Tangle Tech

Warner Bros will retain the rights to Shadow of Mordor 's Nemesis system until 2036 The system was set to be used in Monolith Productions' Wonder Woman game Warner Bros shut down Monolith this week, leaving the Nemesis system to be unusable by any other studio for another 11 years Warner Bros. will retain the patent for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor 's Nemesis system until 2036, following the closure of Monolith Productions. Earlier this week, Warner Bros. shut down three major studios , including Monolith, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, as part of a restructuring effort to focus on its key franchises like Harry Potter , Mortal Kombat , DC, and Game of Thrones . Since Monolith is now shuttered, this also means that the developer's Wonder Woman game, which was announced back in 2021, is also canceled. The DC superhero game was set to see the return of the studio's genius Nemesis system, a gameplay mechanic first featured in Midd...

So, it's finally here – just over 10 years since Amazon's Alexa voice assistant sparked a new (and ultimately underwhelming) age of voice assistants, it's just been given a major AI brain transplant. The new Alexa Plus is rolling out soon in the US, with international availability still unknown. But what exactly can Amazon's new voice assistant do, and will it actually be worth the monthly subscription (or signing up to Amazon Prime) to get early access? We've broken down everything you need to know about Alexa Plus below, from its pricing to new features and what this all means for classic Alexa. Strangely, Amazon didn't announce any new Echo speakers at its big reveal today, but there was more than enough Alexa news for us to chew on – so let's dive into Alexa's biggest update since it first landed a decade ago... 1. It's Alexa's biggest ever upgrade Since Alexa landed in 2014, we've seen the voice assistant get dozens of upgrades – fr...

Lonestar plans to offer disaster recovery services from the Moon It successfully tested a lunar software-defined data center in 2024 Its next mission, launching soon, will test a physical data center (kind of) We all know how important it is to back up our personal data in case of a disaster - I certainly learned that lesson the hard way years ago when a hard drive malfunctioned and fried my desktop PC. As devastating as that was for me personally, for businesses, the loss of data can be catastrophic, as while files and folders can be backed up in many ways, including to the cloud, offsite data centers, tape storage, and NAS, some solutions take the idea to the extreme. One such example is the Arctic World Archive (AWA) , which stores data-filled containers inside a sealed chamber within a decommissioned coal mine in Svalbard, between mainland Norway and the North Pole. If that isn’t safe and remote enough for you, well, there’s always space. Florida-based Lonestar Data Holdi...

New renders for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 tip a slimmer design The next-gen foldable could also have larger displays Meanwhile, the Galaxy Flip 7 is tipped to get a powerful Snapdragon chip The rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could sport a tweaked design that makes it slimmer, potentially measuring 4.5mm thick when unfolded. This rumor comes courtesy of tipster OnLeaks working with Android Headlines to produce renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 based on what seems to be insider information. If this information is on point, then that's a decent trimming down of thickness in smartphone terms, given the Galaxy Z Fold 6 when unfolded measured 5.6mm. It would also put the Fold 7 a mere 0.3mm thicker than the world's thinnest foldable phone, which is currently the Oppo Find N5 measuring 4.35mm when unfolded. Aside from looking a little slimmer, and perhaps having sharper corners to the display and maybe slightly narrower bezels, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks much like the folda...

Amazon's next big Alexa event is imminent, and it's set to be a major one for all things Echo and smart home. The device-focused event, which will take place on February 26 at 10AM ET in New York City, marks the company's first Alexa announcement since September 2023. That was when the Echo Pop Kids smart speaker and its second-gen Echo Show 8 were unveiled. This time, Amazon is likely focused on the Alexa voice and could announce a big change for its smart assistant. While Amazon hasn't officially revealed what's in store for its Alexa event, it hasn't been afraid to drop little hints here and there in the build-up to the next device launch. So far, we can venture a safe guess that the Alexa voice assistant will be the prime focus of the event, which is said to receive a significant AI upgrade, followed by the announcement of a new Echo smart speaker and possible Fire TV updates. Therefore, we have a solid idea of what we expect next from the tech giant, ...

Disney and Lucasfilm have finally released the first trailer for Andor season 2 The critically-acclaimed series will return for its second and final season on April 22 Its confident first teaser is packed with action, drama, humor, and even an apparent dance number The first trailer for Andor season 2 has finally been released online – and it's an incredibly confident teaser that suggests we're in for a wild ride with the Star Wars show's second and final season. Released today (February 24) on Star Wars' YouTube channel and social channels, the 90-second long teaser is absolutely packed with enthralling footage. Before I wax lyrical about everything it shows, though, just wrap your eyeballs around it below. Major spoilers follow for Andor 's first season from this point on, so proceed at your own risk! Aside from the self-congratulatory snippets from a variety of season 1 reviews (I'm not bitter that my Andor season 1 review isn't quoted...

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is rumoured to be in development ahead of its expected launch later this year. The successor to 2024’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 may come with a redesigned S-Pen which could have a thicker body, as per the claims by a tipster. Although it remains unknown whether this change is just an ergonomic tweak or to include new features, it is likely to be the s... from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/TnQjHK9

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a great upgrade and should win hearts with its compact form factor, while the S25+ is again a fantastic option for those who need a big screen. Here's our review of the all-new Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3cwIOKa

SanDisk unveils High Bandwidth Flash (HBF), a NAND-based alternative to HBM HBF matches HBM bandwidth, offering 8–16x capacity at a lower cost SanDisk is planning to establish a technical advisory board of industry experts It certainly seems as if splitting from Western Digital has lit a fire under Sandisk. At its recent investors day, the flash memory specialist look the wraps off super large SSDs, with the promise of even larger ones to come, and unveiled a new, cheaper DRAM alternative called 3D Memory Matrix. At the same event, Sandisk also unveiled its High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) concept which is taking aim at HBM by augmenting it with NAND flash to cater to AI inference workloads. Sandisk’s key objectives with HBF seems to be to match HBM bandwidth while providing 8–16 times the capacity at a similar cost. According to a slide that Sandisk shared, HBF combines BiCS technology with CBA wafer bonding, allowing for efficient high-density stacking. The company has developed...

Dell is close to securing a $5 billion AI server deal with Elon Musk’s xAI The servers, featuring Nvidia GB200 chips, may support xAI’s supercomputer Analysts predict Dell’s AI server revenue could hit $14 billion by 2026 We recently reported HPE had beaten Supermicro and Dell Technologies to win a $1 billion contract to supply servers optimized for AI work to Elon Musk’s X, potentially to power Grok, the social network’s AI chatbot. At the end of 2024, X announced it was rolling out Grok-2 to all users for free, and losing out to HPE would have been a big blow to Dell, which, along with Supermicro, did bid to supply the equipment but was ultimately unsuccessful. However, if a new report from Bloomberg is accurate, the iconic computer maker could be on the verge of winning an even bigger contract from one of Musk’s other ventures, xAI. Memphis bound? The report says that Dell is close to finalizing a deal worth over $5 billion to supply AI-focused servers equipped with Nv...

New range of TCO Certified monitors will minimize waste, enhance efficiency, and facilitate repairs The first model, 34B2U3600C, features SmartKVM, allowing seamless switching between sources via shortcuts Warranty available across Europe, except Russia and Belarus Philips has announced a five-year warranty included as standard for its new range of TCO Certified, generation 10 business monitors , covering defects in materials and workmanship, though excluding accidental damage or misuse. As reported by TechPowerUp , the 34B2U3600C is the first in the range, which, per Phillips itself , hopes to leverage the TCO certification to combine premium technology with a sustainable manufacturing process. The company is also providing free security and functionality updates for five years from the date of sale, or the final manufacturing date for applicable products. The warranty is available in all European regions except Russia and Belarus. A greener approach with TCO Certified moni...

Western Digital plans to produce 100TB+ HDDs within a decade It will do this using HAMR and HDMR heat assisted technologies The company is also investigating long-term storage, like ceramics and DNA Western Digital and Sandisk have begun the process of splitting into separate companies , with the former focused on HDD and platform development, and the latter now all-in on flash products. Both companies recently held investor days, and while Sandisk teased a 1PB SSD and a flash replacement for HBM at its event, WD’s focus was on how it intends to supercharge hard drive capacity within a decade. The company’s roadmap to the future of HDD technology shows a clear progression from energy-assisted Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (ePMR) to Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) and ultimately to Heat Dot Magnetic Recording (HDMR), targeting over 100TB capacities. By 2026, Western Digital says its HDD capacity will reach 36TB-44TB thanks to HAMR technology which uses laser heating...

Intel is currently without a CEO and its future looks unclear TSMC and Broadcom are interested in separate areas of the chip maker’s business Any deal faces big hurdles - government rules, factory retooling, and political pushback Although it debuted some super-fast AI chips in 2024 in a bid to match its rival AMD, Intel isn’t the powerhouse it used to be. While Nvidia is the second-largest company in the world (behind Apple) by market cap, worth $3.4 trillion, and AMD is in 80th place, worth $183.27 billion, Intel, currently without a CEO following Pat Gelsinger’s departure in December 2024 , is languishing in 173rd place at $102.18 billion - placing it between Rio Tinto and Airbnb. This has led to all sorts of rumors surrounding Intel's future, including speculation it could merge with AMD's former foundry, GlobalFoundries , in a potential multi-billion-dollar deal. But now, perhaps the saddest news of all comes from a new Wall Street Journal report, which says Ta...

Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: Live (Image credit: Mark Robinson/Getty Images)) Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 is upon us, and we're here to take you through the big fight night, helping you figure out the best (and cheapest) way to watch the two Russians live on Saturday, February 22 from anywhere with a VPN . The first fight was a classic, so you're not going to want to miss this rematch. Artur Beterbiev beat Dmitry Bivol by the narrowest of margins at this very venue in Saudi Arabia back in October to become the undisputed light-heavyweight world champion. Now, the title is back on the line again. Supported by an incredible undercard – even if Daniel Dubois' withdrawal has taken some of the gloss off – Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 headlines a fight night that will be watched by millions around the world. Eager to see the huge box office showdown in Riyadh? We'll have you covered right here with all the latest updates on Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 including the build-up, the underca...

Why settle for one screen when you can have two with the Lenovo ThinkBook Flip AI PC? Need to share your screen? Just fold the display backward for an instant shared view There's also a built-in keyboard, as Lenovo looks to appeal to productivity pros Lenovo, the world’s largest laptop maker, is set to unveil a unique business laptop with a foldable OLED screen. The ThinkBook Flip AI PC's screen folds vertically via two hinges, allowing the top half to fold behind the main display — effectively doubling the available screen space. Despite the flexible design, it also includes a built-in keyboard, making it practical for business and travel. A fresh take on foldable screens When closed, its display faces outward like a tablet. When unfolded, the top section extends upward. The design concept is similar to the Asus Zenbook Duo and GPD Duo , both of which offer extra screen space through unique dual-screen setups. Lenovo itself is no stranger to experimenting with s...

iOS 18.4 Dev Beta is here The big Siri update is not There are some notable and possibly useful additions Apple released its first developer beta for iOS 18.4, and it's missing the single biggest and likely most requested Apple Intelligence update: the new and much smarter and more useful Siri. A big caveat here: No one is encouraging you to install a developer beta on your best iPhone . These updates are intended for developers and ultra-nerds like me who are desperate to try the very newest stuff. So downloaders, beware. Even so, the exclusion of what should be Apple Intelligence's crowning feature is worrisome. Apple started its AI journey almost a year ago and has been rolling out Apple Intelligence features since the summer and through September with the release of the iPhone 16 lineup. Since then, there have been numerous updates, but Siri has remained frustratingly behind. Sure, there have been smaller enhancements like more app awareness, but full system cog...

The Bapaco is a portable Windows PC disguised as a mechanical keyboard Its 12.3-inch ultrawide touchscreen tilts 90 degrees, and can function as a second display Crowdfunding on Kickstarter, it’s powered by a 12th-gen Intel i5 with up to 32GB RAM The Bapaco (try saying it three times fast - it’s oddly satisfying) is a portable computer that’s unlike anything else on the market. At first glance, it looks like a compact mechanical keyboard, but it actually packs an entire Windows PC into its slim frame. The device stands out from traditional laptops or compact PCs because instead of being a clamshell, it’s a flat, board-like device with a 12.3-inch ultrawide touchscreen that tilts up to 90 degrees. Its unusual 16:6 (1920x720) aspect ratio reminds me of Toshiba’s widely mocked Satellite U845W ultrabook from 2012, which featured a 21:9 display meant for widescreen movie viewing. It’s also similar in design to the Maxfree K3 , a compact 82-key mechanical keyboard which has an inte...

1More's new ANC headphones cost just $50 / £60 Hi-Res USB-C Audio, LDAC, and spatial audio A 90 hour battery life (60 hours with ANC on) Audio brand 1More has now released a new entry in its budget ANC headphone line, and you’re getting a lot for the price of just $59 / £59 (about AU$119) – they're only $50 in the US for the launch (via DigitalTrends) . The new SonoFlow SE HQ31 over-ear headphones are a new iteration on last year’s SonoFlow SE model, keeping the latter’s low price tag while packing in plenty of more premium capabilities. This time, 1More has borrowed some features from its higher-end SonoFlow Pro model, adding support for Hi-Res and spatial audio, making these headphones a great choice for those who want high tech on a low budget. • See the 1More SonoFlow SE HQ31 at Amazon US • See the 1More SonoFlow SE HQ31 at Amazon UK The main improvement seems to be the addition of a wired connection over USB-C – USB-C to 3.5mm cable included – for higher-qu...