Server users will really like 18.04, but the newest Ubuntu works great for all Linux fans. Canonical recently released Ubuntu 18.04, the company's latest iteration of its popular Linux distribution, nicknamed Bionic Beaver. Ubuntu 18.04 is a Long Term Support (LTS) release and will receive updates and support from Canonical until April 2023. But more notably... Unity is gone. GNOME is back. And Ubuntu has never been better. The demise of the company's Unity desktop, which Canonical abandoned to focus on its work for server and IoT systems, comes nearly seven years after it first replaced GNOME 2. While the Unity user interface was very much a love it or hate it experience, it was (for better or worse) the thing that defined Ubuntu for nearly the past decade. You might think the end of Unity would leave Ubuntu rudderless and drifting, but I'd argue it has done just the opposite. Bionic Beaver marks the first time LTS release users get a look at Ubuntu's new GNOME-based desktop. And for the first time in quite a while, Ubuntu feels like a distro that is firing on all cylinders, turning out what might be its strongest release ever, in an LTS package no less. Not only is 18.04 well worth the upgrade—especially for those coming all the way from the last LTS release (16.04)—it's worth checking out even if you use a completely different distro. If you've been using last autumn's 17.10 release, you're already familiar with the new, slightly customized version of GNOME arriving to replace Ubuntu's Unity desktop. That said, 17.10 was very much a test release, one that had some serious hiccups thanks to an installer bug that wiped out some hardware. With 18.04, the testing is over and polish has been applied (and in some cases things have reverted back to even stabler options). In my several months of testing throughout the beta release cycle, 18.04 has performed rock solid. While much of the work for this release has gone into the transition from Unity to GNOME and making sure that's a smooth experience for desktop users, that's far from the only story here. In fact, that effort isn't even the most interesting part of what's new in 18.04. Much of what's great in this release isn't aimed at the desktop. Rather, server users deploying Ubuntu on any one of the major cloud platforms will really enjoy this latest iteration. That reality might be a little disconcerting to desktop users, many of whom are already convinced Ubuntu is going to abandon the desktop in favor of the more profitable worlds of server and IoT, but I don't think that's the case. If nothing else, Canonical knows developers need a solid desktop on which to do their work, so Ubuntu is unlikely to get rid of its desktop just because it's less profitable. While it's purely anecdotal, most developers I've met and worked with who used Ubuntu did so because they got used to it on a server first. That's why it makes sense of Canonical to focus on servers: not only is it where the money is, it's where a good portion of its desktop users is coming from. Even if the desktop became a purely communally driven project with very little input from Canonical—which, again, I don't see happening, but hypothetically—I think it's in a better position to survive, even thrive, with its new GNOME interface than with Unity. GNOME certainly isn't going anywhere, and while Canonical has already started contributing upstream, the bulk of the work being done is well outside Canonical's influence. By comparison, Unity was solely the work of Canonical developers. So the short story is Unity is gone, but there's no need to panic. Not only is the transition to GNOME pretty smooth thanks to Canonical's tweaks to GNOME Shell, there are plenty of other flavors of Ubuntu out there to choose from. There are, in fact, seven official flavors of Ubuntu, most of which offer an LTS release (though in the case of flavors, LTS usually means three years, not five). We'll look closer at several flavors of Ubuntu, but first it's time to reflect on the new default GNOME most users will see. Ubuntu GNOME For those upgrading from the last LTS release, you're in for something of a shock. This is without a doubt the single biggest change in an Ubuntu release since Canonical dumped GNOME 2 for Unity. Nearly every part of Ubuntu 18.04 has changed, been improved, or is completely new compared to 16.04. There's a new desktop, a new lock screen, some new default apps, and (of course) a new kernel under the hood. I'll start with the most immediately obvious change, the new GNOME desktop. I won't sugar coat it; the most challenging part of the transition to GNOME will be potential changes in workflows that will happen because of differences between Unity and GNOME. That said, the change is surprisingly easy to make in most cases. Ubuntu's developers have done an impressive job of styling GNOME to match Unity in looks, if not entirely in function. To help users transition from previous releases, Canonical has created a little "first-run" app called "Welcome to Ubuntu." It points out some of the most-used new features and highlights where things are in the occasionally inscrutable GNOME interface. It's not quite as in-depth and useful as Ubuntu MATE's Welcome app, but it should get you up and running and point out some apps you might want to install (all of which are Snap applications; more on that below). This is also the place to opt out of Ubuntu's data gathering, which grabs some statistics about your system hardware. For the most part, how the transition to GNOME goes for you will boil down to a simple question—did you use the HUD, the keyboard-driven menu selection feature in Unity? If the answer is "yes," you're going to hate GNOME Shell. If the answer is "no," you'll probably be able to switch to GNOME without too much trouble. If you were a HUD user and you don't want to learn a new workflow, I have two options for you. One is to install the version of Unity 7 that's in the Ubuntu repos. It's community supported and seems to be active so far. Option two is to switch to Ubuntu MATE and change the desktop theme to "Mutiny," which has a HUD-based feature. With a little fiddling in the config editor, that can be made to mimic Unity pretty closely. If you weren't a HUD user, your transition to GNOME will likely be much smoother. Ubuntu 18.04 looks roughly the same as 16.04, which helps smooth the transition to GNOME somewhat. After all, Unity was built on top of the same GTK libraries, GNOME components, and GNOME apps as, well, GNOME. That means most of the apps and interfaces you'll be using in GNOME will be very similar to what you used in Unity. There are some exceptions, though. Files, the default GNOME file manager app, is a good example of the sort of subtle but important differences between 16.04 and 18.04. In Unity, Ubuntu used an older version of Files and heavily patched it to add some functionality that had long since been deleted by the GNOME developers. In 18.04, all that work has been tossed out. Files is up to date, and there are no patches. That means there are some new features, like the ability to tag files and a new search interface. Perhaps the biggest change from stock GNOME in Ubuntu 18.04 is the ability to put folders and files on the desktop. GNOME developers consider the desktop concept outdated, and they use the "desktop" pretty much as a wallpaper display tool. Ubuntu has done a bit of tweaking so that you can actually put launchers, folders, and files on your desktop, which should be welcome news for many Ubuntu users. How long that will last is an open question, though, since GNOME just completely removed the code that made it possible for Canonical to enable this feature. For now at least, if you want files and folders on your desktop, you're all set. Another potential source of pain for Unity refugees