Tech

epic-games-store-and-fortnite-arrive-on-eu-iphones

Epic Games Store and Fortnite arrive on EU iPhones

Apple, dma, epic games, epic games store, EU, fortnite, gaming, iOS, IPhone, Tech / /

It’s still a mess —

Epic also launched its store on Android.

–

Artist's conception of Epic dodging harm from Apple's decisions (and perhaps its own).

Enlarge / Artist’s conception of Epic dodging harm from Apple’s decisions (and perhaps its own).

It’s been four years since Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular games, was pulled from the Apple App Store in a blaze of controversy and finger-pointing. Today, it’s returning to the iPhone—but only in the European Union.

Today marks the launch of the Epic Games Store on Android and iOS—iOS just in Europe, Android worldwide. Right now, it just has three games: Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys. And you’ll have to be in Europe to access it on your iPhone.

The Epic Games Store is run by Epic Games, the same company that develops and publishes Fortnite. Most folks who have been paying attention to either Epic or Apple in recent years knows the story at this point, but here’s the quick summary and analysis.

Opinion: Users are still the losers after four years

At the direction of CEO Tim Sweeney, Epic knowingly made changes to Fortnite related to digital payments that violated Apple’s terms for developers on the platform. Apple removed Fortnite accordingly, and a long, ugly PR and legal battle ensued between the two companies in multiple countries and regions.

In the US, a judge’s decision granted some small wins to Epic and other developers seeking to loosen Apple’s grip on the platform, but it kept the status quo for the most part.

Things went a little differently in Europe. EU legislators and regulators enacted the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which had far-reaching implications for how Apple and Google run their app stores. Among other things, the new law required Apple to allow third-party, alternative app stores (basically, sideloading) on the iPhone.

Apple’s compliance was far from enthusiastic (the company cited security and privacy concerns for users, which is valid, but the elephant in the room is, of course, its confident grip on app revenues on its platforms), and it was criticized for trying to put up barriers. Additionally, Apple rejected Epic’s attempts to launch its app store multiple times for a few arcane reasons amid a flurry of almost comically over-the-top tweets from Sweeney criticizing the company.

Despite Apple’s foot-dragging, Epic has finally reached the point where it could launch its app store. Epic had already launched a relatively successful App Store on PC, where Valve’s Steam holds a strong grip on users. The new iPhone app store doesn’t offer nearly as many options or perks as the PC version, but Epic says it’s working on wrangling developers onto its store.

It also says it will release its games on other alternative app stores on iOS and Android, such as AltStore PAL.

It’s been a long, winding, angry path to get to this point. In the battle between Epic and Apple, there remains some debate about who really has won up to this point. But there isn’t much dispute that, whether you want to blame Apple or Epic or both, users sure haven’t been the winners.

Epic Games Store and Fortnite arrive on EU iPhones Read More »

new-windows-11-build-removes-ancient,-arbitrary-32gb-size-limit-for-fat32-disks

New Windows 11 build removes ancient, arbitrary 32GB size limit for FAT32 disks

Tech, Windows 11, windows 95, Windows NT / /

getting fat —

But the Windows NT-era disk formatting UI hasn’t been fixed yet.

–

If you've formatted a disk in Windows in the last 30 years, you may have come across this dialog box.

Enlarge / If you’ve formatted a disk in Windows in the last 30 years, you may have come across this dialog box.

Andrew Cunningham

As we wait for this fall’s Windows 11 24H2 update to be released to the general public, work continues on other new features that could be part of other future Windows updates. A new Canary channel Windows Insider build released yesterday fixes a decades-old and arbitrary limitation that restricted new FAT32 partitions to 32GB in size, even though the filesystem itself has a maximum supported size of 2TB (and Windows can read and recognize 2TB FAT32 partitions without an issue).

For now, this limit is only being lifted for the command-line formatting tools in Windows. The disk formatting UI, which looks more or less the same now as it did when it was introduced in Windows NT 4.0 almost 30 years ago, still has the arbitrary 32GB capacity restriction.

The 32GB limit can allegedly be pinned on former Microsoft programmer Dave Plummer, who occasionally shares stories about his time working on Windows in the 1990s and early 2000s. Plummer says that he wrote the file format dialog, intending it as a “temporary” solution, and arbitrarily chose 32GB as a size limit for disks, likely because it seemed big enough at the time (Windows NT 4.0 required a whopping 110MB of disk space).

There aren’t a ton of reasons to actually use a FAT32 disk in 2024, and it’s been replaced by other filesystems for just about everything. As a filesystem for your main OS drive, it was replaced by NTFS decades ago; as a widely compatible filesystem for external drives that can be read from and written to by many operating systems, you’d probably want to use exFAT instead. FAT32 still has a 4GB limit on the size of individual files.

But if you’re formatting a disk to use with an old version of Windows, or with some older device that can only work with FAT32 disks, this tweak could make Windows a tiny bit more useful for you.

