Volvo hopes buyers will pay a little extra for this sleek electric crossover.
Enlarge/ Volvo's latest electric vehicle is the C40 Recharge, which is built in Ghent, Belgium. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)
GHENT, BELGIUM—Volvo built a rather good little crossover in the form of the XC40. It got even better when the Swedish automaker swapped out the internal combustion engine stuff for an electric powertrain. Now, Volvo has a new variant that combines those same battery-electric mechanicals with a slightly more stylish, very slightly more aero-efficient shape—the Volvo C40 Recharge.
This being a modern Volvo, you can also expect a Scandinavian-chic interior and Volvo's reassuring approach to safety. Google's voice assistant is onboard, too, thanks to the Android Automotive infotainment system. But it's not the most efficient electric vehicle on sale today, and the C40 Recharge commands a high price for its new looks.
If the idea of a slighty less practical, slightly more stylish Volvo seems odd at first, don't be alarmed. Every so often the designers are allowed to run wild in Gothenburg, and the C40 Recharge is the latest evidence of that, joining other oddballs like the 480 and C30.
A large class of widely used chemicals is the target of a major EPA initiative.
Enlarge/ Michael Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has announced a major effort to handle environmental contamination by chemicals called PFAS. (credit: Bloomberg / Getty Images)
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced what it called a "comprehensive national strategy" to handle pollution by a group of industrial chemicals that are collectively called PFAS. These chemicals are relatively inert and persist for decades in the environment; as a result, there are many sites where they pollute the ground or water. And there are some indications that they can cause health issues if they accumulate at sufficient levels.
But the fact that the family of chemicals is so large has made them difficult to study—and their pollution difficult to manage. The EPA's announcement indicates that the agency has started an expansive program to handle these challenges, from expanding the study of individual PFAS chemicals to tracing contamination and limiting future pollution.
PFAS chemistry and health
"PFAS" stands for both per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. Essentially, they are large hydrocarbon chains in which some or all of the hydrogens are swapped out for fluorines. The fluorines ensure that the chemicals do not interact well with water, making them excellent options for waterproof treatments. They're also very unreactive, meaning they don't break down readily in the environment. Thus, PFAS contamination can persist for decades.
Google’s newest Pixel phones are the company’s most powerful to date, the first to feature Google’s own Tensor processors, the first to pack a completely upgraded camera system, and guaranteed security updates for at least five years. The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are smartphones with flagship-class hardware and surprisingly affordable starting prices. […]
Google’s newest Pixel phones are the company’s most powerful to date, the first to feature Google’s own Tensor processors, the first to pack a completely upgraded camera system, and guaranteed security updates for at least five years.
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are smartphones with flagship-class hardware and surprisingly affordable starting prices. They’re up for pre-order for $599 and $899, respectively, making the new phones several hundred dollars cheaper than the latest flagships from Apple, Samsung, and others.
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro might be among the most leaked smartphones ever, so there aren’t many surprises in Google’s official announcement. But the company has confirmed its aggressive starting prices, explained the features of its Tensor processors, and acknowledged that part of what allows the company to promise five years of software updates is that Google now controls the processor.
The company also notes that designing a custom processor has also allowed Google to add support for previously-unavailable features. For example, the Pixel series has always had a reputation for having some of the best cameras available on smartphones… when it came to still photos. But they’ve never been industry-leading when it comes to video.
Part of the reason for that is that while Pixel phones have good camera hardware, they also rely on software for “computational photography” features like snapping multiple images and gathering data from all of them to create a single still image with high dynamic range colors.
Doing that at 60 frames per second is a lot more challenging than doing it for a single image. But Google says it made the algorithm for processing HDR images more efficient and then built part of that algorithm directly into the Google Tensor chip’s image signal processor. The end result is that the Pixel 6 can now record 4K HDR video at 60 frames per second.
That, and many other features are available on both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, since both have the same Google Tensor processor, 50MP primary camera, and 12MP wide-angle camera.
Google says the 50MP primary camera has a 1/1.3 inch image sensor that captures 1.5X more light than the 12MP primary camera on the Pixel 5.
