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OLED is so popular among shoppers seeking high-end image quality that its acronym is expanding (see: QD-OLED). But in PC monitors, OLED means limited size options and lofty prices. Mini LED is a strong alternative but has long carried high price tags as well, partially due to the devices being so frequently marketed to creative professionals. But with this week's mini LED PC monitor announcement, the technology is getting cheaper than ever.

Mini LED monitors can fit more LEDs into their backlight because each individual light-emitting diode in a Mini LED monitor is about half the size of the diodes in regular LED monitors. In a full-array local dimming (FALD) monitor, which has independently controlled lighting zones, this should lead to greater contrast, since the display has greater control over brightness in differing areas of an image. Contrast, however, won't be as extreme as what you can expect from OLED.

The Cooler Master GP27-FQS monitor will come out some time between late Q2 and early Q3 with an MSRP of $699. However, a Cooler Master representative told Ars Technica that there will "most likely" be sale prices "closer to $550."

Enlarge / Signage on a window of a coffee shop informs customer of their masking policy in San Francisco, California, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. The state's indoor mask requirement, which requires everyone to wear face coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status, expired on Wednesday. (credit: Getty | Bloomberg)

With national cases of COVID-19 dropping precipitously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon release new guidance on how states and local governments can ease out of health restrictions, including indoor mask wearing. According to news reports citing unnamed officials, new guidance could come as early as next week.

The CDC's guidance will arrive well after several states and local governments charged ahead with plans to pull back pandemic restrictions, particularly indoor masking. The moves have left some questioning whether the CDC is, once again, struggling to keep up with the pandemic's shifting conditions.

In a press briefing last week, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky stood by the current guidance, noting that "our hospitalizations are still high, our death rates are still high." While the agency was "encouraged" by current downward trends, "we are not there yet," Dr. Walensky said of easing guidance.

Enlarge (credit: Sean Gallup | Getty Images)

Google is announcing the "Android Privacy Sandbox" today, a move the company says will be "a multi-year initiative" to introduce "more private advertising solutions" into Android. After Apple made tracking opt-in in iOS 14, Android wants to be seen as matching its main rival. Today's announcement is in addition to existing ad systems, not a replacement for them, so this will probably be even less effective than the "Privacy Sandbox" for Chrome.

Apple's tracking changes blew up the advertising industry and are already costing ad-based companies like Facebook $10 billion in revenue for the year. Google, the world's largest ad company, doesn't seem to want to do that on Android.

Here's how Google addresses iOS 14 in its blog post:

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | imaginima)

The controversial facial recognition company Clearview AI reportedly told investors that it aims to collect 100 billion photos—supposedly enough to ensure that almost every human will be in its database.

"Clearview AI is telling investors it is on track to have 100 billion facial photos in its database within a year, enough to ensure 'almost everyone in the world will be identifiable,' according to a financial presentation from December obtained by The Washington Post," the Post reported today. There are an estimated 7.9 billion people on the planet.

The December presentation was part of an effort to obtain new funding from investors, so 100 billion facial images is more of a goal than a firm plan. However, the presentation said that Clearview has already racked up 10 billion images and is adding 1.5 billion images a month, the Post wrote. Clearview told investors it needs another $50 million to hit its goal of 100 billion photos, the Post reported: