Software News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Stability AI has published a new blog post that offers an AI benchmark showdown between Intel Gaudi 2 & NVIDIA's H100 and A100 GPU accelerators. The benchmarks show that Intel's solutions offer great value and can be seen as a respected alternative for customers who are eyeing a fast & readily available solution compared to NVIDIA's offerings.

The Blue Yeti X is our favorite microphone for streaming, but we’ve found alternatives, from budget and beginner options to high-end and game-ready mics. Jump to a detailed look at the best microphones for streaming, or check the list below.

Looking for an affordable yet powerful productivity software suite? Office 2021 Professional is your best choice! Compared with Microsoft 365, Office 2021 is more suitable for users who like traditional software licenses and do not need access to the latest features or updates. Microsoft plans to reinvent productivity with artificial intelligence and show how its ChatGPT-like AI will work in Office productivity suites like Teams, Word, and Outlook. With Godeal24's Spring Sale, you can get the latest Office 2021 Professional for only $26.75!

WWE 2K24 has debuted at number one in the UK physical software top ten.

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.

Get ready for some exciting new smartphones in 2024! From Google Pixels to Apple iPhones, here's what you can expect:

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.

A group of roughly 600 quality assurance (QA) workers at Activision under Microsoft have successfully voted to unionize with the Communication Workers of America (CWA), becoming Activision Quality Assurance United.

A developer at Avalanche Software has taken to X/Twitter to "set expectation" for the incoming Hogwarts Legacy update.

Don’t buy the new MSI Claw handheld, at least not yet. After being announced in January, MSI confirmed that its Windows-based handheld gaming PC would launch on March 8 through the official MSI store — today, if you’re reading this article the day it’s published. It says units will start shipping on March 12, with retailers selling them by March 15. MSI has confirmed that there won’t be any reviews for the handheld in the near future, unless a media outlet happens to get their hands on what is described as a “very limited” initial run.

Broadcom Inc., a chip supplier for Apple Inc. and other big tech companies, predicted that AI spending would fuel growth more quickly than expected this year, even as sluggish demand in other areas weighs on semiconductor sales.

A Samsung SSD guarantees that you will not just receive a quality product, but the software support and the seamless transition of data from one drive to another make the company’s products a ‘must buy.’ Today, we have not one, but two high-capacity PCIe NVMe Gen 4 drives, the 990 PRO and the 990 EVO, that are not just discounted on Amazon, but one of them also comes with a $20 discount that can be applied before checkout to help you out with the storage upgrade financially.

Sony has announced that Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is coming to PC on 21st May, with internal porting specialist Nixxes Software handling the port.

The AI arms race between the U.S. and China has escalated to a new level, and there will be some defectors in the mix intending to steal highly secretive files to give the other region an edge. As it happens, one Google engineer, Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly stealing trade secrets revolving around Google’s AI chip software and hardware on March 5. In a statement, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said that Ding had 500 confidential files containing AI trade secrets and was secretly colluding with China-based firms attempting to seek an upper hand in the AI race.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is the next first-party PlayStation game to come to PC, Sucker Punch Productions and Nixxes Software have confirmed. It launches on May 16.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut will officially hit PC on May 16.

Sony has announced that Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is coming to PC on 21st May, with internal porting specialist Nixxes Software handling the port.

Though Nvidia has had the upper hand in the AI resolution upscaling technologies for years now, AMD may be looking to upgrade its own AI roster in the coming year. According to one of the company’s executives, AMD is now ready to lean more heavily towards AI-based technologies.

Today, Nixxes Software and Guerrilla Games revealed the full PC system requirements for Horizon Forbidden West, which is scheduled to launch on March 21.

Nintendo Switch emulator Yuzu has shut down with immediate effect, as creators Tropic Haze have quickly settled the lawsuit with Nintendo for $2.4 million. Tropic Haze will be shutting down themselves, as well as ending support of their Nintendo 3DS emulator Citra as part of an agreement not to develop Nintendo emulators in future.

