to get a better deal, but we’ll have to see how this develops.

3. Alternative payment systems

Google will also no longer be able to tie Google Play Store apps to its Google Play Billing system – a system that charges app makers a 30% fee on sales. It must also let Android app makers run and promote alternative payment systems, and allow them to set whatever prices they want regardless of the Google Play Billing price.

What this means is developers could still use Google Play Billing but also have their own billing option and charge different amounts for each – ideally charging less if we don’t use Play Store Billing.

This may also force Google to rejig how it splits revenue through Google Play Billing to perhaps make it a less bad deal for the app makers.

4. Security shouldn’t change

(Image credit: Getty Images)

All this talk of third-party app stores shouldn’t mean your Android device’s security will be adversely affected despite what Google claims. That’s not to say you shouldn’t still be careful when downloading apps you don’t recognize – bad actors can even wind up on the official Play Store from time to time – but Google can still take “reasonable measures” which are described as “strictly necessary and narrowly tailored” to maintain the safety and security of Google Play as it opens up to rivals stores.

These measures will be “comparable” to the measures it currently operates on the Play Store and should prevent a dodgy third-party app store from running amok. Google can even charge a fee for these security efforts, with any disputes in these cases set to be overseen by a technical committee that will be appointed by both Google and Epic.

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Compact cameras are very much back – and if you're in the market for a retro-leaning model that has interchangeable lenses and won't break the bank, Fujifilm's rumored X-M5 could soon be a tempting new option.

The first whispers about the surprise launch of an X-M5 – tipped to be a successor to the X-M1 from way back in June 2013 – appeared back in July. And now some new images shared by Fuji Rumors, plus a teaser from Fujifilm itself on Instagram, have given us a clearer idea of what to expect from the APS-C camera.

In short, the X-M5 looks like a cheaper, viewfinder-less alternative to the existing Fujifilm X-E4, which means it could also be an affordable option for those who don't like the price or fixed lens of the popular Fujifilm X1000VI (which is still back-ordered).

The side-by-side image comparison from Fuji Rumors shows that the X-M5 will likely be similar in size to the original X-M1 (which measured 117 x 67 x 39 mm). For comparison, that would make it smaller in all directions than the X100VI (128 x 74.8 x 55.3 mm) and the travel-friendly Fujifilm X-T50 (123.8mm x 84mm x 48.8mm).

Fujifilm's own teaser post ahead of its latest X Summit event, which kicks off on October 14, shows a mysterious camera slipping into the back pocket of some jeans. You'll presumably need to pair the camera with a pancake lens like the XF18mm f/2 R to manage that, unless you're a fan of clown trousers.

Meanwhile, an earlier leaked image on October 6, also from Fuji Rumors, showed that the rumored X-M5's top plate could have a dedicated Film Simulation dial, like the X-T50. That feature divides opinion a little, with beginners appreciating the quick shortcuts to Fuji's digital recreations of old film stock, and more advanced users seeing it as a waste of a dial.

Still, both camps would certainly appreciate some upgraded autofocus, which is apparently also en route for the X-M5, according to Fuji Rumors. Fujifilm has come under fire recently for its misfiring autofocus system, but the company has promised a range of firmware fixes for that – and we could get our first glimpse of what's coming at the X Summit on October 14.

What else is en route?

The Fujifilm X-M1 (above) landed way back in 2013, but circular camera trends appear to have laid a path for a belated successor. (Image credit: Fujifilm)

The return of the X-M series would be something of a surprise, but it also fits current camera trends. Both film cameras and small digital cameras have had a resurgence in the past few years, but casual shooters are also unlikely to shell out the $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,899 needed for an X100VI (if they can find one). So the rumored X-M5 could fill the gap.

Exactly how affordable the X-M5 will be remains to be seen. The original X-M1 cost $799 / £679 (around AU$1,320) with a kit lens at launch, but that was in 2013. Adjusted for inflation, it'd break the $1,000 dollar barrier, so the best hope is that the new version dips below that mark. The X-M5 has been tipped to land with Fujifilm's XC15-45mm lens, so that would certainly help.