But if you opt for the Pixel 6 Pro you get an extra 48MP telephoto camera with support for 4X optical zoom (or up to 20X total zoom when using Google’s Super Res Zoom, which is basically digital zoom with Google’s algorithms).
The Pixel 6 Pro also has a bigger, higher-res display with a higher refresh rate, a bigger battery, a higher-resolution front camera, optional support for up to 512GB of storage, and support for ultra wide-band.
Pixel 6
Pixel 6 Pro
Screen
6.4-inch, 90 Hz, 2400×1080 OLED
6.7-inch, 120 Hz, 3120×1440 LTPO OLED
CPU
Google Tensor
2 x Cortex-X1 cores @ 2.8 GHz
2 x Cortex-A76 cores @ 2.25 GHz
4 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 Cores @ 1.8 GHz
5 nm
GPU
ARM Mali G78 MP20
RAM
8GB
12GB
Storage
128GB/256GB UFS 3.1
128GB/256GB/512GB
UFS 3.1
Battery & charging
4600 mAh
30W USB-PD 3.0 charging
wireless charging
5000 mAh
30W USB-PD 3.0 charging
wireless charging
Wireless
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS
NFC
5G mmWave & Sub-6 GHz
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS
NFC
5G mmWave & Sub-6 GHz UWB
Ports
USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1
Cameras (rear)
50 MP Main
12 MP Wide Angle
Laser autofocus
OIS
Spectral and flicker sensor
50 MP Main
12 MP Wide Angle 48 MP 4x Telephoto
Laser autofocus
OIS
Spectral and flicker sensor
Camera (front)
8 MP
11 MP
Security
In-screen fingerprint reader
In-screen fingerprint reader
Water resistance
IP68
IP68
Dimensions
158.6 × 74.8 × 8.9 mm
163.9 × 75.9 × 8.9 mm
Weight
207 g
210 g
Starting price
$599
$899
In addition to HDR video, Google says the Tensor processor aids with other sorts of on-device processing, including natural language processing for Google Assistant or voice typing. Google says it can be up to 3 times faster to type by voice than to use your fingers.
Tensor’s speech models also help with automatic call screening, helping reject spam calls.
And other photography improvements include a feature called Real Tone, which is an improved algorithm for capturing portraits of people with different skin tones. Google says it’s trained its photography algorithms to do a better job with automatic face detection, white balance, stray light, and blur reduction. And Real Tone will also be available for the Google Photos app, allowing you to edit images after they’ve been captured, as well as for third-party apps including Snapchat.
Google is also bringing Live Translate to the Pixel 6 smartphones, with on-device language detection and translation between different languages including English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese. This can, for example, automatically translate messages in chat apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat, or you can use “Interpreter mode” to have Google Assistant act as an interpreter when talking to speakers of 48 different languages.
While AI and security features are key parts of Google Tensor, Google says the chip is also faster all-around than the Snapdragon 765G processor powering the previous-gen Pixel 5 (which isn’t shocking, since that was an upper mid-range chip, not a flagship-class processor).
Google says the Pixel 6 is 80% faster than the Pixel 5 when it comes to CPU performance, and its 20-core graphics offers up to 3.7X the graphics performance.
There’s also an updated Google Titan security chip in the Pixel 6 series phones, called the Titan M2M. Google says it works with the Tensor security core to offer on-device protection for sensitive data including PINs and passwords.
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will ship with Android 12 software and receive monthly security updates for at least five years, as well as occasional Pixel Feature Drop updates that will bring new features to the phones.
Interestingly Google is only promising to deliver three major Android OS updates for now. It’s possible that the company will extend that at some point, but if you were hoping to buy a phone today with a guarantee that it’ll run Android 16 at some point, Google isn’t guaranteeing that for the Pixel 6 devices at this point.
Google is also introducing a new way to pay for Pixel phones – in addition to buying the phones outright or in installments, you can sign up for a Pixel Pass subscription which bundles:
Pixel 6 or 6 Pro
Google One (200GB storage)
YouTube Premium & YouTube Music Premium
Google Play Pass
Google Preferred Care
Option to upgrade to new Pixel after 2 years
Google Fi customers will also get $5 off their monthly phone bill with a Pixel Pass subscription.
Prices for a Google Pixel Pass subscription start at $45 per month for a Pixel 6 or $55 per month for a Pixel 6 Pro.