Listing image by Alpha Six

New Windows 11 build removes ancient, arbitrary 32GB size limit for FAT32 disks Read More »

smart-sous-vide-cooker-to-start-charging-$2/month-for-10-year-old-companion-app

Smart sous vide cooker to start charging $2/month for 10-year-old companion app

Cooking, subscriptions, Tech / /
Anova Precision Cooker 3.0

Anova, a company that sells smart sous vide cookers, is getting backlash from customers after announcing that it will soon charge a subscription fee for the device’s companion app.

Sous vide cooking, per Ars Technica sister site Bon appétit, “is the process of sealing food in an airtight container—usually a vacuum sealed bag—and then cooking that food in temperature-controlled water.” Sous vide translates from French to “under vacuum,” and this cooking method ensures that the water stays at the desired temperature for the ideal cook.

Anova was founded in 2013 and sells sous vide immersion circulators. Its current third-generation Precision Cooker 3.0 has an MSRP of $200. Anova also sells a $149 model and a $400 version that targets professionals. It debuted the free Anova Culinary App in 2014.

In a blog post on Thursday, Anova CEO and cofounder Stephen Svajian announced that starting on August 21, people who sign up to use the Anova Culinary App with the cooking devices will have to pay $2 per month, or $10 per year. The app does various things depending on the paired cooker, but it typically offers sous vide cooking guides, cooking notifications, and the ability to view, save, bookmark, and share recipes.

The subscription fee will only apply to people who make an account after August 21. Those who downloaded the app and made an account before August 21 won’t have to pay. But everyone will have to make an account; some people have been using the app without one until now.

“You helped us build Anova, and our intent is that you will be grandfathered in forever,” Svajian wrote.

According to Svajian, the subscription fees are necessary so Anova can “continue delivering the exceptional service and innovative recipes” and “maintain and enhance the app, ensuring it remains a valuable resource.”

As Digital Trends pointed out, the announcement follows an Anova statement saying it will no longer let users remotely control their kitchen gadgets via Bluetooth starting on September 28, 2025. This means that remote control via the app will only be possible for models offering and using Wi-Fi connectivity. Owners of affected devices will no longer be able to access their device via the Anova app, get notifications, or use status monitoring. Users will still be able to manually set the time, temperature, and timer via the device itself.

Customers are heated

Changing or removing features of a tech gadget people have already purchased is a risky move that can anger customers who have paid for a device they expected to work a certain way indefinitely.

As of this writing, there are 104 comments under Anova’s blog post, with many posters saying they will not purchase or recommend another Anova device because of the changes. Many echo a commenter named Nathan Johnson, who wrote, “You’ve just lost a LONGTIME and very faithful customer.”

Another commenter going by Tony Nguyen wrote, “Charging a subscription fee for feature that was free before is anti-consumer. I will never buy another Anova product again and will share with everyone I know how terrible and greedy this company is. You’ve lost me and all my family and friends as customer…”

Smart sous vide cooker to start charging $2/month for 10-year-old companion app Read More »

new-geekbench-ai-benchmark-can-test-the-performance-of-cpus,-gpus,-and-npus

New Geekbench AI benchmark can test the performance of CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs

AI, Geekbench, Tech / /

hit the bench —

Performance test comes out of beta as NPUs become standard equipment in PCs.

–

New Geekbench AI benchmark can test the performance of CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs

Primate Labs

Neural processing units (NPUs) are becoming commonplace in chips from Intel and AMD after several years of being something you’d find mostly in smartphones and tablets (and Macs). But as more companies push to do more generative AI processing, image editing, and chatbot-ing locally on-device instead of in the cloud, being able to measure NPU performance will become more important to people making purchasing decisions.

Enter Primate Labs, developers of Geekbench. The main Geekbench app is designed to test CPU performance as well as GPU compute performance, but for the last few years, the company has been experimenting with a side project called Geekbench ML (for “Machine Learning”) to test the inference performance of NPUs. Now, as Microsoft’s Copilot+ initiative gets off the ground and Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple all push to boost NPU performance, Primate Labs is bumping Geekbench ML to version 1.0 and renaming it “Geekbench AI,” a change that will presumably help it ride the wave of AI-related buzz.

“Just as CPU-bound workloads vary in how they can take advantage of multiple cores or threads for performance scaling (necessitating both single-core and multi-core metrics in most related benchmarks), AI workloads cover a range of precision levels, depending on the task needed and the hardware available,” wrote Primate Labs’ John Poole in a blog post about the update. “Geekbench AI presents its summary for a range of workload tests accomplished with single-precision data, half-precision data, and quantized data, covering a variety used by developers in terms of both precision and purpose in AI systems.”