coming into the GNOME fold is the top bar, which behaves a little differently in GNOME. It has app indicators, status messages, network controls, and user sessions like Unity, but this iteration also adds a different app menu and a calendar applet in the center of the screen. There's also something like a global menu, minus the menu. When apps are maximized, the name of the app appears in the top menu, along with a one-item menu—quit is generally your only option. A couple of apps have a few extra items in their menus—Terminal and Files, for example—but it's a far cry from the menu-in-top-bar feature of Unity. Another thing you'll notice in this release is that the window management buttons are back on the right side of the title bar. You can change this with the GNOME Tweak Tool if you'd like them back on the left. Once you get past the differences with Unity, however, there's much to like about this release. GNOME Shell is different from Unity, but it's not necessarily worse. It's certainly a pretty desktop, and Ubuntu's default theme has received quite a few updates that make it look really nice, especially in Files. There were rumors of a brand-new theme, perhaps one that doesn't involve any brown or orange even, but that did not materialize in time for this release. And of course, there are plenty of GNOME themes out there if you'd like to try something else. I reverted to stock for the screenshot here, but I generally prefer the dark variant of the Arc theme. Ubuntu 18.04 ships with GNOME 3.28, which has a number of new features worth mentioning. There's a new Night Light app, which warms your monitor's color temperature after sunset to lessen eye strain. There's also improved support for Thunderbolt 3, and there are media player controls in the message tray, which supports just about all the popular media players, including Rhythmbox and Spotify. This version of GNOME Shell also features a much improved system for dealing with those annoying "captive portal" dialogs you get from many public Wi-Fi hotspots these days. For me, browsers have always been hit or miss at dealing with these, but GNOME's tool has yet to miss, and that alone is almost enough to make me use it on a daily basis. (Full disclosure: I am an i3wm user, not because I especially love tiling window managers, but because it's easy on the RAM and because I just don't need my "desktop" to do much. If it displays apps on-screen and doesn't crash I'm happy). To help users transition from previous releases, Canonical has created a little "first-run" app called "Welcome to Ubuntu." It points out some of the most-used new features and highlights where things are in the occasionally inscrutable GNOME interface. It's not quite as in-depth and useful as Ubuntu MATE's Welcome app, but it should get you up and running and point out some apps you might want to install (all of which are Snap applications; more on that below). This is also the place to opt out of Ubuntu's data gathering, which grabs some statistics about your system hardware. For the most part, how the transition to GNOME goes for you will boil down to a simple question—did you use the HUD, the keyboard-driven menu selection feature in Unity? If the answer is "yes," you're going to hate GNOME Shell. If the answer is "no," you'll probably be able to switch to GNOME without too much trouble. If you were a HUD user and you don't want to learn a new workflow, I have two options for you. One is to install the version of Unity 7 that's in the Ubuntu repos. It's community supported and seems to be active so far. Option two is to switch to Ubuntu MATE and change the desktop theme to "Mutiny," which has a HUD-based feature. With a little fiddling in the config editor, that can be made to mimic Unity pretty closely. If you weren't a HUD user, your transition to GNOME will likely be much smoother. Ubuntu 18.04 looks roughly the same as 16.04, which helps smooth the transition to GNOME somewhat. After all, Unity was built on top of the same GTK libraries, GNOME components, and GNOME apps as, well, GNOME. That means most of the apps and interfaces you'll be using in GNOME will be very similar to what you used in Unity. There are some exceptions, though. Files, the default GNOME file manager app, is a good example of the sort of subtle but important differences between 16.04 and 18.04. In Unity, Ubuntu used an older version of Files and heavily patched it to add some functionality that had long since been deleted by the GNOME developers. In 18.04, all that work has been tossed out. Files is up to date, and there are no patches. That means there are some new features, like the ability to tag files and a new search interface. Perhaps the biggest change from stock GNOME in Ubuntu 18.04 is the ability to put folders and files on the desktop. GNOME developers consider the desktop concept outdated, and they use the "desktop" pretty much as a wallpaper display tool. Ubuntu has done a bit of tweaking so that you can actually put launchers, folders, and files on your desktop, which should be welcome news for many Ubuntu users. How long that will last is an open question, though, since GNOME just completely removed the code that made it possible for Canonical to enable this feature. For now at least, if you want files and folders on your desktop, you're all set. Another potential source of pain for Unity refugees coming into the GNOME fold is the top bar, which behaves a little differently in GNOME. It has app indicators, status messages, network controls, and user sessions like Unity, but this iteration also adds a different app menu and a calendar applet in the center of the screen. There's also something like a global menu, minus the menu. When apps are maximized, the name of the app appears in the top menu, along with a one-item menu—quit is generally your only option. A couple of apps have a few extra items in their menus—Terminal and Files, for example—but it's a far cry from the menu-in-top-bar feature of Unity. Another thing you'll notice in this release is that the window management buttons are back on the right side of the title bar. You can change this with the GNOME Tweak Tool if you'd like them back on the left. Once you get past the differences with Unity, however, there's much to like about this release. GNOME Shell is different from Unity, but it's not necessarily worse. It's certainly a pretty desktop, and Ubuntu's default theme has received quite a few updates that make it look really nice, especially in Files. There were rumors of a brand-new theme, perhaps one that doesn't involve any brown or orange even, but that did not materialize in time for this release. And of course, there are plenty of GNOME themes out there if you'd like to try something else. I reverted to stock for the screenshot here, but I generally prefer the dark variant of the Arc theme. Ubuntu 18.04 ships with GNOME 3.28, which has a number of new features worth mentioning. There's a new Night Light app, which warms your monitor's color temperature after sunset to lessen eye strain. There's also improved support for Thunderbolt 3, and there are media player controls in the message tray, which supports just about all the popular media players, including Rhythmbox and Spotify. This version of GNOME Shell also features a much improved system for dealing with those annoying "captive portal" dialogs you get from many public Wi-Fi hotspots these days. For me, browsers have always been hit or miss at dealing with these, but GNOME's tool has yet to miss, and that alone is almost enough to make me use it on a daily basis. (Full disclosure: I am an i3wm user, not because I especially love tiling window managers, but because it's easy on the RAM and because I just don't need my "desktop" to do much. If it displays apps on-screen and doesn't crash I'm happy).