Yet it seems that Fujifilm could have something potentially even more intriguing for fans of film-style cameras in 2025. A new post from Fuji Rumors suggests the company is planning to launch a digital equivalent of the half-frame Pentax 17, which was the first new film camera we'd seen in many years when it emerged from its time machine in July.

The Pentax 17 shoots 35mm film, but squeezes twice the number of pictures from a typical roll thanks to that half-frame format (which means vertical shots measuring 17 x 24mm). Exactly why Fujifilm might make a digital equivalent isn't clear, but it's clearly cashing in on its heritage with its Film Simulation dials, retro styling, and new cameras like the rumored X-M5.

Expect to hear more about the latter, and perhaps some new XF lenses, at the X Summit on October 14.

A post shared by FUJIFILM X/GFX CANADA (@fujifilmx_ca)

A photo posted by on

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Pro-Ukrainian hackers have delivered an unwelcome birthday message for President Vladimir Putin after an ‘unprecedented’ cyberattack hit Russian state broadcaster VGTRK, which was taken offline by the incident.

Some report have claimed Russia’s court systems were also affected, and court documents and decisions have been wiped.

VGTRK confirmed ‘no significant damage’ was suffered in the attack, but the disruption caused appears to be significant, with VGTRK servers down for an extended period of time, and some reports suggesting servers and backups belonging to the media organization have been wiped.

A proxy war

It’s not yet clear who was behind the attack, but pro-Ukrainian hacking group Sudo rm-RF seemingly took credit, tweeting a happy birthday message to President Putin with screenshots of the compromised systems.

"Who is behind a specific attack will be determined by the competent authorities and departments, but we understand that when the collective West says that it is aiming to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, this includes an attack on the media," said Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The campaign represents a significant propaganda victory for Ukraine, which has been on the receiving end of a huge 123% jump in Russian cyberattacks in the first half of 2023, and whose critical infrastructure has sustained a huge influx in cybersecurity incidents since the start of the war.

In conjunction with the ground invasion, Russia has utilized its military intelligence units to carry out a series of critical infrastructure attacks to weaken Ukrainian services and damage morale.

Both sides have carried out successful cyber operations, as the digital arena continues to play an important role in the conflict.

Ukraine’s largest mobile network was taken offline, seemingly by Russian threat actors, in 2023, leaving millions without internet or the ability to make calls. In retaliation, Ukrainian backed hacking group took down Moscow based M9 telecoms.

Via The Washington Post

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Samsung has big news for TV buyers. From 2025, it will be unifying all of its product lines, including its best TVs, under the banner of One UI. If you're not familiar with Samsung's Android phones, One UI is its flavor of Android: this design sits on top of the operating system to give every phone a distinctive Samsung personality.

If you are familiar with Samsung's Android phones, though, you may understand why we have distinctly mixed feelings about this announcement.

One UI on Samsung TVs: the good

We have reviewed endless models of Samsung TVs over the years, and while Samsung makes really good televisions we're less enthusiastic about its TV operating system. Tizen.

We've put together an in-depth comparison of the various TV operating systems here, but the short version is that Tizen is the weakest link in Samsung's televisions: it's fine in terms of what it does, but what it does isn't done as quite as nicely or in as user-friendly a way as some of its rival operating systems, especially webOS or Roku.

According to Samsung (via FlatpanelsHD), with the move to One UI you'll get a "cohesive product experience" across your various Samsung devices as well as "software upgrades for seven years".

It's important to note that One UI isn't an operating system but an overlay, so it's entirely likely that it'll sit atop Tizen rather than Samsung switching to Android TV. But whatever's underneath, One UI should deliver a very different and hopefully better TV experience. And it could be very different: Samsung says One UI 7.0 will have a "brand new UX [User Experience] design".

One UI on Samsung TVs: the not so good

We like One UI. We really do. But we don't always like what Samsung does with it. In our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, we noted that Samsung has a tendency to hide important features and to be a little over-complicated: system settings in particular could be "tough to track down". In our Galaxy S24 review we scored its software just two out of a possible five due to problems that "were starting to feel like laziness" in an operating system that was "pushing me to do more, to buy more, and use more" when we just wanted simplicity.

