Officially launched today, the Raspberry Pi Pico W is the successor to the Raspberry Pi Pico , Raspberry Pi's first microcontroller board. Long time Raspberry Pi fans will know that a W at the end of of product name means Wi-Fi and the Pico W comes with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi all for just $6. In our review of the Raspberry Pi Pico W we praised how easy it was to get online. Taking a mere five lines of MicroPython to connect our project to the world. The Pico W retains GPIO compatibility with the older Pico, but at this time third-party addons are rushing to patch their software libraries to work with the Pico W. In a release blog post , written by Raspberry Pi LTD CEO Eben Upton, we learn that there will be two MicroPython firmwares for both models of Pico. "This UF2 firmware we’re making available for Pico W is a separate build to the existing MicroPython firmware for our original Pico board. We’ll be upstreaming the changes to the main MicroPython repository … [Read more...] about Where to Buy the Raspberry Pi Pico W
Samsung Begins 3nm Production: World’s First Gate-All-Around Transistors
Samsung Foundry had started the initial production of chips using its 3GAE fabrication process, the company announced (opens in new tab) today. The new 3GAE (3nm-class gate-all-around early) manufacturing technology is set to improve performance, cut down power consumption, and increase transistor density. However, to do so, early designs must be tailored for the node, which essentially means that 3nm GAA is not for everyone just yet. "Samsung Electronics, the world leader in semiconductor technology, today announced that it has started initial production of its 3-nanometer (nm) process node applying Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor architecture," the statement from the company reads. Samsung brands its 3GAE gate-all-around field-effect transistors (GAAFETs) as multi-bridge channel field-effect transistors (MBCFETs). The transistors' reduced leakage current is one of the key features, as the gate is now surrounded by the channel across all four sides. Another advantage is … [Read more...] about Samsung Begins 3nm Production: World’s First Gate-All-Around Transistors
Intel Driver Adds Support for High End Cards, Toggle Performance Optimizations
Intel has released a new version of its Arc Graphics Windows DCH Driver. Version 30.0.101.1743 Beta is notable for introducing support for some higher-end mobile Arc GPUs , the A770M and A550M Graphics. Also debuting in this release is a long-promised settings toggle (Advanced Performance Optimizations) enabling users to switch 3DMark benchmark optimizations on and off . Previously this has been on by default , and delivered 15% better benchmark scores than otherwise possible. There are some new games with 'Intel Game On Driver support' for Arc GPU owners too, namely; Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, F1 2022, and Arcadegeddon. The driver also has fixes for Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition (DX12), Horizon Zero Dawn (DX12) among others. So far Intel has only rolled out its lower-end A300 family GPUs for laptops and desktops. Hopefully this new driver adding support for the A770M and A550M Graphics indicates we should be ready for another mobile spurt. Sadly, it looks like Intel is … [Read more...] about Intel Driver Adds Support for High End Cards, Toggle Performance Optimizations
Gartner Predicts a 9.5% PC Industry Decline for 2022
Market research and analysis outfit Gartner has published a gloomy set of predictions about the fate of the PC industry in 2022. It headlines the report by highlighting an expected 9.5% decline in PC shipments globally by the end of the year. Like the downbeat predictions published by IDC three weeks ago, Gartner cites inflation, war and supply chain disruptions for the PC industry's misfortunes. Gartner provides some insight by breaking out PC shipment predictions by market segment, and geography. For example, Ranjit Atwal, a senior director analyst at Gartner, said that "Consumer PC demand is on pace to decline 13.1% in 2022 and will plummet much faster than business PC demand, which is expected to decline 7.2% year over year." In the report, we also find that the Europe, the Middle East and Africa region (EMEA) will see a record dip in consumer PC demand though 2022. The EMEA, with its proximity to Russia and Ukraine, has seen consumer confidence hit particularly hard, and … [Read more...] about Gartner Predicts a 9.5% PC Industry Decline for 2022
Best refurbished iPhone deals and sales for June 2022 | Digital Trends
Searching for refurbished iPhone deals? Snapping up the best iPhone doesn’t have to cost a fortune when you consider refurbished iPhone deals. These phones still have a great warranty and offer you the same service as if you bought one brand new. Even better, they cost far less than new. It’s a great idea to save money buying a refurbished iPhone which is why we’ve picked out some of the highlights to save you big without needing to resort to conventional iPhone deals . Here’s a look at the best refurbished iPhone deals we’ve spotted. Best refurbished iPhone deals iPhone XR (64GB, Unlocked)– $262, was $749 iPhone 11 (64GB, Unlocked) — $385, was $699 iPhone 12 (64GB, Unlocked) — $493, was $799 iPhone 11 Pro Max (64GB, Unlocked) — $564, was $1,099 iPhone 12 Pro (128GB, Unlocked) — $725, was $899 iPhone XR (64GB, Unlocked) — $279, was $749 Why Buy Fun design Decent camera iOS is great Good battery life The iPhone XR might be an aging phone … [Read more...] about Best refurbished iPhone deals and sales for June 2022 | Digital Trends