WHEN THE US last tightened its sanctions against Iran in 2012, then-president Barack Obama boasted that they were "virtually grinding the Iranian economy to a halt." Iran fired back with one of the broadest series of cyberattacks ever to target the US, bombarding practically every major American bank with months intermittent distributed denial of service attacks that pummeled their websites with junk traffic, knocking them offline. Three years later, the Obama administration lifted many of those sanctions in exchange for Iran's promise to halt its nuclear development; Tehran has since mostly restrained its state-sponsored online attacks against Western targets. Now, with little more than a word from President Trump, that détente appears to have ended. And with it, the lull in Iranian cyberattacks on the West may be coming to an end, too. Cutting Swords President Trump announced Tuesday that he would unilaterally withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration in 2015, and impose new sanctions against the country within 90 days. Since then, foreign policy watchers have warned that the move would isolate the US, risk further destabilizing the Middle East, and invite another nuclear rogue nation into the world. But for those who have followed the last decade of digital conflicts around the world, the unraveling of the Iran deal reignites not only the country's nuclear threat, but also the threat of its highly aggressive hackers—now with years more development and training that have only honed their offensive tactics. "They’ve developed this ability over the last years and there’s no reason for them not to use it now," says Levi Gundert, an Iran-focused analyst at private intelligence firm Recorded Future. "They want to try to induce other countries to think about repercussions before levying sanctions, and they have a real capability in the cyber domain." For the last decade, the cybersecurity community has watched with growing dismay as Iranian state-sponsored hackers have slowly built up their capabilities and occasionally used them in brazen, chaotic offensive operations that have destroyed data on tens of thousands of computers, and threatened more serious critical infrastructure attacks. The NSA has even warned internally that Iran appears to be learning from the US hacking operations that have at some points targeted it. But since the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran has largely restricted its hacking to its own neighborhood, repeatedly hitting its longtime rival Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations with cyberattacks but limiting its attacks on Western targets to mere cyberespionage, not actual disruptive operations. (One exception was the Iranian extortion attack against HBO last summer, whose perpetrator had ties to the Iranian government but seems to have hacked the television network independently.) With the Iran pact crumbling, expect that restraint to evaporate too, warns Gundert. "Most of the destructive attacks were pre-2015. Then we had the Iran deal," he says. "Now all bets are off." Iran's abrupt entrance into the digital arms race came in 2012, when state-sponsored Iranian hackers calling themselves the Cutting Sword of Justice used a piece of malware called Shamoon to overwrite the files of 30,000 machines on the network of energy company Saudi Aramco with a file that displayed the image of a burning American flag. A similar malware infection struck Qatari gas firm RasGas soon after. The attacks, which temporarily paralyzed the IT operations of one of the world's largest oil companies, is widely seen as retaliation for Stuxnet, the NSA- and Israeli-created malware that was unleashed against the Natanz Iranian nuclear facility in 2010 to destroy its enrichment centrifuges. The blitz against American banking websites came the following month. Known as Operation Ababil, the campaign claimed to come in response to an anti-Muslim YouTube video called "the Innocence of Muslims." But the US government interpreted the attacks instead as a retaliatory measure against Stuxnet and escalating sanctions. "It's important to remember that they’ve flexed this muscle before," says John Hultquist, director of research at private intelligence firm FireEye, which has closely tracked Iranian state-sponsored hacking. Hitting Back It's not certain if new sanctions will produce the same response from Iran now, says Rob Knake, a former White House cybersecurity official in the Obama administration who was closely involved in the response to those attacks. He points out that the Obama White House largely brushed off the bank attacks in an effort to get the Iranians to the negotiating table. Iran may fear that the Trump administration and its hawkish national security adviser John Bolton would instead respond in kind. "They might now have a different view of our response if they escalate in cyberspace," Knake says. But Iran has retaliated for less. In 2014, Iranian hackers used a malware infection to inflict $40 million in data destruction at the Sands Casino in Las Vegas. The casino's owner, vocal pro-Israel billionaire Sheldon Adelson, had made public comments suggesting the US detonate a nuclear bomb in Nevada as a demonstration to Iran of what would happen to the country if it continued pursuit of its nuclear weapons program. After the devastating attack on the Sands, attackers calling themselves "the Anti-WMD Team" left behind a message on the casino's computers reading "Encouraging the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, UNDER ANY CONDITION, is a Crime." Beyond mere data destruction, Iran has developed more sophisticated infrastructure hacking abilities, too. In 2014, the security firm Cylance revealed that an Iranian state-sponsored hacking group known as Cleaver had broadly penetrated critical infrastructure targets from Pakistani airports to Turkish oil and gas companies to US chemical industry targets and energy firms. "We believe that if the operation is left to continue unabated, it is only a matter of time before the world’s physical safety is impacted by it," the Cylance report read. Now, FireEye's Hultquist warns the end of the nuclear deal will likely trigger a restart of those intrusions. "We anticipate with the agreement going away that the Iranian actors will at least start probing critical infrastructure again, and start on the path toward attack capabilities in the West," he says. Some still-unconfirmed signs suggest that Iran may be developing the ability to not only disrupt critical infrastructure with cyberattacks, but to destroy it. A highly sophisticated malware known as Trisis or Triton hit Saudi Aramco last year, and is designed to manipulate the company's physical safety equipment, with potentially lethal results. (Instead it merely caused a plant to shut down.) That attack hasn't been tied to Iran, though its Saudi targeting has made the country the first suspect—and would suggest that Iran's technical hacking abilities are further along than anyone had otherwise seen. All of that suggests that Iran may have quietly grown into a serious threat to any enemy nation that it can reach via the internet. And now that the last three years of tense peace appears to be ending, its list of fair-game targets may once again include the United States, too. Iran Attacks While Iran has perpetrated some hacking against the US recently, its focus was espionage rather than destruction. One thing that has helped Iran's offensive capabilities? Learning from US attacks against it. The country is still smarting from Stuxnet, the first attack of its kind.

