Category: Technology

Overwatch 2 is pretty new, and there are plenty of things to get excited about. So why did they take what’s so special to me: my ability to dance the load?

Dancing is a fun and silly way to engage your teammates and foes alike in Overwatch 2. It can also keep you entertained when you’re left to board the cargo and push the cart to the target while your team goes out to fight your opponents on the other side of the map. Since the payload wouldn’t move without someone nearby, a team member would often fall behind to do God’s work.

And what better way to get rid of this sacred act than to dance over the bomb?

It turns out that while some characters retain the ability to thwart some serious moves, others suddenly seem too shy to take center stage in the payload. Take the cyborg ninja genji and the fat ninja Hanzo. While Hanzo can pull the “hunter’s dance” on the cargo, Genji is left slipping and sliding off the wagon each time.

slip and slide

It looks as though parts of the payload’s geometry are handled the same way that skins are used in Overwatch 2. By this I mean that any surface that Blizzard says isn’t ‘flat’ or shouldn’t be reached causes your character to slide right off. This mechanism is a good way to restrict access for curious players who want to explore the restricted corners of each map.

This means that Genji can stand on the load and sit on the load, but as soon as he starts dancing and his foot taps on one of the bent parts of the load, he freezes and slides, like a plank.

Genji’s passive ability, Wall Climb, allows for any flat surface to be scaled, as long as it isn’t marked as inaccessible, but Blizzard seems to have been quite liberal with surface markings to keep ninjas grounded.

A good example of this is the path under the railroad towards the first point in the downtown map, which was newly added to Overwatch 2. From the image below, you can see two red lines running parallel to the train. If Genji tries to climb this flat surface, he will freeze instead and fall to the ground.

To make matters worse, this bridge is the choke point, an area that takes the attacking squads to a natural congestion point. This allows the defending team to determine where the attackers are coming from and shoot focused fire to kill anything that dares to walk through. In other words, it’s the worst place on the map to fall awkwardly in the middle of a match.

A Genji player caught in this trap will receive immediate punishment for attempting to rush over the train and ignoring the choke point laws, and death will likely come quickly.

Dance on the edge

Genji’s main lines don’t seem to be taking a break at the moment. He first fell into choke points and now does not dance to the load while his estranged brother, Hanzo, is living the time of his life. That doesn’t seem fair. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Genji is alone in clinging to her ass at the moment.

So far, vigilant players are aware of the many heroes who can or cannot dance to the payload in the Paradiso, Circuit Royale and Hollywood maps.

Hanzo, Zenata, and Winston can, while Genji, Rinehart, and Anna can’t.

The latter, in particular, sounds like a personal mockery of Blizzard, since Anna is my main hero. I can’t tell you how many times the payload has been left on my own while my team pushes to the other side of the map. I stand there, doing my best to go as far as the load allows me so I can peek into the corners and try to cure my dying team.

It can be very frustrating, and now I’m learning that I can’t even lighten the mood with a fun dance. What did I mean to do now? Sit there watching my team get important health scores away from me and the payload? Awesome, looks fun.

I may not be the only one who has to get used to a life without dancing. When the load moves, it seems that any expression that is not fixed on the ground will immediately slide. So beware, if your main Overwatch 2 is an eccentric dancer, they will unfortunately have to put their moves off the payload.

Intel has officially confirmed that the BIOS source code for its 12th generation Alder Lake processors has been leaked online, with copies available on sites like 4chan and Github.

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the software that a computer’s microprocessor uses to start the system while it is running, and to manage communications between a computer’s operating system and devices such as a hard disk, keyboard, mouse, or printer.

Although no security vulnerabilities have been announced at the time of writing, this type of leak could reveal bugs in Intel hardware that could be taken advantage of.

What was revealed?

The leak is said to consist of a 6GB file containing tools and code for creating and optimizing BIOS/UEFI images.

However, the hardware giant said it “doesn’t think this exposes any new security vulnerabilities like [it does] Do not rely on information blackout as a security measure,” in a statement (Opens in a new tab) to me Tom’s devices.

If you find a vulnerability in your source code, you may be interested in reporting it to Intel’s Project Circuit Breaker. (Opens in a new tab) bug bounty program. This program gives between $500 to $100,000 per error, depending on how severe the problem is.

Intel has not provided any clue as to the source of the leak, but says it came via a third party.

