Recent content by Cal Jeffrey

<h5><strong>Something to look forward to:</strong> Epic Games has announced Ballistic, an all-new mode that turns Fortnite into a fresh first-person squad shooter. This 5v5 competitive mode differs entirely from the third-person battle royale mode. The new gameplay emphasizes tactical strategy...

<h5><strong>In context:</strong> Marshal Brain created the HowStuffWorks website as a hobby in 1998. To his surprise, the site became a go-to for the layman wanting to understand complex processes and systems in easy-to-read language. The site spawned books, podcasts, and a TV series on the...

<h5><strong>Facepalm:</strong> Another cloud service provider just left VMware for an open-source competitor over its outrageous price hikes. The firm was a sizable client with tens of thousands of virtual machines. While it still runs a few VMware machines, most of the migration is complete...

<h5><strong>In context:</strong> Preserving gaming history has become difficult lately, especially if the publisher's name starts with "Nin." GOG has done a commendable job at hosting classic PC games that go all the way back to the 1980s. Blizzard recently asked it to delist its Warcraft games...

<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...