Welcome to Invitehawk

up

Welcome to Invitehawk

Welcome to Invitehawk

Welcome to Invitehawk

Each week the PlayStation Store sales include a bevy of different discounts on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Vita games. The week of May 8, 2018 is no different with dozens of different titles ranging from AAA behemoths to interesting indie games are heavily discounted. Ubisoft steals the show in particular this week, as they have many Assassin’s Creed titles on sale at a hefty reduction. One of the biggest titles to be on sale this week is Assassin’s Creed Origins. It was Ubisoft’s biggest release of last year, and the first mainline Assassin’s Creed title to be released in nearly two years. The Egypt-based stealth title offered a new spin on the established Assassin’s Creed formula by adding in role-playing game elements and revamping combat completely. Check out the complete list of PlayStation Store sales ending on May 15 at 8am PT below. All prices listed include PlayStation Plus discounts if applicable. PLAYSTATION 4 GAMES 100ft Robot Golf – $3.99 Adult Swim Games Starter Pack – $15.99 Amnesia: Collection – $11.99 Assassin’s Creed Origins – $29.99 Deluxe Edition – $34.99 Gold Edition – $49.99 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – $19.99 Gold Edition – $27.99 Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection – $19.99 Assassin’s Creed Triple Pack – $404.9 Battleship – $4.49 Broforce – $3.74 Boggle – $3.99 Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus – $4.49 Citizens of Earth – $4.49 The Crew – $9.89 Ultimate Edition – $14.99 Dandara – $9.74 Daydreamer: Awakened Edition – $2.99 The Deadly Tower of Monsters – $4.49 Death Road to Canada – $11.99 The Disney Afternoon Collection – $5.99 Duck Game – $5.19 Dustforce – $2.99 EA Sports UFC 3 – $38.99 Eagle Flight – $14.79 Far Cry 4 + Far Cry Primal – $34.99 For Honor – $19.79 Deluxe Edition – $23.09 Gold Edition – $32.99 Season Pass – $15.99 Gang Beasts – $14.99 Grand Theft Auto V – $29.99 Grow Home – $3.19 Grow Up – $3.99 Gorogoa – $11.99 Hasbro Family Fun Pack – Conquest Edition – $14.79 Headlander – $5.99 Hob – $11.99 Human Fall Flat – $5.99 Iconoclasts – $14.99 Infernium – $16.24 Island Flight SImulator – $7.99 Just Dance 2018 – $29.99 Kerbal Space Program – $27.99 Kingdom: New Lands – $11.24 Kona – $7.99 Last Day of June – $11.99 The Long Dark – $19.49 Megaton Rainfall – $8.95 Monopoly Family Fun Pack – $7.99 Monopoly Plus – $5.99 Nidhogg 2 – $8.99 Perfect Angle – $4.99 Raging Justice – $13.49 Rain World – $7.99 Remoried – $8.99 RISK – $4.49 Risk Urban Assault – $4.49 Rocksmith 2014 Edition – Remasted – $11.99 Scrabble – $4.49 Screencheat – $3.74 Slain: Back From Hell – $2.99 Solitaire – $2.99 South Park: The Fractured but Whole – $29.99 Gold Edition – $44.99 Star Trek: Bridge Crew – $19.99 Steep – Winter Games Edition – $29.99 Gold Edition – $39.99 Suicide Guy – $5.99 Sundered – $9.99 Super Mega Baseball – $9.99 Syberia 3 – $24.99 Tacoma – $14.99 Tembo the Badass Elephant – $4.49 Tetris Ultimate – $3.99 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands – $20.99 Gold Edition – $29.99 Deluxe Edition – $23.09 Tom Clancy’s The Division – $19.99 Gold Edition – $31.49 Tyr: Chains of Valhalla – $9.89 Ultimate Chicken Horse – $8.99 Undertale – $10.49 UNO – $3.99 Watch Dogs 1 + Watch Dogs 2 – $30.09 Gold Editions – $49.99 Watch Dogs 2 – $19.79 Deluxe Edition – $25.19 Gold Edition – $39.99 Werewolves Within – $9.89 The Witness – $9.99 XCOM 2 – $19.79 ZOMBI – $4.99 PLAYSTATION 3 Blue-Collar Astronaut – $1.99 Ducktales: Remastered – $4.49 Monopoly Plus – $3.99 RISK – $2.99 Risk Urban Assault – $4.49 PLAYSTATION VITA Iconoclasts – $11.94 Guacamelee! – $2.99 One More Dungeon – $6.39 Rollers of the Realm – $2.99 Undertale – $10.49 It’s easy to get distracted by some of the bigger titles (such as Watch Dogs 2 and Ghost Recon Wildlands), but there’s some top-notch indie titles discounted as well. Role-playing game fans in particular will want to check out Undertale on either PlayStation 4 or Vita. The unique RPG originally released on PC several years ago, and is one of the most innovative offerings that can be found within the genre. These PlayStation Store sales will be available until May 15 at 8am PT.

Welcome to Invitehawk

The OnePlus 6 has been spotted on Geekbench ahead of its unveiling next week. It was only yesterday when the company’s CEO inadvertently revealed the device in all its glory and now, less than 24 hours later, a new Geekbench listing appears to have confirmed some of the range-topping specs that are to be expected. According to the posting in question, the previously-confirmed octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is present alongside 8GB of RAM. Together, these achieved a single-core score of 2402 and a multi-core result of 8931. This puts the OnePlus 6 on par with most other 2018 flagships. Regarding the internal storage options, the listing fails to reveal any details, but previous rumors have pointed towards a 256GB model. In addition, the Chinese OEM is said to be working on 64GB and 128GB variants. Also, as expected from a OnePlus release, Android 8.1 Oreo is present. Aside from the internal specs, the OnePlus 6 is expected to feature a dual-camera setup on the rear, comprised of a 20-megapixel main sensor and a secondary 16-megapixel lens. Furthermore, a second 16-megapixel camera is set to be placed up front. Regarding the smartphone’s design, yesterday’s hands-on leak confirmed the glass and aluminum build of the OnePlus 6, with both a black and white variant in the works. In addition to this, previous teasers have pointed towards the launch of a purple color option on May 16. OnePlus is yet to confirm any details in regards to the official pricing and release of its next flagship device, but with the official announcement set to take place next week, it seems likely that sales should commence by the end of the month. Furthermore, previous rumors have pointed towards the base model costing around $555, with this set to rise to $800 for the limited edition Avengers: Infinity War variant. Img

Although all major carriers in the United States have already released Android 8.0 Oreo updates for the LG V30, the unlocked model hasn't received the update yet. It's common knowledge that unlocked smartphone models are the first to receive major Android OS updates, followed by carrier-bound versions. Well, it appears that LG was forced by US carriers to deliver Android Oreo updates to their units first, and then offer the same service to consumers who bought the unlocked models. If you've been wondering what's happening with the unlocked LG V30, it appears that Android 8.0 Oreo is now showing up for those who own the US998 LG V30. Since this is a staged rollout, it might not be available to everyone right away, so some unlocked LG V30 owners might have to wait a few more days. Aside from the usual Android 8.0 Oreo new features and improvements, the update contains new AI features and camera enhancements, as well as the April or May security patch.