Back in January, when we attempted to explain the meteoric rise of GameStop's stock price, we wrote a lot of words about the potential role of a short squeeze on what was happening. The theory was that a large number of short sellers were being forced to cover shares they had previously borrowed by buying shares at rising prices, thus helping to drive the price even further upward.
This week, a 45-page report from the Securities and Exchange Commission takes a detailed look at the situation and concludes that, while "short sellers covering their positions likely contributed to increases in GME’s price... a short squeeze did not appear to be the main driver of events."
The setup
Among the so-called "meme stocks," GameStop was particularly susceptible to a short squeeze in January. That's because the level of "short interest" in the stock—the ratio of borrowed shares to total outstanding shares—spiked to an unprecedented 122.97 percent (reborrowed shares essentially count a second time, which can drive the ratio past 100 percent).
50 MP Main
12 MP Wide Angle
Laser autofocus, OIS, spectral and flicker sensor
50 MP Main
12 MP Wide Angle 48 MP 4x Telephoto
Laser autofocus, OIS, spectral and flicker sensor
FRONT CAMERA
8 MP
11 MP
SIZE
158.6×74.8×8.9 mm
163.9×75.9×8.9 mm
WEIGHT
207 g
210 g
STARTING PRICE
$599
$899
OTHER PERKS
IP68 dust and water resistance, eSIM, wireless charging, in-screen fingerprint reader
First, the basics: There are two phones, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The big news today is the price, which is lower than we were expecting: $599 for the Pixel 6 and $899 for the Pixel 6 Pro. Both phones are an incredible $300 cheaper than comparable devices from Samsung. The $900 Pixel 6 Pro spec sheet compares well to the $1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra, while the $600 Pixel 6 lands somewhere between the $800 Galaxy S21 and $1,000 S21+. Right off the bat, it's pretty hard to go wrong when you're this much cheaper than your major competition.
As for specs, the Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch, 120 Hz, 3120 x 1440 LTPO OLED display; 12GB of RAM; 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage; and a 5000 mAh battery. LTPO means that the Pixel 6 Pro has a dynamic refresh rate display that can drop down to a more power-efficient display mode for specific content. You get 120Hz for scrolling, a framerate appropriate refresh for video (think 60, 30, or 24 Hz, depending on the content), and 10 Hz for still images. This is also the only Pixel phone with UWB, or ultra wide-band, a Bluetooth tracker technology. There are three rear cameras—a 50 MP main camera, a 12MP wide-angle, and a 48MP 4x telephoto.
Learn more about the Google Tensor from the people that designed it.
Enlarge/ A promo image for the Google Tensor SoC. (credit: Google)
The Pixel 6 is official, with a wild new camera design, incredible pricing, and the new Android 12 OS. The headline component of the device has to be the Google Tensor "system on chip" (SoC), however. This is Google's first main SoC in a smartphone, and the chip has a unique CPU core configuration and a strong focus on AI capabilities.
Since when is Google a chip manufacturer, though? What are the goals of Tensor SoC? Why was it designed in its unique way? To get some answers, we sat down with members of the "Google Silicon" team—a name I don't think we've heard before.
Google Silicon is a group responsible for mobile chips from Google. That means the team designed previous Titan M security chips in the Pixel 3 and up, along with the Pixel Visual Core in the Pixel 2 and 3. The group has been working on main SoC development for three or four years, but it remains separate from the Cloud team's silicon work on things like YouTube transcoding chips and Cloud TPUs.
The ONEXPLAYER is one of the most powerful handheld gaming computers to date, with support for up to an Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, up to 2TB of storage and an 8.4 inch, 2560 x 1600 pixel display. But the ONEXPLAYER originally shipped with Windows 10. Want to upgrade to Windows 11? You […]
The ONEXPLAYER is one of the most powerful handheld gaming computers to date, with support for up to an Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, up to 2TB of storage and an 8.4 inch, 2560 x 1600 pixel display.
But the ONEXPLAYER originally shipped with Windows 10. Want to upgrade to Windows 11? You can do that… but you’ll need to do it very carefully.