Hence the mixed feelings. One UI can be great, but Samsung can also make it not-so-great – so while we're absolutely on board with the idea of an improved interface on Samsung TVs, we'll reserve final judgement until we see what Samsung actually delivers.

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Finally, after 14 years, Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that Red Dead Redemption and its Undead Nightmare expansion will be coming to PC on October 29, 2024.

"For the first time in its storied legacy, John Marston’s beloved journey can be experienced on PC in stunning, new detail, with both Red Dead Redemption and its iconic zombie-horror companion story, Undead Nightmare, arriving to PC on October 29," Rockstar said in its announcement post.

When the game re-releases later this month, in collaboration with Double Eleven, the fan-favorite title will be available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Rockstar Store.

Rockstar has also confirmed that the PC version will feature some significant enhancements including native 4K resolution at up to 144hz on compatible hardware, Ultrawide (21:9) and Super Ultrawide (32:9) monitor support, HDR10 support, and full keyboard and mouse functionality.

Red Dead Redemption on PC will also support NVIDIA DLSS 3.7 and AMD FSR 3.0 upscaling technologies, as well as NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation, on top of adjustable draw distances, shadow quality settings, and more.

You can take a look at the enhanced PC version in the latest trailer below.

According to the Steam page, the PC version will feature the complete single-player experiences of both games, including bonus content from the Game of the Year Edition. However, it won't feature a multiplayer mode.

Red Dead Redemption first launched in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 before it eventually made its way to PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in 2023.

The game's standalone expansion pack, Undead Nightmare, was released originally in October 2010 and added a zombie-themed single-player campaign, along with two multiplayer modes and a bunch of cosmetics.

The downloadable content (DLC), which was also re-released in 2023, is essentially a non-canonical story that follows John Marston as he sets out to find the cause and possible cure for a zombie plague.

The game's PC release was leaked this summer, so it was only a matter of time before Rockstar made an announcement.

Elsewhere, the studio is gearing up to launch perhaps its most anticipated game of all time, Grand Theft Auto 6, which is slated for a Fall 2025 launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. A PC version has not been confirmed at this time.

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Raspberry Pi owners of all stripes can now purchase branded SD cards optimised for the Pi ecosystem directly from sanctioned resellers, with additional performance enhancements promised for the Pi 5 specifically.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation announced the company has teamed up with OEM card vendor Longsys to ensure the new cards “offer exceptional random read and write throughput” on any and all Pi computers, while support for command queuing (CQ) on the Raspberry PI 5 will push them even further.

Unlocking this additional functionality in the Pi 5’s host controller requires an update to the latest release of Raspberry Pi OS; which does of course mean that users running other Linux distributions are out of luck for the foreseeable future.

Command queuing

CQ-compatible cards can, with the right hardware, take read/write commands in any order from the read/write queue.

The release of the Pi 5 did not initially feature support in its host controller for CQ, which supersedes the legacy SD Host Controller Interface (SDHCI) interface when a compatible card is detected, because of it only previously being available on eMMC devices until a Pi developer decided in 2024 to work on adding the support to Pi OS directly.

While this is good news, the Pi Foundation admit that it’s not quite the speed revolution you might be expecting: “command queuing lets the flash controller hide more of the latency associated with accessing disparate NAND flash pages”, it says, noting that cards are capable of “better throughput” “in theory”.

Pi SD cards

Still, it’s a new product to sell, and the Pi foundation reports that retailers have been instructed to only promote its own cards as well as include them in bundles. At resellers, that appear to be free to price the products with some degree of wiggle room, the new SD cards have been priced around $10/£10 for 32GB and $20/£20 for 64GB.

Other cards may be cheaper, but one that truly adheres to the A2 specification, and allows for command queuing on true A2 cards in Pi 5 computers, may be a worthwhile purchase for those new to the Pi microcomputer or enthusiasts looking to quickly get up and running.

Meanwhile, a brand new, snap-on, durable case made of silicon, the Raspberry Pi Bumper, is now available for the Pi 5. It protects both the Pi “and the surface you’re putting it down on”, and is just $3. The case will also fit the Active Cooler heatsink-and-fan combo for the Pi.

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