In addition to measuring speed, Geekbench AI also attempts to measure accuracy, which is important for machine-learning workloads that rely on producing consistent outcomes (identifying and cataloging people and objects in a photo library, for example).

Geekbench AI can run AI workloads on your CPU, GPU, or NPU (when you have a system with an NPU that's compatible).

Enlarge / Geekbench AI can run AI workloads on your CPU, GPU, or NPU (when you have a system with an NPU that’s compatible).

Andrew Cunningham

Geekbench AI supports several AI frameworks: OpenVINO for Windows and Linux, ONNX for Windows, Qualcomm’s QNN on Snapdragon-powered Arm PCs, Apple’s CoreML on macOS and iOS, and a number of vendor-specific frameworks on various Android devices. The app can run these workloads on the CPU, GPU, or NPU, at least when your device has a compatible NPU installed.

On Windows PCs, where NPU support and APIs like Microsoft’s DirectML are still works in progress, Geekbench AI supports Intel and Qualcomm’s NPUs but not AMD’s (yet).

“We’re hoping to add AMD NPU support in a future version once we have more clarity on how best to enable them from AMD,” Poole told Ars.

Geekbench AI is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS/iPadOS, and Android. It’s free to use, though a Pro license gets you command-line tools, the ability to run the benchmark without uploading results to the Geekbench Browser, and a few other benefits. Though the app is hitting 1.0 today, the Primate Labs team expects to update the app frequently for new hardware, frameworks, and workloads as necessary.

“AI is nothing if not fast-changing,” Poole continued in the announcement post, “so anticipate new releases and updates as needs and AI features in the market change.”

New Geekbench AI benchmark can test the performance of CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs Read More »

redbox-app-axed,-dashing-people’s-hopes-of-keeping-purchased-content

Redbox app axed, dashing people’s hopes of keeping purchased content

redbox, Roku, streaming, Tech / /

Roku kills Redbox app —

Customers uncertain as app remains downloadable after company’s Chapter 7 filing.

–

Redbox app axed, dashing people’s hopes of keeping purchased content

Roku has finally axed the Redbox app from its platform. Redbox parent company Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June and moved to Chapter 7 in July, signaling the liquidation of its assets. However, the app has remained available but not fully functional in various places, leaving customers wondering if they will still be able to access content they bought. This development, however, mostly squashes any remaining hope of salvaging those purchases.

Redbox is best known for its iconic red kiosks where people could rent movie and TV (and, until 2019, video game) discs. But in an effort to keep up with the digital age, Redbox launched a streaming service in December 2017. At the time, Redbox promised “many” of the same new releases available at its kiosks but also “a growing collection” of other movies and shows. The company claimed that its on-demand streaming service was competitive because it had “newest-release movies” that subscription streaming services didn’t have. The service offered streaming rentals as well as purchases.

But as Cord Cutters News pointed out this week, people can no longer open the using the Roku version of the Redbox app. When they try to use the app, they reportedly see a message reading: “Redbox is currently not supporting this app. For questions about the service on your account, please contact Redbox” and recommends other streaming apps, like Apple TV+.

Roku’s move suggests that Redbox customers will not be able to watch the stuff they bought. Barring an unlikely change—like someone swooping in to buy and resurrect Redbox—it’s likely that other avenues for accessing the Redbox app will also go away soon.

Interestingly, the Redbox app is still downloadable elsewhere. For example, I was able to download the app from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and PlayStation Store today. In the case of the former two, the app’s contents, including shows, wouldn’t load. On PlayStation, the app asked me to sign up for an account, which did not work due to an “error.”

Looming questions

Ahead of Redbox’s bankruptcy announcement, people noticed a decline in Redbox’s services, including fewer kiosks and less promotion of new and upcoming titles.

Since Redbox filed for bankruptcy, though, there has been some confusion and minimal communication about what will happen to Redbox’s services. People online have asked if there’s any way to watch content they purchased to own and/or get reimbursed. Some have even reported being surprised after learning that Redbox, owned by Chicken Soup since 2022, was undergoing bankruptcy procedures, pointing to limited updates from Redbox, Chicken Soup, and/or the media.

There is also uncertainty about what will happen to the 24,000 remaining Redbox kiosks and their DVDs. As Chicken Soup filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it’s expected that the kiosks will be taken down, but we don’t know when or how they’ll be disposed of.

Last month, CVS filed a motion [PDF] asking the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (where Chicken Soup filed for bankruptcy) to allow it to “dispose of” thousands of Redbox kiosks. In its filing, CVS said that its contract with Redbox ended in 2023, at which point Redbox was obligated to remove “over 2,500 kiosks” from CVS stores, but many remained. The legal filing reads:

Throughout that time, [Redbox] has generally behaved as though the Kiosks were abandoned, although it did remove a very small number of them once it was threatened with a preliminary injunction in a state court lawsuit.