Sony has started pushing out a new update to some of its smartphones. The update - currently hitting the Xperia XZ, XZs, and X Performance - bumps the build number from 41.3.A.2.107 to version 41.3.A.2.128 and includes the May security patch. There's currently no information if the update brings any new features or UI changes. As is usually the case with OTA roll outs, it might take time for the update notification to pop up on your device, so be patient.

Just last month, the Huawei Mate 20's AnTuTu benchmark score leaked revealing the performance of the company's Hisilicon Kirin 980 chip and suggesting it will be better than the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset. And now, we have some more details regarding the Kirin 980. The report reveals that the new chip will arrive just in time for the Huawei Mate 20's launch during the second half of this year powered by TSMC's 7nm FinFET manufacturing technology. It's also believed to adopt the Cambricon's latest AI chip technology as part of the 1M series. Thanks to the improved manufacturing process, we expect the Kirin 980 to be not only more powerful but considerably more efficient than its predecessor, the Kirin 970, which is currently powering the Huawei P20, P20 Pro and Honor 10.

We are just hours away from Google I/O's keynote, but a fresh new leak unveils a good chunk of the new features that the upcoming Android P is going to bring. These include a revamped navigation menu with new gestures that turn the home button into a scrolling bar, adaptive battery and new DND (do not disturb) feature. According to the leak and the screenshots provided, there's a new option in the settings menu called "Swipe up on Home button" that removes the recent apps button on the right and replaces the home button with a horizontal scroll. Reportedly, a single swipe up switches between apps and a second swipe displays all your previous apps. The "recent apps" menu has been revamped as well - a horizontal scroll pops up in the home button's place letting you navigate easily as the layout is now horizontal rather than vertical. We are not sure, however, why there are navigation buttons on the screen when gestures are enabled in the first place. It kind of undermines the purpose of those gestures. Of course, this is still a beta version of the software so Google might remove them once the full-fledged version of Android P is released. Moving on, we find a "Prevent ringing" function, which is activated by pressing down the volume up and power on button. It might just be a shortcut to the "Do not disturb" mode for all we know. And last, but not least, a new battery saving feature called "Adaptive battery" should squeeze a bit more out of the battery by limiting some of the infrequently used apps's background running. Although these screenshots look legitimate, there's a possibility that they are fake. We will know for sure once Android P is revealed during today's Google I/O conference.

Lenovo's VP Chang Cheng just teased a "full-screen smartphone" on its official Weibo account and judging by the photo, it appears to be a notch-less one too. A fresh new look amidst all the handsets that follow the trend of the iPhone X. Along with the photo, Chang Cheng posted a poll asking users what they think a full-screen smartphone really is: 1. 80-84% screen ratio 2. 85-89% screen ratio 3. 90-94% screen ratio Further down, Lenovo's VP clarifies that the upcoming device will break the 95% barrier and deliver a truly full-screen smartphone experience with virtually no side and upper bezels. And if the screenshot is to be believed, there will be no unsightly notch either. The smartphone is said to be announced on June 14 so we have plenty of time to speculate. Unfortunately, no other features or specs are disclosed in the post, but we except the gaps to be filled soon enough.

US President Donald Trump is planning to impose old sanctions on Iran and add new ones, the New York Times reported citing sources. Trump is expected to announce his decision on the nuclear deal on Tuesday. Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron his intention to pull out from the deal during a phone call between the two leaders on Tuesday morning, the Times reports. However, Macron's office denied the report after Reuters reached out for comment. A source who was briefed on the conversation told the Times that Trump plans to reinstate all sanctions the United States had waived as part of the 2015 nuclear accord. New economic sanctions will also be imposed, according to the source. The information was leaked to the newspaper two hours before the expected Trump's announcement. Trump has been a vocal opponent of the nuclear deal, a policy stance that has been praised by Israel but met with disapproval among Washington’s European allies. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the Iran nuclear deal, imposes strict restrictions on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, in exchange for sanctions relief. The 2015 agreement was signed by the five permanent UN Security Council members (Russia, China, the US, UK, France) and Germany. Tehran said on Tuesday that its response to Trump’s announcement will be dictated by what would best safeguard its own national interests. "Iran is monitoring US and European stance closely, and will react to U.S. decision based on its own national interests," Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said after a meeting with envoys from France, Britain, Germany and the European Union in Brussels as quoted by Iranian media. Tehran has previously signaled that it would consider staying in the deal, in the case of Washington pulling out from the agreement.