Windows 11 has some built-in features designed with gaming in mind, including support for DirectStorage, which speeds up game loading and rendering times, support for automatically converting many games to High Dynamic Range when used with HDR-capable displays, and an integrated Xbox app.
But Windows 11 also has strict system requirements. Among other things, Microsoft only officially supports installing the operating system on computers with a TPM 2.0 module.
And while the ONEXPLAYER has a TPM 2.0 module, it’s disabled by default. So One Netbook has explained that there are two ways to upgrade the handheld gaming PC to Windows 11:
Both options come with some risks, but option 2 is probably the better choice for most users. That’s because while there are scripts that make changes to the Windows Registry, allowing you to install Windows 11 on computers without TPM 2.0, Microsoft does not promise to deliver feature and security updates to PCs that have had Windows 11 installed using this method.
So far Microsoft does seem to be delivering updates. But there’s no guarantee that this will continue.
Also, installing Windows 11 using this method will require a clean install. You’ll end up wiping all user programs and data, so you’ll need to back up all your data before beginning, and it could be a hassle to reinstall everything after the upgrade is complete.
Bypass TPM 2.0 system requirement
Unlocking the TPM 2.0 module allows you to install Windows 11 using Windows Update, which should allow you to upgrade without wiping any apps or data. And if everything goes properly, you’ll also have 10 days to decide whether you actually want to keep using Windows 11 or not. Don’t like it? You should be able to roll back within that time span.
Enable TPM 2.0
But like I said, there’s some risk involved in using this method too. First, you’ll need to download and run a BIOS update utility from One Netbook. Updating your firmware always comes with a bit of risk, as this is the root software that allows operating systems like Windows to interact with the computer’s hardware.
Second, One Netbook notes that ONEXPLAYER hardware comes with three different screen types. You absolutely need to check the label on your ONEXPLAYER to find which screen type your system has before running the BIOS update/TPM unlock utility, because it will ask you whether you have screen type 01, 02, or 03. Enter the wrong number and you’ll be left with a black screen.
OK, enough warnings out of the way. Want to upgrade your ONEXPLAYER to Windows 11? You can find download links for the TPM 2.0 bypass utility and the BIOS/TPM 2.0 unlock tool at the ONEXPLAYER Indiegogo updates page. Look for the October 19, 2021 update.
One Netbook also provides written and video instructions:
States will have 3 preorder windows in anticipation of a rollout in early Nov.
Enlarge/ A thirteen-year-old celebrates getting the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 13, 2021. (credit: Getty | JOSEPH PREZIOSO )
Starting tomorrow, October 20, states and other jurisdictions will be able to preorder doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine formulated for children ages 5 to 11, according to a federal planning document. The orders are in anticipation of a rollout that could begin as early as November 3.
The vaccine is not yet authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet given the green light for its administration. But US officials are wasting no time in preparing to vaccinate as many children as possible as quickly as possible. There are an estimated 28 million children in the US between the ages of 5 to 11, and the US government says it has enough vaccine doses for all of them. Vaccine doses are planned to roll out at pediatricians' offices, pharmacies, health centers, and rural clinics when the time comes.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is currently available for people ages 12 and up. In late September, Pfizer and BioNTech submitted data to the FDA indicating that small doses of their vaccine—a third of the dose used for adults—could safely and robustly protect children ages 5 to 11 from COVID-19. On October 7, the companies formally requested that the FDA grant an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the use of their vaccine in those youngsters.
Das Land, wo 98 Prozent der Haushalte FTTH haben, hat ein Programm für die verbliebenen 2 Prozent gestartet. Kunden wollen 1 GBit/s in jedem Raum. (Huawei, Instant Messenger)
Das Land, wo 98 Prozent der Haushalte FTTH haben, hat ein Programm für die verbliebenen 2 Prozent gestartet. Kunden wollen 1 GBit/s in jedem Raum. (Huawei, Instant Messenger)
Das Pixel 6 Pro mit Telekamera und schnellerem Display kostet ab 900 Euro. Google verbaut erstmals einen eigenen Prozessor. (
Das Land, wo 98 Prozent der Haushalte FTTH haben, hat ein Programm für die verbliebenen 2 Prozent gestartet. Kunden wollen 1 GBit/s in jedem Raum. (
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