Redbox’s failure to remove the Kiosks has caused and continues to cause CVS substantial and unjustifiable economic harm, as well as damages for loss of use and enjoyment of its premises that are not readily financially compensable.

7-Eleven has also previously alleged [PDF] that Redbox failed to remove kiosks from its stores after their contract expired. 7-Eleven also claimed that Redbox owes it about $270,000 in commissions.

As Chicken Soup sorts through its debts and liquidation, customers are left without guidance about what to do with their rental DVDs or how they can access movies/shows they purchased. But when it comes to purchases made via streaming services, it’s more accurate to consider them rentals, despite them not being labeled as such and costing more than rentals with set time limits. As we’ve seen before, streaming companies can quickly yank away content that people feel that they paid to own, be it due to licensing disputes, mergers and acquisitions, or other business purposes. In this case, a company’s failure has resulted in people no longer being able to access stuff they already paid for and presumed they’d be able to access for the long haul.

For some, the reality of what it means to “own” a streaming purchase reality, combined with the unreliability and turbulent nature of today’s streaming industry, has strengthened the appeal of physical media. Somewhat ironically, though, Redbox shuttering meant the end of one of the last mainstream places to access DVDs.

Redbox app axed, dashing people’s hopes of keeping purchased content Read More »

classic-pc-game-emulation-is-back-on-the-iphone-with-idos-3-release

Classic PC game emulation is back on the iPhone with iDOS 3 release

App Store, Apple, DOS games, emulator, gaming, iDOS, iDOS 3, MS-DOS, Tech / /

Emulation —

Apple amended its App Store rules to allow PC emulators, not just console ones.

–

An MS-DOS command line prompt showing the C drive

Enlarge / The start of any journey in MS-DOS.

Samuel Axon

After a 14-year journey of various states of availability and usefulness amid the shifting policies of Apple’s App Store approval process, MS-DOS game emulator iDOS is back on the iPhone and iPad. It’s hopefully here to stay this time.

iDOS allows you to run applications made for MS-DOS via DOSBox, with a nice retro-styled interface. Its main use case is definitely playing DOS games, but it has seen a rocky road to get to this point. Initially released over a decade ago, it existed quietly for its niche audience, though it saw some changes that made it more or less useful in the developer’s quest to avoid removal from the App Store after it violated Apple’s rules. That culminated in it being removed altogether in 2021 after some tweets and articles brought attention to it.

But earlier this year, Apple made big changes to its App Store rules, officially allowing “retro game emulators” for the first time. That cleared the way for a wave of working console game emulators like Delta and RetroArch, which mostly work as you might expect them to on any other platform now. But when iDOS developer Chaoji Li and other purveyors of classic PC emulator software attempted to do the same for old PC games for MS-DOS and other non-console computing platforms, they were stymied. Apple told them that it didn’t consider their apps to be retro game console emulators and that they violated rules intended to prevent people from circumventing the App Store by running applications from other sources.

PC emulator UTM released a version of its software that worked around Apple’s rules, but it was a subpar experience. But on August 2, Apple amended its App Store rules to explicitly allow emulators of classic PC games. That opened the door for iDOS, which has made its triumphant return and works quite well.

Developer Chaoji Li’s announcement of iDOS 3’s availability didn’t have a tone of triumph to it, though—more like exhaustion, given the app’s struggles over the years:

It has been a long wait for common sense to prevail within Apple. As much as I want to celebrate, I still can’t help being a little bit cautious about the future. Are we good from now on?

Get iDOS3 on AppStore

I hope iDOS can now enjoy its turn to stay and grow.

P.S. Even though words feel inadequate at times, I would like to say thank you to the supporters of iDOS. In many ways, you keep iDOS alive.

Given that Apple’s policy changes were driven by regulatory concerns, it seems likely it’ll stick this time, but after everything that’s happened, you can’t blame Li for putting a question mark on this.

In any case, if you’re among the dozens (or maybe several hundred) of people looking to play Commander Keen, Might and Magic: The World of Xeen, Wolfenstein 3D, or Jill of the Jungle on your iPhone, today is your day.

Classic PC game emulation is back on the iPhone with iDOS 3 release Read More »

google’s-pixel-watch-3-has-a-bigger-screen,-and-pixel-buds-pro-2-are-smaller

Google’s Pixel Watch 3 has a bigger screen, and Pixel Buds Pro 2 are smaller

Google, google pixel buds pro 2, google pixel watch 3, pixel buds pro 2, pixel recorder, pixel watch 3, Tech / /

Pixelcessories —

Pixel Recorder on the Watch 3 is the weird little feature we might just love.

–

Pixel Watch 3 laid out at center, with band options and colors to either side of it.

Google

In addition to a whole bunch of Pixel 9 phones, Google launched the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2 at its Made by Google event today. Here’s the lowdown on what’s new, what’s interesting, and what Google has to say about the products beyond their AI connection.

