Brian Fagioli

Wildfires are increasingly becoming a global issue due to rising temperatures and drier climates. Google Research is stepping in with a game-changing solution -- FireSat, a new satellite constellation aimed at detecting wildfires as small as a classroom (around 5x5 meters) within just 20 minutes. This could revolutionize how firefighters and emergency responders handle early-stage wildfires.

Current satellite technology often struggles to catch wildfires in time, offering low-resolution images that update just a few times a day. By the time a fire is visible, it may have already spread across an area the size of a soccer field, making effective response more difficult. With FireSat, that challenge could soon be a thing of the past.

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Corsair has announced its plan to acquire the Fanatec Sim Racing brand, a key player in the racing simulation industry, from Endor AG. The deal, structured as an asset purchase, is expected to finalize within the coming week. Fanatec, which operates out of Landshut, Germany, specializes in a wide array of Sim Racing products, including advanced force feedback steering wheels, pedals, shifters, and other accessories designed for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Endor reported Fanatec’s sales for 2023 to be roughly $110 million, though the figures remain unaudited.

Andy Paul, Corsair's CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition, saying, "We’ve admired the Fanatec brand for many years, and we're excited to bring them into the Corsair family. With our established supply chain and logistics capabilities, we aim to reduce costs, improve customer service, and enhance sales opportunities to steer the brand back to profitability." Paul further explained that Corsair intends to preserve Fanatec’s operations in Landshut, using it as a development hub for Sim Racing products while leveraging Corsair’s expertise in product innovation.

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Nintendo is inviting gamers to get a jump on holiday shopping this year by releasing two special Nintendo Switch bundles this fall. The bundles, featuring the ever-popular Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, aim to offer added value for fans who want instant fun right out of the box. For the first time in the U.S., the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle will be available alongside the standard Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle.

Each bundle comes with a digital download of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership, giving players access to online multiplayer, retro NES, SNES, and Game Boy titles, and more. Both bundles are set to hit online and retail stores in October, but consumers will need to act fast, as supplies are limited.

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MX Linux, one of the most popular Linux distributions, has released MX-23.4 (download here), marking the fourth refresh of its MX-23 release. This update brings various bug fixes, kernel updates, and application enhancements. As an ideal Linux distribution for users seeking an alternative to Windows 11, MX-23.4 continues to refine its performance while remaining user-friendly.

If you're already running MX-23, there's no need for a fresh installation -- the updated packages are available through regular update channels. Here’s why MX-23.4 is worth checking out, especially for those ready to make the switch from Windows 11.

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Linux 6.11 is now available. In his announcement, Linus Torvalds mentioned that the release was largely uneventful, with the majority of patches being relatively small and focused. Torvalds highlighted that the most prominent update in this release is the addition of Hyper-V Confidential Computing documentation.

Torvalds, who is currently on the road in Vienna, noted that while the merge window for the next release cycle opens tomorrow, progress might be slower than usual due to his participation in Open Source Summit Europe and the Kernel Maintainer Summit. He has over 40 pull requests pending but asks for patience as he works through them.

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Apple has released a series of new advertisement videos promoting its “Apple Intelligence” features for the iPhone 16 Pro, with all three ads starring Bella Ramsey, the acclaimed star of The Last of Us and Game of Thrones. While the features showcased are impressive, there’s a major letdown -- Apple Intelligence won’t actually be available when the new iPhones launch. Even when it does arrive, it’s only set to debut in October and will be in beta form. This development will likely leave many users disappointed.

The first ad, titled "More personal Siri," showcases how Siri is becoming even smarter, more intuitive, and more integrated into everyday life. The feature is designed to make Siri more personalized, giving users tailored suggestions and adapting to their preferences. However, it’s now clear that users won’t be able to experience this right away, further dampening the initial excitement around the iPhone 16 Pro.

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Streaming services continue to raise prices, and the latest to join the trend is Hulu. You see, Hulu + Live TV (with ads) will see a price increase starting on October 17, 2024. The cost for the bundle, which includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads), will jump to $82.99 per month (from $76.99). This adjustment will affect users in their next billing cycle following that date.

For current subscribers, the new rate will automatically apply unless they choose to cancel before their first billing cycle after October 17. As streaming costs climb, many consumers are weighing whether these services are still worth the investment. With Hulu's latest increase, the question becomes even more relevant as viewers look for affordable alternatives in an already crowded streaming market.