Directly on the back of Nintendo taking legal action against the Nintendo Switch emulation software Yuzu, alternatives have already started appearing online. 

The development of the Yuzu was permanently halted, but the popular Nintendo Switch emulator will continue to live on thanks to multiple projects that were recently launched.

Hogwarts Legacy 2 will likely be powered by the Unreal Engine 5, judging from a job ad from developer Avalanche Software.

Just a week after news broke that Nintendo was suing Tropic Haze, the developer of Switch emulator Yuzu, it appears the two have settled. As part of the settlement, Tropic Haze will pay Nintendo $2.4 million in damages and immediately cease operations of both Yuzu, the Switch emulator, and Citra, the 3DS emulator.

The Mogilevich group that reportedly hacked Epic Games has confessed that it is in fact not hackers.

NVIDIA has banned the use of CUDA libraries on other platforms like AMD & Intel, as the firm adds a new warning with CUDA's EULA.

PlayStation 5 was nearly impossible to find when it launched in 2020, with inventory shortages hitting every retailer immediately after a restock. That's no longer the case, however, and PS5 is now readily available wherever you look. One of the most useful PS5 features is backward compatibility with PS4 — allowing you to play your old games without needing to cling onto the aging hardware. That also means you can transfer your PS4 data to PS5, ensuring none of your adventures are forgotten when upgrading to the new-gen console.

AMD might finally be leaning towards AI in its gaming devices, as one company executive touts that 2024 will be a "huge year" for the GPU and CPU maker.

Makers of Nintendo Switch emulator Yuzu owe Nintendo $2.4 million after reaching a settlement with the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom developer, following a lawsuit over the open-source emulator just last week. Both Nintendo and Tropic Haze, the company behind Yuzu, filed for a final judgment and permanent injunction on Monday, according to court documents, after Nintendo accused the Yuzu makers of copyright infringement, circumvention of Nintendo’s Switch protections, and selling those circumvention technologies as Yuzu, among other things.

A new court filing says that the developers behind the popular Switch emulator Yuzu have agreed to pay a $2.4 million settlement to Nintendo, and the not-yet-official final judgment suggests that the software itself is not long for this world.

Unreal Engine-powered first-person action-RPG VOIN is being created by one solo developer named Nikita Sozidar. It's a fast-paced, retro-themed dark fantasy melee combat game that might remind you a bit of Raven Software's classic Hexen (albeit with much faster movement). It's in development for PC, with a public playtest beginning on March 8. Check it out on Steam if you're interested.

If you want to purchase Microsoft Office legitimately, it's worth checking verified sellers for a cheap Microsoft Office key. Some of them may have some great Microsoft Office 2021 deals, and others may even list Office for a lower price than Microsoft itself. For example, the Microsoft Store currently lists Office 2021 Pro at $440, but how much is Microsoft Office on, say, another website? We strongly recommend Keysoff - a senior retailer specializing in MS keys! Because Keysoff can provide cheap and genuine software keys. During International Women’s Day, Keysoff even holds the Women's Day Hot Sale, where you can get MS keys over 90% off!

Last week's alleged Epic Games hack was a scam, so-called "ransomware" group Mogilevich have confessed, or at least, are reported to have confessed in a self-congratulary new statement. The group have not, it now seems, stolen a bunch of login data, WIP software and payment information from the creators of Fortnite; they were only pretending to have done so with a view to duping other hackers into buying their tools.

The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a second advisory to platforms or intermediaries, asking them to seek explicit permission from the Centre before launching Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, under testing, in the country.

Quordle today: Get ready for a real challenge in today's Quordle! The puzzle is tougher than usual, which puts your winning streak at risk. Don't stress out, though. Stay calm and think carefully about your moves. You've got only 9 attempts to guess all 4 five-letter words correctly. To win, focus and remember the hints and clues given here. If you ever feel stuck, you can find the answers here as well. Keep up the good work and keep that winning streak alive with the best hints and clues for solving Quordle today!

The United States' Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has released its verdict on Dragon's Dogma 2, detailing its sexual content among other things.

Rockstar Games is in hot water as discontent brews among its development team and the wider gaming community due to the company's decision to mandate full-time, in-office work for all staff starting in April. The controversial move is tied to the final stages of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) development, with Rockstar asserting that the in-person collaboration is vital for ensuring the game's quality and security.

In the dynamic landscape of finance, where intricate tasks ranging from credit management to risk analysis demand meticulous attention, the burden on financial teams is substantial. Microsoft recognizes the evolving challenges faced by finance leaders striving to balance mandatory operations with strategic initiatives, prompting the launch of Microsoft Copilot for Finance-a revolutionary AI-driven solution integrated into Microsoft 365.

Boosting PC performance is essential for professionals seeking to enhance productivity and streamline their workflows. As technology progresses, the demands on your work computer increase, making it crucial to keep your system updated to handle new software, larger files, and more complex tasks efficiently.

Elon Musk is suing OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman over what he says is a betrayal of the ChatGPT maker's founding aims of benefiting humanity rather than pursuing profits.

Call it an epic troll by Elon Musk if you want, but the billionaire's lawsuit against OpenAI puts a refreshing spotlight on the endless humanitarian posturing by AI businesses.

Infinix launched its new budget smartphone, the Infinix Smart 8 Plus in India today, March 1. The smartphone comes with unique offerings such as Magic Ring, AI dual rear camera, and much more. It is an addition to the Infinix Smart 8 series which includes Smart 8 and Smart 8 HD, all in the budget range. From features, specifications to price, know all about the new Infinix Smart 8 Plus.

Samsung enthusiasts have a reason to rejoice as the tech giant's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24 5G, is now available at a discounted price on Amazon. The device, known for its cutting-edge features and sleek design, has received a remarkable price cut, making it even more appealing to prospective buyers.

Wordle today: February was an easy affair for Wordle players with fairly straightforward answers on most days. That said, there were a few tricky days. Fortunately, the first day of March is proving to be a simple day courtesy of an easy Wordle answer. It can be guessed easily by most players. However, players should know that they only have a limited number of attempts to get the word right, throwing any guesswork out the window. If you're concerned about running out of attempts and losing your winning streak, it's the perfect time to consult our Wordle hints and clues.

Oppo announced its new F-series smartphone in the mid-range category with some eye-catching features. The Oppo F25 Pro 5G was officially launched yesterday, February 29, 2024, with a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. The smartphone comes with attractive colour options that users can pick based on their style and preferences. Additionally, Oppo is offering amazing launch offers for smartphone buyers to enjoy discounts on their newly launched devices. Know more about the Oppo F25 Pro 5G in terms of its price, specs, offers, and more.

In a playful and imaginative fusion of technology and music, Spotify has introduced its latest feature, Song Psychic, promising users a delightful way to explore their destinies through song recommendations. This whimsical addition to the music streaming giant's repertoire not only enhances user engagement but also opens new avenues for creative interaction within the realm of music.

With each passing day tech giants around the world are tapping into the ever-changing developments that technology (both hardware and software) is rolling out and using it to launch new products. Recently at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, we saw some mind-blowing prototypes of future gadgets that may soon hit the market. While the transparent displays and rollable phones were the talk of the show, Samsung yet again shocked people with its new OLED Cling Band which has a rollable display that bends completely like the Motorola rollable phone concept. Know more about Samsung's new fully bendable OLED screen below.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is planning to appoint several new board members in March, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Privacy-focused browsers have become extremely popular in recent years. One such browser is Brave, an open-source web browser based on the Chromium web browser. It is certainly an intriguing option for those who wish to protect their identity online and stay safe from advertisements and trackers. Keeping up with the latest boom in artificial intelligence (AI), Brave introduced an AI assistant named Leo in 2023. Now, it is bringing it to Android devices.