The Pixel Watch 3 45 mm model, which boasts 40 percent more usable screen space than the prior model.

The Pixel Watch 3 45 mm model, which boasts 40 percent more usable screen space than the prior model.

Google

Pixel Watch 3

There are many fitness, smart home, and AI features on the new Pixel Watch 3, but let’s get to the important new stuff: Pixel Recorder. That means, in situations where you aren’t being creepy, using your watch to record a note to self, a conversation, a bit of a song, or whatever else on your watch. You can then play the recording back and get the transcription on your Pixel phone.

The other feature that isn’t about running a marathon or asking a language model for help is UWB (ultra wideband) phone unlocking with the Pixel Watch 3. That should mean relatively responsive unlocks on your phone, but not if you’re a measurably far distance from it.

As for the actual watch, it now comes in 41 mm and 45 mm sizes, with 16 percent smaller bezels and 40 percent more actively usable space on the 45mm watch. It will pick up Nest Cam and Doorbell notifications and let you talk through them (pending various lag/connection realities). The Watch 3 can access Google Maps while offline. It promises 24 hours of always-on battery life, or 36 in Battery Saver mode.

If you’re actively using the Pixel Watch 3 for fitness and run tracking, there are more features than fit here. For starters, you get six months of Fitbit Premium. Run tracking now also watches your cadence and stride length and does other motion sensing. The Watch 3 does “cardio load tracking” and balances it against recovery needs, sleep, and heart rate metrics.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 in Wintergreen.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 in Wintergreen.

Google

Pixel Buds Pro 2

As with every other device Google is launching, the marquee pitch for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is that they’re Gemini-ready and Gemini-friendly. There’s a good deal more about them that’s notable, however.

That same “Tensor AI” chip that makes them ready to convey your desires to your phone (or Google’s servers) supposedly let Google shrink these Buds 27 percent, making them lighter and improving their battery life to a purported 8 hours of active noise canceling (ANC). That noise canceling should also be better than on previous models, with a “Silent Seal 2.0” fit that cancels “twice as much noise as before” and “a wider range of noises,” including higher frequencies.

How do they actually sound? Better than Pixel Buds Pro, Google says. They have 11 mm drivers, and the Tensor chip “adds an additional path for music,” which “allows it to bypass the Silent Seal processing chain,” the company says. Sure! Phone calls should definitely get better, as the Clear Calling feature now sorts noise on both sides of a call. And Conversation Detection will automatically pause your audio when you start talking to somebody and will resume automatically after you stop talking (something AirPods Pro notably do not do).

When and how much

Google’s smaller Pixel fall products are available next month at these prices and on these dates:

  • Pixel Watch 3 ($349 at 41 mm, $399 for 45 mm, $100 extra for LTE): September 10
  • Pixel Buds Pro 2 ($299): September 26

Google’s Pixel Watch 3 has a bigger screen, and Pixel Buds Pro 2 are smaller Read More »

the-pixel-9-phones-are-big-cameras-and-screens-soldered-onto-gemini-ai-ambitions

The Pixel 9 phones are big cameras and screens soldered onto Gemini AI ambitions

Gemini Advanced, gemini ai, gemini live, Google, Google Pixel, pixel 9, pixel 9 pro, pixel 9 pro fold, pixel 9 pro xl, Tech / /
A Google Pixel 9 Fold and Pixel 9 Pro XL, side by side on white background, with Fold open and 9 Pro XL front and back shown on separate models.

Google / Aurich Lawson

Google announced its fall lineup of Pixel phones today: three standard phones and a second tablet-esque folding model. There are new chips, new cameras, Satellite SOS, and some notable promises, like the 9 phones being “twice as durable” as their Pixel 8 equivalents and getting seven years of updates. But as you might expect this year, they’re primarily showcases for all the things Google’s Gemini AI promises to do for you.

Here’s what’s new, what’s coming, and when you can ask your phone to make a shopping list for taco night for a family of six.

Google

Gemini is in the power button, the screenshots, and a free premium subscription

It’s not just you—Google really is “infusing AI into everything we do,” as noted on its Keyword blog today. Here’s a short list of what Google says Android phone owners can do with Gemini:

  • Speak to Gemini “naturally the way you would with another person”
  • Bring up an overlay (holding power button) over other apps to ask about things on-screen
  • Generate images from that overlay and drop them into apps, like Gmail or Messages
  • Use “Gemini Live,” a “mobile conversational experience” in which you could, for example, “brainstorm potential jobs well-suited for your skillset or degree”

Gemini Live is launching today for Gemini Advanced subscribers on Android, with iOS coming soon. New extensions to Gemini, and contextual overlay for non-Pixel devices, should arrive “in the coming weeks.”

