Microsoft to gobble up Activision in $69 billion metaverse bet
(Mike Blake, Reuters)Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is buying "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) for $68.7 billion in the biggest gaming industry deal in history as global technology giants stake their claims to a virtual future.The dea.....»»
Notepad.exe, now an actively maintained app, has gotten its inevitable AI update
Other Windows Insider updates include new CPU instructions for Prism x86 emulator. Among the decades-old Windows apps to get renewed attention from Microsoft during the Windows 11.....»»
Early Black Friday gaming laptop deals 2024: Asus, Alienware, Lenovo, more on sale
If you want to grab a new gaming laptop, these Black Friday gaming laptop deals are your best bet......»»
Microsoft just learned its lesson about overcharging for AI features
Apple is just getting started with building AI into its various software platforms. However, one of its chief competitors, Microsoft, just learned an important lesson the company could take to heart: most consumers aren’t willing to pay very much f.....»»
The UK government wants to help businesses make trustworthy AI products
The UK Government hopes to unlock £6.5 billion with a plan to build public trust in AI......»»
Ancient unicellular organism indicates embryonic development might have existed prior to animals" evolution
Chromosphaera perkinsii is a single-celled species discovered in 2017 in marine sediments around Hawaii. The first signs of its presence on Earth have been dated at over a billion years, well before the appearance of the first animals......»»
The high cost of complexity: New study explores energy needs of multicellular life
Between 1.8 billion and 800 million years ago, earthly life was in the doldrums. During this period, called the "boring billion," the complexity of life remained minimal, dominated by single-celled organisms with only sporadic ventures into multicell.....»»
Food security in Africa: Managing water will be vital in a rapidly growing region
Sub-Saharan Africa's population is growing at 2.7% per year and is expected to reach two billion by the year 2050. The region's urban population is growing even faster: it was at 533 million in 2023, a 3.85% increase from 2022......»»
Volcanic ash as a source of nutrients: How the Hunga Tonga eruption affected ecosystems in the South Pacific
The eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) in January 2022 ejected about 2.9 billion tons of volcanic material into the atmosphere and across the South Pacific. In early 2022, a scientific expedition (GEOTRACES GP21) investigated the impact of.....»»
Extreme weather already cost vulnerable island nations US$141 billion—and 38% is attributable to climate change
Two years ago, when the curtain fell on the COP27 summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, developing nations on the frontline of climate change had something meaningful to celebrate......»»
Asteroid grains shed light on the outer solar system"s origins
Tiny grains from a distant asteroid are revealing clues to the magnetic forces that shaped the far reaches of the solar system more than 4.6 billion years ago......»»
Mapping the maze where the IRS could find billions in unpaid taxes
In 2021, the difference between what U.S. taxpayers owed the federal government and what they paid hit nearly $700 billion. This "tax gap" has been growing for years while the Internal Revenue Service's budget has shrunk, declining by 18% between 201.....»»
Portal to the past: Geologist identifies metamorphic rock as a crucial feature of the ancient Earth"s carbon cycle
If Earth's history were a calendar year, humans would not appear until the last few minutes before midnight on Dec. 31. During the Proterozoic Eon—2.5 billion years to 543 million years ago—the sun was still a young star, much dimmer than today,.....»»
Is the M4 Mac mini Apple’s first true gaming PC?
Apple wants the Mac to become a gaming destination, and it has the perfect machine to take on consoles from Sony and Microsoft in the form of the M4 Mac mini......»»
Week in review: Windows Themes spoofing bug “returns”, employees phished via Microsoft Teams
Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news, articles, interviews and videos: Patching problems: The “return” of a Windows Themes spoofing vulnerability Despite two patching attempts, a security issue that may allow attack.....»»
Exxon"s $8.6 billion profit beats as record output offsets weak fuel prices
Exxon"s $8.6 billion profit beats as record output offsets weak fuel prices.....»»
There’s a new challenger to one of our favorite laptops
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition are both 15-inch laptops with the newest chipsets. Which one is the better choice?.....»»
Beloved SLO County doctor — a ‘brilliant surgeon’ and community pillar — dies at 69
Beloved SLO County doctor — a ‘brilliant surgeon’ and community pillar — dies at 69.....»»
Warren Buffett continues to trim Berkshire’s stake in Apple, building record high cash pile
Berkshire Hathaway has continued to trim its holdings in Apple for the third consecutive quarter, with Warren Buffett selling about a quarter of his firm’s stake in Apple. As of late September, Berkshire now holds around $69.9 billion of Apple stoc.....»»
Argentina tax amnesty scheme lures $18 billion in bank deposits
Argentina tax amnesty scheme lures $18 billion in bank deposits.....»»
Aging spacecraft starts up a radio transmitter it hasn’t used since 1981 from 15 billion miles away
Aging spacecraft starts up a radio transmitter it hasn’t used since 1981 from 15 billion miles away.....»»