Archives 2023

A report (opens in new tab) from IBM has claimed quantum computing poses an “existential risk” to the current encryption protocols that secure our most sensitive data, like digital transactions.

Protocols like public key cryptography (PKC) are said to be vulnerable “once quantum decryption solutions are viable”, which IBM calls the “harvest now, decrypt later” tactic.

Apple’s new MacBook Pros – and Mac mini – have freshly arrived on the scene packing new spins on the M2 chip, and we’ve caught some fresh info on how Wi-Fi 6E support works – with a major caveat – along with an informative glance at the M2 Pro die.

Let’s start with Wi-Fi 6E support which these new Macs incorporate, but the catch is that not all macOS apps will be able to benefit. At least not initially, anyway, because as 9 to 5 Mac (opens in new tab) reports, the co-founder of Intuitibits – which makes the WiFi Explorer app – let us know that some apps can’t yet use Wi-Fi 6E with these Apple devices.

With Atomic Heart’s release just a month away, developer Mundfish has detailed the game’s performance features. For the current-gen consoles to handle sci-fi shooter’s intense action, the team has set up different modes that keep the framerate high. 

I’ve had my eyes on Atomic Heart for a long time, considering it to be one of the best-looking upcoming games for several years. Developer Mundfish has recently confirmed via Twitter (opens in new tab) that you can expect the Russian answer to Fallout to run at a “solid 60fps, 4K in dungeons” but a “dynamic resolution, mostly 4K at 60fps in the open world” on Xbox Series X and PS5. No details have been shared regarding previous-generation or PC performance yet. 

Of all my worries for 2023, being torn apart by a violent mob, angry that they didn’t have ready access to soap, wasn’t the top of my list. Then Ubisoft went and announced it’s bringing the strategy game Anno 1800 to consoles, letting you take control of a burgeoning empire, build supply chains and feed the growth of your population with luxury goods. Of course, fail to keep up with their demands, and your citizens will get awfully revolution-y.

Released on PC in 2019, Anno 1800 is a wonderful strategy game that focuses on the building side of imperialism, rather than the more violent, colonial aspects. You start the game as the leader of a small island, rich in resources but lacking in infrastructure. You build houses, farms, and markets, attracting new citizens to set up shop and work to grow your town.

Open source password manager Bitwarden has announced its acquisition of Passwordless.dev, an API that uses cutting-edge FIDO2 WebAuthn standards.

The deal is a statement of Bitwarden’s intention to enhance its service with passwordless compatibility such passkeys, a central offering that Passwordless.dev helps developers create for sites and services.

Apple has finally unveiled the HomePod 2, its next-generation wireless speaker. It features a very similar design to the first Apple HomePod from 2018, but with a redesigned speaker system that’s even more geared towards Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio. It will launch at $299 / £299 / AU$479. It’s available to order today, and will be released on Friday, February 3rd 2022.

Also like the original, it features a high-excursion woofer for deeper bass, and an array of tweeters around its circular body – though this time there are five tweeters instead of seven in the original, and they’re now upwardly angled, which are likely to help with the immersion of Dolby Atmos tracks.

Automaker Nissan has confirmed suffered a data breach in June 2023 where sensitive, personally identifiable information on its customers was accessed by unauthorized third parties. 

The company has reported the incident to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, and began sending out breach notifications to affected customers. 

Google is strongly rumored to be launching its own Bluetooth location tracker to rival Apple’s AirTag and Tile this year – and it could take the little object-finding tools to the next level, for good and bad.

The reliable leaker Kuba Wojciechowski (opens in new tab) has unearthed a lot of evidence for the Google tracker, codenamed Grogu, suggesting that it’s both real and could arrive at Google I/O 2023. Like AirTags, they apparently have an onboard speaker for emitting sounds from lost devices and pack both UWB (Ultra-wideband) and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity.

When I first got my sticky teenage mitts on Final Fantasy 7, I wanted nothing more than to hear what these characters sounded like, I could see their words on screen but my ears felt left out. Thanks to an incredible new release from fan developers Tsunamods, which adds voice acting to the entire game, my ears can finally join the party.

Though Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake has offered a high-budget retelling of the first act of the RPG classic, the Echo-S 7 mod provides voice acting for the entire game. Echo-S 7 is available for free download on Tsnuamods’ website (opens in new tab). The voice acting is provided by the talented people over at Studio Still (opens in new tab), whose YouTube channel is full of impressive fandubs and voice actor showcases.  

PlayStation has announced its Under 20 Sale, and some seriously great games are up for grabs. Everything on this long list is under $20 / £20, so you’ll be able to fill your library while on a budget. 

The Under 20 Sale runs from January 18 to February 1, with PS4 and PS5 deals available. While Sony scatters smaller sales throughout the year, the next major PlayStation Store bargain won’t be until Days of Play in May. So do take a look at what’s on offer, as it could be the last major savings you see on PlayStation for a while.