Eliminating any doubt as to what Trump will do at 2pm today (if not the language he will use and what the implications will be), Barak Ravid from Israel's Channel 10 reported this morning that following last week's pilgrimage by Macron and Merkel, both hoping to prevent Trump from withdrawing from the Iran deal, on Friday the new US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, told his colleagues from the E3 - France, Germany and the United Kingdom - that President Trump has rejected the understandings that were drafted with American negotiators over the last four months regarding a possible fix of the Iran nuclear deal, a "de-facto U.S. announcement that it was walking away from negotiations with the Europeans over the Iran deal." According to the report, on Friday Pompeo organized a conference call with his three European counterparts, at which point Pompeo thanked the E3 for the efforts they had made since January to come up with a formula that will convince Trump not to pull out of the nuclear deal — but made it clear the President wants to take a different direction. According to the sources, Pompeo told his European counterparts that — after he showed the document to Trump — the president told him it would not change his thinking about the nuclear deal. He then told the E3 foreign ministers to prepare themselves for an announcement by Trump within the coming days. Not surprisingly, the report notes that European negotiators felt the American team, led by State Department policy planning chief Brian Hook, was passive and unwilling to try to make progress, perhaps due to an assessment that Trump didn’t really want a deal with the E3. France, Germany and the U.K. felt the parties were close to a deal but that the U.S. walked out 300 feet before the finish line. Pompeo then reportedly briefed Trump on the main stumbling block left surrounding the deal, which according to Channel 10 was the so-called "sunset clause," which starts lifting limitations from the Iran nuclear program after 10 years from the day it came into force. As Axios adds, a senior Trump administration official didn't dispute the account of the call: "The reality is that the E3 could not agree to end the sunset clauses. That provision is critical to fixing the flawed deal." They added, "I don’t want to get ahead of the president, but I can say that the administration’s position on the importance of fixing sunset clauses of the Iran deal is well known." Still, there is some hope that a deal is still possible as Pompeo also said that it might be possible to return to the negotiating table at a later stage after Trump's announcement. That however is not too realistic, because according to newswires, Iran's senior hardline official says it would be wrong to remain in the nuclear deal should the US drop it. What are next steps? According to Axios, "senior officials from the EU, France, Germany and the U.K. will meet today in Brussels to prepare for Trump's announcement — both politically and economically. After Trump's statement, the European powers want to issue a joint statement which will make it clear they are staying in the Iran deal in an attempt to prevent its collapse. If that is indeed the case, and if Europe continue to absorb Iranian oil exports, it may very well be the case that as Barclays said last night, Iran's outbound oil production will not be impacted, and the recent surge in the price of oil, most of due to concerns about the collapse of the Iran deal, will have been for nothing. Oil was last trading a fraction over $70, after hitting a 4 year high of $70.84 yesterday.

Kim Agrees "Denuclearization Is Achievable" After Surprise Second Meeting With China's Xi With a historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just weeks away, Bloomberg has confirmed reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in the port city of Dalian over the past two days - the second meeting between top officials of the two Communist allies in less than two months. Kim traveled to China via an Air Koryo plane that's believed to be Kim's personal jet. Officials confirmed there are no direct air routes between Dalian and the North. The first meeting took place in late March, when Kim traveled to China via an armored train in what is widely believed to have been the young dictator's first trip abroad since he succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, upon his death. The second round of talks between the two Communist leaders are taking place following historic talks between South Korean leader Moon Jae-in and Kim at the DMZ late last month, where the leaders of the two Koreas agreed on a framework to end the Korean war. Following reports of the meeting, President Trump tweeted that he'd be speaking with Xi by phone at 8:30 am ET, and that the primary topic would be trade, where "good things will happen". According to BBG, Kim reportedly filled Xi in on developments in the Korean peninsula and pushed to strengthen communication and cooperation with China. In comments reported after the meeting, Kim reiterated that, as long as the regime's security is guaranteed, North Korea "does not need to have nuclear weapons..." "As long as relevant parties eliminate the hostile policy and security threats against North Korea, North Korea does not need to have nuclear weapons, and denuclearization is achievable," Kim was quoted as saying. Xi agreed that "positive progress" had been made since the two leaders first met, adding, "I feel happy about it." His response was reported by China's Xinhua news agency. "After my first meeting with the chairman [Kim Jong Un], I'm very glad to see positive progress in both bilateral relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula…. Developing the traditional friendship between China and North Korea is a common treasure of both nations. Improving friendship and cooperation between the two nations is a position both sides hold firmly and is the only correct choice. High-level exchanges between both sides carry important effects that are irreplaceable. Both sides need to maintain regular exchanges, boost strategic communications and mutual trust, and defend our common interests." As BBG points out, Dalian is home to China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, which is nearly ready to start sea tests. The new carrier, known as the Type 001A, was built by China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. Trump recently revealed that his meeting with Kim has been scheduled for June, and that the location - which he did not reveal - had also been decided. It was later reported that Singapore will host the talks.

North Korean leader meets Chinese President for the first time since historic Korean talks North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has met China’s Xi Jinping for the first time since historic intra-Korean talks and pledged to shut down its nuclear weapons program. It is Kim’s second visit to China in a several weeks. "Xi held talks with Kim and hosted a welcome banquet for him," China's state-run Xinhua agency reported on Tuesday. Chinese state media have confirmed that the leaders shared a “cordial and friendly atmosphere” during the talks and a luncheon in the Chinese city of Dalian. The duo discussed bilateral relations between Beijing and Pyongyang as well as “issues of common concern.” Kim said that there would be “no need” for North Korea to be a nuclear state as soon as “relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats.” Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, who is to meet Kim in the nearest future, tweeted that he will discuss North Korea with the Chinese leader on Tuesday morning. It is Kim’s second trip to neighboring China since March, when he met Xi during his first foreign trip since taking office. After the talks, Kim indicated that Pyongyang may be ready for denuclearization. The surprise visit came ahead of landmark talks between Pyongyang and Seoul in the ‘peace village’ of Panmunjom on April 27. At that time, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a declaration vowing denuclearization, a halt to hostile acts, and a push for joint talks with the US and China. Beijing hailed the agreement that ends “the state of war” and said it “fully supports” North Korea’s commitment. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a rare visit to Pyongyang last week. The Korean War pitted not just the North versus the South, but the US-led international coalition against China. The bloody stalemate was frozen by an armistice in 1953, but the war never officially ended. Tensions have been mounting on the Korean Peninsula until recently, with the North conducting nuclear and missile tests, citing a threat to its security from outside, particularly US war games in the region. While Beijing and Moscow have called for a diplomatic approach, Washington continued its pressure and even threatened Pyongyang with military action. Despite Trump toning down the bellicose rhetoric, he maintains the US is not going to make any concessions until North Korea makes even more of its own. Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, even said that North Korea’s denuclearization may follow the Libya model, in which the late leader, Muammar Gaddafi, got rid of the nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief in 2003. Eight years after that, NATO aided a rebellion that ended in Gaddafi's overthrow and death, and Libya in chaos.

In a clear signal that President Vladimir Putin has chosen to maintain Russia's political status quo, damn the western sanction torpedoes, today the lower house of the Russian Parliament approved longtime Putin ally (and former president) Dmitry Medvedev, as chairman of Putin's cabinet, cementing his tenure as prime minister for another term, RT reports. Of 433 lawmakers present at the Tuesday session of the State Duma, 374 voted in favor of Medvedev’s candidacy while 56 voted against it. There were no abstentions. In accordance with Russian law, Medvedev's government was dismissed after Vladimir Putin was sworn in as president on Monday, though all of its members will continue in their roles until a new government is formed. The prime minister now has a week to present his plans for forming his new cabinet. As it turns out, he already has a few people in mind. According to the Russian media, Medvedev will expand the power of Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, elevating him to deputy prime minister in charge of economic development. Meanwhile, former Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov is being considered for the position of deputy prime minister in charge of defense. Tatyana Golikova, the head of the Russian Audit Chamber, has been picked for the position of deputy prime minister in charge of social policy, labor and healthcare, replacing Olga Golodets who will become deputy prime minister in charge of culture and sports. For now, Medvedev has said he's only proposing ministers for key posts, but noted that other nominations will follow. Medvedev's candidacy was met with fierce resistance from both the Russian Communist Party (the second-largest political party in the country behind Putin's United Russia party), as well as the center-left Fair Russia Party. Meanwhile, as the Saker pointed out in a post about Medvedev's renomination, many of Putin's supporters would also be "bitterly disappointed" by Medvedev's return, given his association with the "Atlantic-integrationists" who support a closer partnership with the West. The nomination will only spur rumors that Putin is planning to cave on his defense of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or Russia's support for separatists in the Donbass. Just a quick note here (since I am inundated by emails about this): there is no way I can put a positive spin on the fact that Putin has re-nominated Medvedev as Prime Minister. I am personally bitterly disappointed and so are many others. A comment I just saw on the YouTube chat of the inauguration was succinct and to the point: “Путин кинул народ – мы не за Медведева голосовали” or “Putin betrayed the people – we did not vote for Medvedev”. This is going to be a very widely shared feeling, I am afraid. Now, there are a number of explanations for this development including that Medvedev is an effective manager, that he has been weakened by the corruption scandals in Dagestan, that the new task-centered management doctrine of the Russian government makes personalities less important, etc. Frankly, I don’t buy any of them. First and foremost, the re-nomination of Medvedev is a hugely important symbolic act which says the following: there will NOT be a purge of the Atlantic-Integrationist IMF/WTO/WB type, of the 5th columnist inside the Kremlin and that the (very unpopular) “economic block” of the Russian government will stay in power. In fact, this re-nomination will only pour more fuel on the fire of rumors saying that Putin/Russia will “cave in” in Syria or the Donbass or that the internal economic course will continue to remain what is politely known as “liberalism”. The devil is always in the details, but I have to say that seeing Medvedev re-nominated is, at the very least, a PR-disaster. If that is how Putin begins his term, it scares me to think of what might come next (Kudrin? Chubais?)… Medvedev served as prime minister during Putin's most recent term as president. Before that, he served as president while Putin ran the Russian government.

Microsoft is building new ways to unify the PC and phone experience. SEATTLE—The PC is, for many of us, no longer the central hub for our digital and online activities; the phone has taken that role. In this new world, the relationship between the two has flipped: the phone is not a companion device for the PC, but rather, the PC is now a companion device for the phone. At its Build developer conference today, Microsoft showed a pair of applications that reflect this new world. First are updated versions of the Launcher for Android and Edge for iOS that include support for Timeline, the big new feature of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. Timeline gives a historic view of the documents, emails, and webpages that you have visited, making it easy and convenient to go back and resume working on your ongoing tasks. With the updated versions of the apps, the Timeline view is now accessible on your mobile devices. The company is also releasing an enterprise version of Launcher that will let administrators pre-configure the Android home screen application. The other application is Your Phone: an app that brings your notifications, messages, and photos from the phone to your PC. The PC can be used to send messages (relayed through the phone), including the ability to drag and drop images into and out of the conversations. Notifications will be mapped, where possible, to corresponding PC applications or websites. The most recently used photos are also synced. This isn't the first time Microsoft has offered this kind of feature: Windows 10 and Windows Phone were briefly able to perform similar synced messaging and notifications. Apple also offers similar synchronization between iOS and macOS. These new apps, by contrast, span different platforms, reflecting Microsoft's invisibility in the mobile space.

When you upgrade a Windows 10 device protected by BitLocker to a new feature update version of Windows 10, for example from Windows 10 version 1703 to Windows 10 version 1803, BitLocker is suspended during the upgrade process. Suspension does not mean that the entire drive gets decrypted during the process; instead, it makes the encryption key available "in the clear" so that data is "available to everyone". Data that gets written to the disk is still encrypted. A suspended BitLocker protection on a device does not run validation checks during startup. Administrators could use the Suspend Bitlocker Powershell script in the past to suspend BitLocker protection, for example, before upgrading to a new version of Windows or upgrading device firmware. A security researcher discovered a bypass option during upgrades to access BitLocker encrypted data. Windows 10: control Bitlocker during upgrades Windows suspended BitLocker encryption automatically during feature upgrades to a new version. Microsoft added new command line options to Windows 10 version 1803 to control BitLocker behavior during the upgrade: Setup.exe /BitLocker AlwaysSuspend – Always suspend bitlocker during upgrade. Setup.exe /BitLocker TryKeepActive – Enable upgrade without suspending bitlocker but if upgrade, does not work then suspend bitlocker and complete the upgrade. Setup.exe /BitLocker ForceKeepActive – Enable upgrade without suspending bitlocker, but if upgrade does not work, fail the upgrade. The new setup options work on Windows 10 version 1803 and later, and only on devices running Windows 10 Professional or Enterprise. Other requirements are that Secure Boot needs to be enabled and that TPM is available and that only a TPM protector is being used. Michael Niehaus reports that you can use the commands on Windows 10 version 1709 machines that get upgraded to version 1803 as well. The default upgrade option is set to /BitLocker AlwaysSuspend on retail devices. This is no change to the behavior in the past as BitLocker will be suspended during the upgrade if you don't supply another command line parameter. You can use /BitLocker TryKeepActive to try and keep BitLocker enabled during the upgrade. Windows 10 attempts to keep it enabled but if it does not work will suspend BitLocker to process the upgrade. The switch /BitLocker ForceKeepActive on the other hand enforces BitLocker encryption during upgrades. The upgrade will fail if errors occur because of BitLocker being enabled. Microsoft switched the default command to /BitLocker TryKeepActive on Windows 10 Insider Builds. It is likely that Microsoft will switch retail builds to the parameter as well in the future.

