Recent content by Cal Jeffrey

<h5><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Although you may not be familiar with indie game developer Humanoid Origin, you've undoubtedly heard of its founder, Casey Hudson, former Bioware general manager. Opening a studio is challenging. Keeping one open in a time of industry consolidation is even more...

<h5><strong>Facepalm:</strong> Large language models have a long, steep hill to climb before they prove trustworthy and reliable. For now, they are helpful in starting research, but only fools would trust them enough to write a legal document. A professor specializing in the subject should know...

<h5><strong>In context:</strong> In the early 2000s, when Valve's primary income came from developing games, the studio almost went under. If it had not been for the actions of a summer intern, Valve would have gone belly up, and Steam would not have existed. The story of this pivotal moment in...

This is geared toward people looking for gaming laptop performance.

<h5><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Gaming enthusiasts with a penchant for compact tech might find their next obsession in the unannounced Next SBC. The compact device is small enough to fit your pocket, powerful enough to play PC games decently, and has plenty of connectivity options. </h5><div...

<h5><strong>A growing concern:</strong> Chinese cyberattacks on the US have surged in recent years, targeting critical infrastructure, government systems, and private corporations. These sophisticated campaigns often aim to steal sensitive data, conduct espionage, and disrupt operations, posing...

<h5><strong>Forward-looking:</strong> Wireless technology is continuously evolving. Despite the IEEE having not ratified WiFi 7 yet, WiFi 8 is already in the works. WiFi 8, officially designated IEEE 802.11bn, is slated for release in September 2028, so we have a while before we see mass...

<h5><strong>Why it matters:</strong> The rise of video game unions signals a shift as industry workers push for better conditions in response to long hours and job instability. Unions like ZeniMax Workers United now challenge major companies on issues like remote work and outsourcing...

<h5><strong>Mess around and find out:</strong> Espionage has never been easier than it is in the digital age. Who needs dead drops when you have various encrypted lines of communication like Telegram or Signal? However, just because it's easy doesn't mean the risk of getting caught is lower. A...

<h5><strong>In a nutshell:</strong> Genetics company 23andMe has had a brutal 2024. The tech economy has not generally been good, but the firm also suffered a data leak. It then blamed its customers for the breach, followed swiftly by accusations to the FTC of running an auto-renewal scam. To...

<h5><strong>In context:</strong> The AI boom has had its share of controversy. Whether it's the accuracy of large language models or companies rushing shoddy AI products just to be the first with something, no matter how bad, there are two sides to every issue. The fears over AI replacing human...

<h5><strong>Something to look forward to:</strong> After years of silence and rumors that the project was canceled, the Mass Effect TV series appears to be a go. The production has changed hands and still lacks a full script and cast, but it looks like it is in early production under the wings...

<h5><strong>What's in a name?</strong> According to GoDaddy, as of 2022, only five domain names have sold for more than $30 million, with the top spot going to CarInsurance.com at a sale price of $49.7 million. If estimates are accurate, it might need to add a sixth contender. OpenAI reportedly...

<h5><strong>In a nutshell:</strong> A recent patent filing shows Sony is considering a dedicated "gameplay rewind" button for future PlayStation controllers. Several outlets are reporting that the button would work like a "save state" feature seen in some emulators that would allow players to...

<h5><strong>We've seen this movie before:</strong> It's been a while since we've heard the phrase, "Too big to fail." While the US government has learned to avoid that language because of its negative connotations, that is not stopping it from considering running the same end-game play from 2008...