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The TUXEDO Gemini 17 - Gen3 is designed for performance rather than aesthetics, offering a no-frills, powerhouse laptop aimed at serious users. With its large 17.3-inch display, robust cooling system, and strong hardware options, this is more of a portable workstation than a sleek café accessory. Powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX processor and paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4070 graphics, the Gemini 17 is perfect for both gaming and professional workloads.

One of its standout features is the Ryzen 9 7945HX, which delivers top-tier single-core and multicore performance while maintaining energy efficiency. It outpaces competitors like Intel’s Core i9-14900HX and Apple’s M3 Max in terms of power consumption, making it an excellent choice for users who need performance without compromise.

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TP-Link has launched VIGI, a new business video surveillance brand targeting small and medium businesses (SMBs). VIGI offers a range of hardware and software products designed to provide reliable and easy-to-manage security solutions. The new brand focuses on efficiency, security, and ease of use.

VIGI follows a “4E” design principle -- Easy Planning, Easy Installation, Easy Setup, and Easy Maintenance -- aimed at streamlining security management across various monitoring scenarios, including single and multi-site operations.

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Silicon Power has launched its latest high-performance storage product, the StudioPro CFexpress 4.0 Type-B memory card, designed to meet the rigorous demands of professional photographers, filmmakers, and content creators. This new offering combines extreme speeds with generous storage capacities, making it an excellent choice for 4K and 8K video recording.

With the advanced PCIe Gen 4x2 interface, this memory card delivers top-tier performance, boasting impressive read speeds up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds up to 3,100 MB/s. These speeds enable seamless data transfer, allowing users to handle intensive workflows without interruption.

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OWC has announced the release of its Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD, which is now available for pre-order and will start shipping in October. This cutting-edge SSD is designed to work seamlessly with Mac and PC devices equipped with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB4.

The Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is engineered for both professionals and enthusiasts. It offers speeds surpassing 6000MB/s, doubling the performance of Thunderbolt 4 and USB4. The device optimizes performance across Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB4 machines, making it capable of handling both daily tasks and pro-level creative projects.

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Linux Mint has long been praised for its user-friendly design, with the Cinnamon desktop being a core feature. However, Cinnamon's look outside the Mint distro often leaves users unimpressed. In many distributions, Cinnamon’s default visual style feels outdated and unrefined, giving the impression that its aesthetics have been neglected.

Part of the reason for this is Mint’s focus on the Mint-Y theme, which brings a more polished and modern appearance to the desktop. The default Cinnamon theme, however, is largely left untouched, serving as a fallback option for troubleshooting. With little attention from theme developers, this results in a less-than-appealing experience for users of other distributions that don’t implement Mint-Y.

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Samsung has announced the mass production of its groundbreaking one-terabit (Tb) quad-level cell (QLC) 9th-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND). This follows the successful rollout of the triple-level cell (TLC) version earlier this year.

Samsung’s QLC 9th-generation V-NAND brings several innovations, including the industry’s highest layer count achieved through its Channel Hole Etching technology and a double stack structure. This new NAND offers an 86 percent higher bit density compared to the previous generation, further optimizing performance for AI-driven enterprise SSD applications.

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Apple, a company worth over 3 trillion dollars, has announced Apple Intelligence, a personal AI system, will begin rolling out in October alongside iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1. Despite being one of the wealthiest companies on the planet, Apple is choosing to release this highly anticipated feature as a beta, and that’s a huge problem. Users will essentially be treated like testers, expected to troubleshoot and report bugs, instead of receiving a polished, fully functional system out of the gate.

What’s even more frustrating is that Apple Intelligence won’t be ready in time for the iPhone 16 lineup launch this month. It’s criminal for Apple to ask for so much money for these phones -- marketed as AI-powered -- when the core intelligence feature won’t even be available at launch. Customers are paying top dollar for devices that won’t include one of the main selling points on day one.

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Scosche has unveiled a new collection of accessories tailored for Apple's latest devices, including the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4, following Apple's recent event. These accessories, designed for practicality and style, enhance the functionality of Apple’s latest tech.

One of the key products is the BaseLynx 2.0 Modular Charging System (seen above), which offers users a customizable and versatile charging solution. The system, featuring fast charging modules for everything from AirPods to MacBook Air, is ideal for home, office, or even on-the-go in RVs and boats. The BaseLynx 2.0 kits and modules are available starting at $69.99 on Apple.com and select stores.

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