The news comes at a time when semiconductor companies themselves have become common targets of cybercriminals’ efforts

It appears that Nvidia was hit by a potential cyber attack in February 2022, which forced the manufacturer to stop some offline services for certain parts of the business.

• Do you want to avoid becoming the next data leak story? Check out our guide to the best way to prevent data loss

Facebook says it has discovered hundreds of malicious mobile apps abusing its single sign-on (SSO) feature to steal people’s login credentials.

While Google and Apple, the operators of the world’s two largest mobile app stores, have reported the apps, users who have already installed these apps will remain under threat until they are deleted.

In a blog post, the social media giant explained that it has identified more than 400 malicious apps on Android and iOS. These applications range from fake VPNs to photo editors, mobile games, business applications, utility applications, health and lifestyle services.

Dangerous mobile apps

Upon installation, the respective apps require users to “Sign in with Facebook” to use their features. However, doing so results in data theft, allowing threat actors to use their accounts for whatever they see fit.

Sometimes, threat actors may use Facebook to distribute malware and viruses, launch second-stage ransomware attacks, take over pages and groups that the hacked account was managing, amplify fake news, or boost fraudulent apps with positive reviews.

Photo editor apps are by far the most popular, making up 42.6% of the entire collection. Commercial utility applications come in second with 15.4%, followed by telephone utility services (14.1%).

While most of these apps can only be found on third-party app repositories and standalone websites (which should be a cause for concern, at first), some manage to bypass security measures set up by Google and Apple, and end up showing up in the Play Store and App Store. Facebook has managed to remove all the apps listed in the official repositories, but for others, it can’t do much at the moment.

To guard against such apps, Facebook suggests users look for “alarm flags” that distinguish malicious, from legitimate apps, including asking for social media credentials to run, an app’s reputation, or promised features.

The full list of applications can be found over here (Opens in a new tab).

According to industry analyst Jeff Boe (via MacRumors (Opens in a new tab)), Apple is set to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 to boost 5G capabilities, starting with the Snapdragon X65 found in the current iPhone 14 lineup.

The upgraded chip offers lower latency, consumes less power, and comes with a host of AI improvements that should mean better speeds and more reliable coverage regardless of the phone’s location.

Apple modem plans

There is a subplot here, which is that Apple is known to develop its own 5G modem, in the same way that it develops its own processors for the iPhone. Bo thinks Apple’s 5G chip is still a long way off.

Apple will also commit to Qualcomm to meet 5G modem needs in the iPhone 16 scheduled for 2024, Pu says. This should be the Snapdragon X75, although we haven’t heard anything about it at the moment.

Then we might see a phone in 2025 with a whole bunch of Apple-made chips inside – so keep in mind that these are the first rumors about the iPhone 17 as well. We will of course keep you updated with all the iPhone leaks and rumors in the meantime.

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Analysis: Apple wants full control

Apple clearly likes to have as much control over the hardware components that go into its devices: after making chips for iPhones and iPads for years, it’s now switching its Macs to Apple-made silicon, too.

The 5G modem inside the iPhone is one of the few components still made by a third party, but there’s no doubt Apple wants to change that — which is why it’s spending so much money buying Intel’s 5G modem business in 2019.

For whatever reason, the switching process is taking longer than expected. There has been some speculation that an Apple 5G chip could appear in 2023, but that now seems less likely.

This will eventually happen, and Apple hopes that by being responsible for all of its hardware and software development, it can make the products run more efficiently and smoothly.

According to The Elec (Opens in a new tab) (via AndroidPolice (Opens in a new tab)), Samsung is delaying the release of the Galaxy Tab S9 in response to the market slump and general economic downturn — although we don’t get much indication of how long the delay might take.

It is not clear exactly when the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 might see the light of day, but the Galaxy Tab S8 was revealed in February 2022. Presumably we won’t see the new model appear in February 2023.

Three models

There will be three models of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, as is the case with the Galaxy Tab S8: a standard model, a Plus model, and an Ultra model that features a giant 14.6-inch screen.

But with tablet sales currently down – not least due to the global pandemic we’re all living in, as well as financial constraints on a lot of consumers – it looks like Samsung will be waiting a little longer before launching its new ones. slate.

We haven’t heard much about leaks and rumors when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, but the usual speed and performance will likely increase, perhaps with some upgrades to the display technology as well.