You might think you won’t use Google’s Gemini as much as Google thinks you will, but Google aims to change your mind with one free year of the Google One AI Premium Plan (i.e., “Gemini Advanced“), which is bundled into a Pixel 9 Pro or Pro XL purchase. That also grants you access to what Google is doing with Gemini in Gmail, Docs, and maybe search, along with a 2TB storage plan.

Holding the power button on an AI-enabled Pixel 9 Pro will bring up a dashboard that allows for writing, asking, or searching through interconnected Google apps for information. Like Google Lens, you can ask Gemini about what’s on your screen or ask it about something in a photo you snap. It’s a little unclear which features may eventually get backported to the Pixel 9 or other Android phones generally. That’s probably the idea: if you’re excited about this stuff, Google strongly suggests paying $200 more.

Google

The Pixel 9 phones are big cameras and screens soldered onto Gemini AI ambitions Read More »

stratasys-sues-bambu-lab-over-patents-used-widely-by-consumer-3d-printers

Stratasys sues Bambu Lab over patents used widely by consumer 3D printers

3D printing, bambu lab, Stratasys, Tech / /

Patent protections pushed for proprietary processes —

Heated platforms and purge towers are among Stratasys’ infringement claims.

–

Bambu Lab A1, with three filament spools connected by circular loops off to the right.

Enlarge / The Bambu Lab A1, complete with heated build platform.

Bambu Lab

A patent lawsuit filed by one of 3D printing’s most established firms against a consumer-focused upstart could have a big impact on the wider 3D-printing scene.

In two complaints, (1, 2, PDF) filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, against six entities related to Bambu Lab, Stratasys alleges that Bambu Lab infringed upon 10 patents that it owns, some through subsidiaries like Makerbot (acquired in 2013). Among the patents cited are US9421713B2, “Additive manufacturing method for printing three-dimensional parts with purge towers,” and US9592660B2, “Heated build platform and system for three-dimensional printing methods.”

There are not many, if any, 3D printers sold to consumers that do not have a heated bed, which prevents the first layers of a model from cooling during printing and potentially shrinking and warping the model. “Purge towers” (or “prime towers” in Bambu’s parlance) allow for multicolor printing by providing a place for the filament remaining in a nozzle to be extracted and prevent bleed-over between colors. Stratasys’ infringement claims also target some fundamental technologies around force detection and fused deposition modeling (FDM) that, like purge towers, are used by other 3D-printer makers that target entry-level and intermediate 3D-printing enthusiasts.

Bambu Lab launched onto the 3D-printing scene in 2022, quickly picking up market share in the entry-level and enthusiast space, in part due to its relatively fast multicolor printing. It hasn’t had an entirely smooth path to its market share, with a cloud-based force printing fiasco in the summer of 2023 and a recall of its popular A1 printer for heat issues earlier this year.

Stratasys, by contrast, has been working in 3D printing since 1988, and its products are used more often in manufacturing and commercial prototyping. Its 3D printers were part of how General Motors pivoted to making face shields and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its acquisition of MakerBot led to layoffs two years in and eventually a spin-off merger with Ultimaker, but Stratasys retained MakerBot’s patents.

Another patent lawsuit filed by a larger prototyping firm against a smaller semi-competitor was settled in 2014. 3D Systems sued Formlabs in 2012 over patents regarding laser-based stereolithography. That suit ended with Formlabs agreeing to pay an 8 percent royalty on all sales to 3D Systems. Stratasys had also previously sued another smaller-scale printing firm, Afinia, in 2013, although that case eventually failed.

Listing image by Bambu Lab

Stratasys sues Bambu Lab over patents used widely by consumer 3D printers Read More »

microsoft’s-paint-3d-was-once-the-future-of-ms-paint,-but-now-it’s-going-away

Microsoft’s Paint 3D was once the future of MS Paint, but now it’s going away

ms paint, paint 3d, Tech, Windows 10, Windows 11 / /

one dimension too many —

User outcry ushered in a renaissance for classic MS Paint, and Paint 3D faded.

–

Paint 3D, once the future of the Paint app, is getting the axe in November.

Enlarge / Paint 3D, once the future of the Paint app, is getting the axe in November.

Andrew Cunningham

In October of 2017, Microsoft released a version of Windows 10 called the “Fall Creators Update,” back when the company tried to give brand names to these things rather than just sticking to version numbering. One of the new apps included in that update was called Paint 3D, and while it shared a name with the old two-dimensional MS Paint app, it was entirely new software that supported creating 3D shapes and a whole bunch of other editing and transform options that the old Paint app didn’t have.

For the briefest of moments, Microsoft planned to deprecate the classic 2D version of the Paint app and focus its development resources on Paint 3D. But user outcry prompted Microsoft to cancel Paint’s cancelation and move it into the Microsoft Store for easier updating. The company soon began adding new features to the app for the first time in years, starting with keyboard controls and extending to a redesigned UI, support for layers and PNG transparency, and integrated AI-powered image generation.