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 Barcelona, we have seen several weird gadget launches. From a robot vacuum cleaner that can play PC games to an AI-powered smartphone without apps, the tech extravaganza certainly had its moments. ZTE also came to the party by unveiling its new smartphone, the ZTE Nubia Music. But what's so special about it? At a time when companies are moving away from the 3.5mm headphone jack, the ZTE Nubia Music features not one but two of them! And, over and on top of that, the phone touts a massive outer speaker too. Know all about the ZTE Nubia Magic.

Embracer Group gobbled up a lot of studios during its 2020-era spending spree, but perhaps the biggest acquisitions were Saber Interactive (World War Z, many, many ports) and Gearbox Software (Borderlands). It’s clear Embracer had big plans for Saber and Gearbox, as both were spun into entire company divisions with other smaller studios reporting to them, but those plans have changed – Embracer’s fortunes took a turn when a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia fell through and the company has been desperately cutting costs since. Apparently, this means two of their crown jewels have to go.

 Artificial intelligence software doesn't always do what the people building it want it to do — a potentially dangerous issue that has consumed some of the largest companies working on the technology. 

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars is being given a makeover to celebrate the point and click adventure's 25th anniversary. Upgrades to its sounds and visuals will see the game reimagined in 4K, but its creators want to do even more to mark this significant milestone. The first Broken Sword adventure is also getting a physical release in the form of a Collector's Edition, the Kickstarter for the project hitting its $63,000 goal within an hour of the page going live.

Nintendo is suing the makers of popular Switch emulator Yuzu, leaning on DMCA laws and with the reasoning that the emulator has facilitated a large amount of video game piracy. If they are successful, it could upend decades of legal precedent that has protected game console emulators.

Apple Inc. shareholders rejected a labor-backed request for an artificial intelligence transparency report, which would have delved into whether the company is using the technology ethically. 

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit alleging that emulators are explicitly used to "unlawfully play pirated games" away from their intended consoles, in a claim that seems to conveniently forgo the Nintendo's Switch's popularity as an emulator.

Legendary first-person shooter Doom has once again proven it can be played in the most unexpected places.

Yuzu, the original Nintendo Switch emulator created by the developers of Citra (an emulator for Nintendo 3DS), has been hit by a Nintendo lawsuit.

Nintendo is suing the makers of popular Switch emulator Yuzu, leaning on DMCA laws and with the reasoning that the emulator has facilitated a large amount of video game piracy. If they are successful, it could upend decades of legal precedent that has protected game console emulators.

What could Apple have done with the humble automobile?

eAlphabet's Google Cloud on Monday ramped up its criticism of Microsoft's cloud computing practices, saying its rival is seeking a monopoly that would harm the development of emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence.

SMS fraud, or "smishing", is on the rise in many countries, fuelled by the increasing use of smartphones. This is a challenge for telecom operators who are meeting at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the sector's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona this week.

Nintendo has a very deserved reputation for going after anything it deems a threat to its business and IP with a mountain of legal challenges. It's shut down countless fan-made projects, ruined a hacker's life, and it's constantly fighting a losing battle against emulation and piracy. Its latest efforts on that front now have its sights squared solely on the popular Switch emulator Yuzu.

Intel's software team has delivered another performance-tuned driver update for the Intel Arc GPUs featured on Core Ultra chips, offering a massive boost in performance in several games.

From Software's Elden Ring is back in the Steam Top Ten.

Most times, when you buy a great new Windows laptop and a PC or Mac, you don't get Microsoft Office included. So, if you need to type up a document or put together a presentation, you'll need to consider purchasing the two modern versions of Office. You can subscribe to Microsoft 365 for a yearly or monthly fee and get the core Microsoft Office apps (and other bonuses), or you can purchase Office 2021 for a one-fee and worry less about subscriptions. We have a look at the benefits of both versions of Office for you right here. When it comes to their fundamental features and user interfaces, Office 2021 and Microsoft 365 are extremely comparable, and customers should expect a pretty uniform experience. Still, there are variations in the positioning of products. Office 2021 is more focused on meeting standard office requirements. The goal of every update is to give users the impression of a more productive workplace. Office 2021 offers certain network storage services as well. Conversely, Microsoft 365 boasts a plethora of exclusive AI features that make it easier for people who aren't familiar with Office's more sophisticated features.