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Analysis: We need more high-end Android tablets

Potential Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 lags are bad news for anyone in the market for an Android tablet — although you can, of course, use the Galaxy Tab S8, there aren’t many premium Android listings right now.

Amazon Fire tablets are good for those who want something affordable, and it looks like the upcoming Google Pixel Tablet will be on the cheaper end of the spectrum as well — but what about people with some serious money to spend?

With the new iPad expected this month, anyone who wants a premium Apple tablet is well-stocked. It’s a shame that there isn’t much for those who prefer Google’s mobile operating system to their devices.

Speaking of Google, it continues to make improvements to the Android experience on tablets, most recently with Android 12L. Let’s hope as the software improves, we see more devices that seem to take advantage of it.

Microsoft advised that Windows 11 contains some tweaks to security settings that can help PC gamers get smoother frame rates.

In a blog post (Opens in a new tab) Spotted by Tom’s Hardware (Opens in a new tab)In this article, Microsoft provides instructions on how to turn off two features that provide better security for Windows 11 PCs, and therefore better performance in games – with the trade-off that your system is more vulnerable to attack with this functionality disabled.

The features in question are Memory Integrity (in Windows Security and Core Isolation) and Virtual Machine Platform, known as VMP (under Windows Features). Both are simple switches (well, a slider and a checkbox respectively) that can be turned off if you wish.

Microsoft notes: “As part of ongoing testing and feedback from users, Microsoft has noted that in some scenarios and some gaming hardware configurations, there may be an impact on performance with Memory Integrity and VMP turned on.”

As the company notes: “Gamers who want to prioritize performance have the option to turn these features off during gameplay and turn them back on when they are finished playing. However, if the device is turned off, it may be vulnerable to threats.”

As Microsoft explains, Memory Integrity helps ensure that all installed drivers are fully signed and trustworthy, blocking a single path of malicious code injection that nefarious types might use.

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Analysis: How much performance success are we talking about here?

Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t say what kind of effect these two mentioned security features can have on frame rates, and how much you might gain by turning them off (roughly – no doubt this will vary somewhat based on all sorts of factors).

All this may not be much on average, judging by what we see online. (Tom thinks there might be a 5% to 10% slowdown, though the latter end of that guess would be more worrisome – and the fact that Microsoft has acknowledged a problem here also seems to suggest that any effect isn’t entirely trivial.)

However, as mentioned, be careful about leaving these features turned off permanently, even if it’s a little tricky to turn VMP and Memory Integrity off and then back on again. This task may seem like a simple matter of a few clicks in settings on the face of it, but the caveat is that you may have to restart your computer – at which time it can be a bit annoying to keep these features turned off and on.

However, if you’ve been playing a competitive shooter, say, once a week, and absolutely crave the looser frame rates of those gaming sessions, it’s helpful to know these actions you can take in Windows 11. Just don’t forget to get things back afterwards. .

Many Microsoft Teams users seem to trust the service too much, according to new research..

Cybersecurity firm Hornetsecurity is urging companies to take more precautions against potential threats with Microsoft Teams video conferencing platform.

According to her study, almost half (45%) of users admit to sending “confidential and sensitive” information frequently via Microsoft Teams.

Protect your Teams data

Even worse, a higher number (51%) was found sharing “business-critical” information, while a similar number (48%) of respondents accidentally sent a Microsoft Teams message that shouldn’t be sent, such as to the wrong person.

When it comes to hardware, offenders are more likely to share confidential information using a personal device (51%), compared to a business-issued piece of equipment (29%). It is clear that the importance of using secure devices professionally needs to be emphasized in employee training.

Hornetsecurity suggests this as one solution to ease pressures on a company’s cybersecurity, citing 56% of survey respondents who believe employee training and awareness is the most important aspect of risk reduction.

The company’s CEO, Daniel Hoffman, explains that “companies must have adequate safeguards in place to protect and secure business data” as more workers turn to chat-like messaging services.

If users are to continue to share content through chat, Hoffman says companies must “ensure that information and files shared across the platform are backed up in a secure and responsible manner.”

This news comes just two weeks after researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison proved that third-party apps Teams (and Slack) may have some worrying security flaws. Since their code is rarely analyzed by development teams in Teams and Slack, the potential for data leaks can be greater than expected.

The iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8 launches have come and gone, but Apple likely isn’t done with hardware in 2022 yet: rumors are that we’ve got a few new products to look forward to before the year is over.

Although we had an Apple event last October, this time it is not clear if Apple will host a real event; Instead, it is suggested that he will make do with a flurry of press releases and online advertisements.

Despite dealing with the reveal, we have a pretty good idea of ​​what’s on the list, thanks to multiple rumors and leaks over the past few months.

Read on to find out more about the Apple products we think coming this month, and what we know about them so far.

new ipad

Apple’s current entry-level tablet, the iPad 10.2 (2021), was launched in September last year, so now we’re due for a new device — and the iPad (2022) is due out this month.

There has been talk that the 2022 iPad will finally drop the old design of the range, which still has a home button and thicker bezels, to bring the cheapest iPad in line with other Apple listings. 5G support could also be added for the first time, and a faster processor could also be had.

We also expect the new iPad Pro 2022 models to appear. The current iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and iPad Pro 11 (2021) debuted in April of last year, so they’ve been around for longer than the entry-level iPad.

The good news is that the new models seem to be worth the wait. One rumor indicated that the iPad Pro 2022 will come with MagSafe, and several leaks suggest that it will get an upgrade to Apple’s M2 chipset.

Moreover, rumors suggest that Apple may actually be able to lower the price of the iPad Pro 2022, which is of course very welcome. There have been suggestions that the iPad Pro could switch to OLED displays, but it seems likely that this will be an evolution for 2023 rather than this year.

New Apple TV 4K

We last got a new Apple TV 4K in April 2021, when it was revealed alongside the new iPad Pro, and it looks like these two product lines will be updated together again in October 2022. While streaming TV boxes don’t necessarily need an update Each and every year, word is that Apple will indeed launch an Apple TV 4K (2022) very soon.

It might not actually be called that, though; There are indications in the latest tvOS software that the new Apple TV could support 8K video, in which case Apple will have to rebrand the device to match it. While there isn’t a huge amount of 8K content out there right now, that’s definitely the direction we’re headed.

Elsewhere, reliable sources have said that the 2022 Apple TV 4K will come with a faster processor and more memory, which will make it more capable of streaming and gaming.

We’ll have to wait and see what these rumored upgrades do with the price, though the current model retails for $179 / £169 / AU$249, and while we’ve argued a cheaper new Apple TV model, there’s no indication we’ll get one in Anytime soon.

New Macs and MacBook Pro

Of course, there are always new Macs and MacBooks in the pipeline at Apple, but based on launch patterns in the past, we think several models will likely get an update this month. Apple has already said that a new 2022 Mac Pro is in development, built on Apple silicon, which isn’t shocking given that the current Mac Pro has been in the works since 2019.

We might as well be looking at a new Mac mini 2022: the current Mac mini 2020 was one of the devices that ushered in the M1 era, and there is likely to be an upgraded version based on the M2 chip. From what we’ve heard, the Mac mini 2022 will stick with the current design.

Other Apple computers slated for an update now are the 14-inch MacBook Pro (2021) and the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021). Once again, it appears that these laptops will be upgraded to the M2 chip, although as with this year’s 13-inch MacBook Pro (2022) we may not see many other changes: the MacBook Pro has just undergone a process A major redesign, so we’re expecting Apple to stick with it for much longer.

New HomePod

And what about the new HomePod? HomePod was officially discontinued in March 2021, but the smart speaker market continues to do active work, and there have been rumors that the Apple HomePod 2 is coming.

The original Apple HomePod was one of the best wireless speakers out there, so Apple’s decision to focus on the smaller (and cheaper) Apple HomePod mini came as a surprise. Therefore, the suggestion that a new version could be released on the way is welcome, and we’re also excited about the rumors that led to it appearing with a screen, in a twist that matches what Amazon and Google have done with their smart speakers. lines.

Of course, it’s also due to the HomePod mini update – now nearly two years old – and there have been leaks suggesting we might be getting an updated version of this product as well. If a new model comes out, expect some upgrades in terms of sound quality and supported features.

We likely won’t see all of these devices appearing on the same day and at the same time, especially if Apple doesn’t care about a dedicated event, but now all of these products are very much on display to show up in October 2022 once anything is official, we’ll tell you of course.