But the old Paint app’s renaissance is coming at the expense of Paint 3D, which Microsoft says is formally being deprecated and removed from the Microsoft Store on November 4. Windows Central reports that users of the app will be notified via a banner message, just in case they aren’t regularly checking Microsoft’s documentation page for the list of deprecated and removed Windows features.

Microsoft recommends the Paint and Photos apps for viewing and editing 2D images and the 3D Viewer app for viewing 3D models. Creating and editing 3D images will be left to third-party software.

When it was introduced, Paint 3D was also pitched as a way to create and manipulate three-dimensional objects that could then be dropped into real environments using the Windows Mixed Reality platform. It’s probably not a coincidence that Windows Mixed Reality is being removed in this fall’s Windows 11 24H2 release, right around the same time Paint 3D will be removed from Windows and from the Microsoft Store.

Many Windows 8- and 10-era apps have either been axed or renamed in the Windows 11 era as Microsoft has refocused on built-in Windows apps with decadeslong histories. The Mail and Calendar apps are being replaced with a version of Outlook, and though it isn’t called Outlook Express there are certainly parallels. The Groove app was renamed “Windows Media Player” and picked up a few legacy Media Player capabilities, like the ability to play and rip audio CDs. Voice Recorder became Sound Recorder. Snip & Sketch had its capabilities rolled back into the Snipping Tool.

Microsoft’s Paint 3D was once the future of MS Paint, but now it’s going away Read More »

intel-details-fixes-for-crashing-13th-and-14th-gen-cpus-as-bios-updates-roll-out

Intel details fixes for crashing 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs as BIOS updates roll out

13th-generation core, 14th-generation core, intel, Tech / /

the fix is in —

This microcode fix can’t be rolled out in a regular software update.

–

Intel details fixes for crashing 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs as BIOS updates roll out

Intel

Intel has shared more about the voltage-related issues that affected some 13th- and 14th-generation Core processors, as the company tries to put the episode behind it. As reported by Tom’s Hardware, Intel says that the problem originated with “elevated operating voltage” stemming from “incorrect voltage requests,” specifically an increase to the minimum operating voltage of the chips. These “elevated voltage events can accumulate over time,” eventually damaging the processor and causing system hangs or crashes.

Intel has developed a microcode update to fix those elevated voltage requests, but the bad news for some users is that they will require a BIOS update, and they can’t be deployed via software updates as some microcode fixes can be.

Intel says that in most cases, CPU performance should be essentially unaffected by the patch, though the company did notice a handful of benchmark subscores and individual games that exhibited “moderate” slowdown (though we don’t know how much that is, in concrete terms). Here’s the relevant statement about performance:

Intel’s internal testing—utilizing Intel Default Settings—indicates performance impact is within run-to-run variation (eg. 3DMark: Timespy, WebXPRT 4, Cinebench R24, Blender 4.2.0) with a few sub-tests showing moderate impacts (WebXPRT Online Homework; PugetBench GPU Effects Score). For gaming workloads tested, performance has also been within run-to-run variation (eg. Cyberpunk 2077, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Warhammer III – Mirrors of Madness) with one exception showing slightly more impact (Hitman 3: Dartmoor). However, system performance is dependent on configuration and several other factors.

For some PCs, particularly pre-built models, BIOS updates can be delivered via Windows Update or the OEM’s proprietary update software (Lenovo Vantage, Dell SupportAssist, the HP Support Assistant, and the MyASUS app all being prominent examples). For others, particularly boutique or home-built PCs, you may need to go to your motherboard maker’s website, look up your model, and download and install the BIOS update manually.

Some motherboard makers have already released updates for some of their boards; MSI and ASRock are out with updates for most boards with 700-series chipsets, and Asus also has beta updates available for some 700-series boards. Updates for slightly older 600-series motherboards that also support the 13th- and 14th-generation CPUs should follow later. If the release notes mention microcode 0x129, that means you’re getting the update.

Applying the fix as soon as possible is important, because the voltage-related damage to your CPU can’t be reversed. Once you’re noticing hangs and crashes, your CPU is already irreparably damaged, and you’ll need to have it replaced or exchanged for a new one.

If you need to do that, the good news is that Intel is offering two additional years of warranty service to buyers of the affected CPUs, for a total of five years of coverage. People who bought retail boxed CPUs to install in their self-built computers can contact Intel directly; people who bought one of the chips as part of a pre-built system should generally be able to get the same level of coverage from the company that made the PC.

Affected processors include all K, KF, and KS-series Core i5, i7, and i9 processors in the 13th- and 14th-generation Core processor families, plus non-K-series Core i7 and Core i9 processors (despite the name change, the chips are all based on the same Raptor Lake architecture). Lower-end Core i5 and Core i3 processors are unaffected, as are all 12th-generation Core processors.