Realme has become one of the most popular smartphone brands in India. Their success is based on offering high-end specs at moderate prices. If you're looking for an Android phone with a stylish design and a solid set of cameras, Realme has a lot of great options. Realme phones under 30000 rupees are packed with features that cater to different user needs. They come with powerful processors, plenty of RAM, and excellent cameras.

February 26, 2024, Dallas, TX –– Global technology company OnePlus launched its OnePlus Watch 2 during Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. The OnePlus Watch 2 is a stunning flagship smartwatch, and it utilizes the latest version of Wear OS by Google (Wear OS 4). The device features a unique Dual-Engine Architecture with two chipsets, Wear OS’s hybrid interface, market-leading battery life of up to 100 hours in full Smart Mode, and a premium build and design. The OnePlus Watch 2 represents a big step forward for the smartwatch market.

If you thought the days of porting Doom onto every possible device known to humanity were over, think again. Now, get ready to slay demons while also maintaining a neat yard. You may be a lover of violent FPS games, but you’re also a responsible adult now.

Nintendo’s next game console is targeting a launch in March 2025.

Fortnite has seen tons of changes over the years, but one thing that's stayed constant is its lackluster stat tracking. Even though there are dozens of accomplishments the game could track, it's built-in stat tracker is incredibly limited. Thankfully, much of that slack is picked up by third-party software – which lets you get a detailed look at your in-game performance.

Thousands of AT&T customers were without service for several hours across the U.S. carrier as the carrier suffered a massive disruption. The company has stated that it will make things right with its subscribers and has put out a statement mentioning that it will offer a bill credit to the impacted individuals and businesses. Now, that is one way of retaining your subscriber base.

Dexerto published an interview with Lead Software Engineer Nora Valletta and Senior Game Producer Josh Greenfield on Season of Discovery, discussing the Blood Moon Event, PvP, GDKP ban, and the future of the game. If you'd like to read the full interview, click the link below -- Dexerto Interview on Season of Discovery

Arc A-Series GPUs are now supported within the Intel Extension for PyTorch (IPEX), offering faster AI capabilities in deep learning & LLMs.

The Tensor G3, like its predecessors, has likely disappointed potential buyers who eyed the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro as their next daily driver, but its sub-par performance and frequent throttling are attributes that Google has yet to address. However, as much as people like to talk about this chipset’s shortcomings, one feature is yet to be supported by any other smartphone SoC; AV1 encoding at 4K 60FPS. While this is an impressive addition to have, there is still one drawback that we have to discuss.

The "It Runs Doom" meme remains alive and well, considering we can now add robotic lawnmowers to that list.

Lately, some PlayStation controllers have been gaining a lot of negative attention for joystick drift. This mainly applies to the PS5’s DualSense controllers, but drift can also appear in PS4 controllers. A controller with a drifting joystick essentially renders your games unplayable, and getting it repaired or replaced can leave you with no way to enjoy your console for days. Before going through any of that, here’s how to fix controller drift on your PlayStation’s joysticks.

Wireless charging has always been convenient, but it was typically slower than wired charging methods. Good news! With the Qi2 wireless charging standard, things are faster and more convenient.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup might not have as many hardware changes as previous generations, but there are AI features that are supposed to make your experience better, all under the "Galaxy AI" umbrella. We weren't expecting Samsung to roll those features out to its older phones, at least for the time being, but that is now starting with the release of the One UI 6.1 update.

It's potentially fantastic — and arguably overdue — news for PSVR 2 owners, as Sony has confirmed the VR headset is being tested to support games available on PC.