Linksys , celebrating thirty years of networking and WiFi innovation for the home and business this year, today announced the availability of the newest addition to the WRT product series - the Linksys Gaming Router designed for Xbox One - WRT32XB, the first and only router in Microsoft's Designed for Xbox accessory program. The new WRT Gaming Router provides users a powerful new tool to optimize for high-speed gaming and video streaming when using Xbox One. The WRT32XB router incorporates Rivet Network's Killer Prioritization Engine (KPE), which will auto-detect any Xbox One on its network, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X, and prioritize network traffic automatically to help provide serious console gamers with the best possible online gaming experience. The KPE identifies, prioritizes and accelerates Xbox network traffic from any Xbox One console above all other devices in the home to deliver lower ping times and optimize online gaming. The KPE on the WRT32XB also protects Xbox gamers from extreme lag spikes at the router level and reduces peak ping by up to 65% on Xbox One consoles vs non-gaming routers, delivering consistent and superior reaction time during intense gaming scenarios*. The user interface and firmware are also custom-built for gaming traffic control. The global gaming market is expected to generate more than $125 billion dollars of revenue this year of which 27% is expected from console gamers according to Newzoo. "Gamers want performance and ways to enhance their game play, so we've develop this WRT router with enterprise quality hardware and custom software tools to give gamers what they want and need to beat their opponents," said Vince La Duca, global product manager at Linksys. "This is the first router available that is designed specifically to detect and auto-prioritize Xbox One as well as Killer-enabled PCs to ensure the gaming and streaming experience is fast and smooth no matter what else is going on in their home network. Being the first router in the "Designed for Xbox" accessory program, we were able to work with the Xbox team to ensure and validate the WRT32XB delivers the networking needs for all Xbox One models, including the new 4K Xbox One X." For a limited time±, users who purchase the WRT32XB router, at select retailers, will receive a three-month membership to Xbox Game Pass at no additional cost. Xbox Game Pass provides users unlimited access to over one hundred Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles, including fan-favorite exclusives such as Halo, Gears of War and Fable. Linksys WRT32X Enterprise-Grade Hardware The WRT32XB router starts with enterprise grade hardware: 1.8 GHz Dual-Core ARM CPU, 802.11ac Wave 2 Dual-band 3x3 wireless radio, 256MB Flash and 512MB of DDR3 Memory, and 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch with TCAM. For the software, the core firmware level uses the latest stable Linux kernel version for a streamlined and lightweight code base with low latency as the top focus. The secret ingredient and key innovation is the integration of the Killer Prioritization Engine. WRT32XB Router Key Benefits: WiFi router built purely for gaming which identifies, prioritizes and accelerates Xbox One gaming network packets The WRT32XB router will also provide synchronization with Killer-enabled PCs to provide gaming traffic a priority on wired and wireless PC connections Prioritization engine powered by Killer Networking delivers up to 65% reduction* in peak ping (vs competing routers) on Xbox One for faster response time The WRT32XB also identifies, prioritizes and accelerates Xbox One video streaming traffic for the ultimate movie experience Blazing fast 1.8GHz Dual-Core processor for simultaneous high-speed data processing Custom-built gaming user interface and firmware specially tuned for online gaming traffic Product Technical Specifications: WiFi Technology: AC3200 MU-MIMO Network Standards: 802.11a/g, 802.11n, 802.11ac WiFi Speed: AC3200 (N600 + AC2600) ‡ WiFi Bands: 2.4 and 5 GHz (simultaneous dual-band) DFS certified for operation in the clear DFS channel airspace 5-port Pro-Grade Gigabit Ethernet ports: 1x Gigabit WAN port, 4x Gigabit LAN ports Other: One (1) USB 3.0 port, One (1) Combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port, Power Antennas: 4x external, dual-band, detachable antennas Processor: 1.8 GHz dual-core Memory: 512MB DDR3 RAM / 256MB Flash Wireless Encryption: WPA2 Personal VPN Support: PPTP IPSec pass‐through Storage File System Support: FAT, NTFS, and HFS+ Browser-based Setup and custom graphical user interface Pricing and Availability The new Linksys WRT Gaming Router - WRT32XB is now available in the USA for an estimated MSRP of $249.99 at leading retail stores including Walmart and Microsoft stores and online at Amazon, Best Buy and Linksys.com.

Well, so much for April being the month NVIDIA expected its partners to up their game and release their G-SYNC, HDR monitors - that opportunity has come and gone, in another delay for products that were supposed to arrive in 2017. However, as with most launches that fail to meet their timelines, the move is usually to simply shift the goalpost - and that's what's been done yet again. It's still unclear which reasons have led to the delays in launch - whether unrealistic NVIDIA specifications, problems in panel manufacturing at AU Optronics, who have their hands full right now. However... It now seems (again) we are fast approaching the release date for (at least) two solutions based on the NVIDIA specs (3840×2160 resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, a 1000-nits brightness, a direct LED backlighting system with 384 zones, and feature a quantum dot film to enable HDR10 and coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut). Acer's X27 Predator and ASUS' PG27UQ are the two expected releases, but as you might guess, pricing won't be fair. Here's just hoping that it isn't as much out of court as this preorder page puts it, quoting €2556.50 for ASUS' PG27UQ. It's the extra fifty cents that breaks the illusion, really.

It looks like Intel is designing its discrete graphics processor at a breakneck pace, by a team put together by Raja Koduri. Its development is moving so fast, that the company could be ready with a working product to show the world by the 2019 International CES, held in early-January next year. Intel's development of a graphics processor is likely motivated by the company's survival instinct to not fall behind NVIDIA and AMD in making super-scalar architectures to cash in on two simultaneous tech-booms - AI and blockchain computing. A blessing in disguise for gamers is the restoration of competition. NVIDIA has been ahead of AMD in PC graphics processor performance and efficiency since 2014, with the latter only playing catch-up in the PC gaming space. AMD's architectures have proven efficient in other areas, such as blockchain computing. NVIDIA, on the other hand, has invested heavily on AI, with specialized components on its chips called "tensor cores," which accelerate neural-net building and training.