Earlier this year, Intel also tried to alleviate the problem by asking motherboard makers to adhere to Intel’s default power settings in their BIOS settings. Though these didn’t end up being the root cause of the crashes, the elevated voltage settings or power limits used by some of these motherboards could exacerbate or accelerate the problem.

And Intel’s efforts continue. The company said earlier this month that it was working on a way for users to easily test whether their CPU had been damaged or not. And the company’s statement today reiterated that Intel was still looking into other possible fixes.

“Intel is continuing to investigate mitigations for scenarios that can result in Vmin shift on potentially impacted Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors,” the statement reads. “Intel will provide updates by end of August.”

Intel details fixes for crashing 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs as BIOS updates roll out Read More »

nova-launcher,-savior-of-cruft-filled-android-phones,-is-on-life-support

Nova Launcher, savior of cruft-filled Android phones, is on life support

android, android customization, android launchers, app metrics, branch, nova launcher, Tech / /

A setup that’s a bit too minimalist —

Nova Launcher feels the “massive” layoffs at the firm that acquired it in 2022.

–

Lineup of four Android devices showing Nova Launcher aspects, including the logo, icon customization, and app drawer

Nova Launcher

Back in July 2022, when mobile app metrics firm Branch acquired the popular and well-regarded Nova Launcher for Android, the app’s site put up one of those self-directed FAQ posts about it. Under the question heading “What does Branch want with Nova?,” Nova founder and creator Kevin Barry started his response with, “Not to mess it up, don’t worry!”

Branch (formerly/sometimes Branch Metrics) is a firm concerned with helping businesses track the links that lead into their apps, whether from SMS, email, marketing, or inside other apps. Nova, with its Sesame Search tool that helped users find and access deeper links—like heading straight to calling a car, rather than just opening a rideshare app—seemed like a reasonable fit.

Barry wrote that he had received a number of acquisition offers over the years, but he didn’t want to be swallowed by a giant corporation, an OEM, or a volatile startup. “Branch is different,” he wrote then, because they wanted to add staff to Nova, keep it available to the public, and mostly leave it alone.

Two years later, Branch has left Nova Launcher a bit too alone. As documented on Nova’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, and transcripts from its Discord, as of Thursday Nova had “gone from a team of around a dozen people” to just Barry, the founder, working alone. The Nova cuts were part of “a massive layoff” of purportedly more than 100 people across all of Branch, according to now-former Nova workers.

Barry wrote that he would keep working on Nova, “However I have less resources.” He would need to “cut scope” on an upcoming Nova release, he wrote. Other employees noted that customer support, marketing, and even correspondence would likely be strained or disappear.

Ars has reached out to Branch for comment and will update this post with response.

Some of the icon customization options, shown here on a tablet, inside Nova Launcher.

Some of the icon customization options, shown here on a tablet, inside Nova Launcher.

Nova Launcher

Custom, clean Android home screens

It’s hard to tell if Nova would have been better off without ever having been inside Branch, or if it might have inevitably run into the vexing question of how to get people to continually pay for an Android utility. But for Nova to be endangered, or at least heavily constrained, is a sad state for a very useful tool.

Installing a launcher on Android allows you to ignore whatever home screen, app tray, and search bars your phone came with and design your own. Nova Launcher allowed people to change how many icons showed up on their screen, and how big. It allowed for hiding default apps that could not be uninstalled. It was, and still is, one of the best ways to save your phone of bad skins, cruddy OEM software, and stuff for which you never asked.

In more than a dozen Ars reviews of Android devices touting organization concepts that people might not like—including Google’s own Pixels—Nova Launcher was recommended (minus one weird Razer/Nextbit phone that came with it by default). In his Pixel 7 Pro review, Ron Amadeo spells out one such way Nova saved the day:

The worst part of the Pixel software package is the home screen launcher, the primary interface of the phone, which is not nearly configurable enough. All I’m asking for is two things. First, I’d like many more icon grid size adjustments—the default 4×4 grid was fine when we were using 3.2-inch, 480p displays, but I now run a 7×5 grid in Nova launcher, and the Pixel launcher looks ridiculous. Second, I want to remove Google’s useless “At a Glance” widget, which takes up an incredible four icon slots to show the date and current outdoor temperature.

For the more than a decade that I used (and sometimes reviewed) Android phones, I maintained an exported Nova configuration file that I brought from phone to phone. I could experiment with theming, icon packs, and custom widgets (complete with deep links into app actions), but what that export really did was allow me to feel comfortable tinkering and messing with layout ideas. I could always go back to my rock-solid, no-nonsense layout of apps, spaced just how I liked them.

While Nova is not dead (despite mine and others‘ eulogistic tones), it’s certainly not positioned to launch bold new features or plot new futures. Here’s hoping Barry can make a go of Nova Launcher for as long as it’s viable for him.

Nova Launcher, savior of cruft-filled Android phones, is on life support Read More »