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Weekly Tech Recap - № 272 - Porsche Design Acer Book, Intel sells its SSD business, W10 October Update, PS5, Azure Modular Datacenter

October 23, 2020.

Acer + Porsche Design

Porsche Design Acer Book RS.

Porsche Design Acer Book RS. © Acer Inc.

Acer has teamed up with Porsche Design to create a new, high-end laptop, the Porsche Design Acer Book RS. Under the hood, the machine has a 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, 8 or 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of storage. As for the GPU, you have the choice between Intel’s integrated Iris XE or the optional Nvidia GeForce MX350. The 14-inch IPS touchscreen provides a resolution of 1080p, which is standard. Its weight is very manageable, at 1.2kg, thanks in part to a carbon-fibre chassis. But the surprising thing about it is its price, at USD1,400 (CAD1,840), which, while a bit high for the specifications, is not completely out of line, given it’s a Porsche Design product. An optional mouse comes at USD110 (CAD145). The release date has not been announced.

Porsche Design Acer Book RS.

The Verge, Chaim Gartenberg, “Acer teams up with Porsche Design for the luxury Acer Book RS laptop.”

 

Intel vend son activité SSD

3D NAND SSD.

3D NAND SSD. © Intel.

Intel is selling its SSD business to South Korean company SK Hynix in a deal worth $9 billion, which will see the chipmaker almost completely exit the flash memory and storage business — except for Intel’s high-end Optane 3D XPoint non-volatile memory (NVM) technology. The deal includes the company’s SSD factory in Dalian, China. This decision marks the latest consolidation for Intel, which has continued to focus further on its core chipmaking and data center businesses. Intel also recently sold its 5G modem business to Apple last year in a deal worth $1 billion. The two companies still need to get governmental approval for the purchase, which they don’t expect to get until late 2021.

The Verge, Chaim Gartenberg, “Intel is selling its SSD business for $9 billion, but keeping Optane.”

 

Windows 10 Fall update

Windows 10 Start Menu.

Start menu. © Microsoft.

On Tuesday, Microsoft released its Windows 10 October 2020 update. Like last year, this second yearly update looks more like an old-fashioned Service Pack than a major new release of the operating system. However, Microsoft has made a few interesting changes, for example a modernized Start menu, changes in the Alt tab and the integration of the new Edge browser based on Chromium. The most visible visual change is the new Start menu, with a cleaner, minimalist design. While it provides no new functional features, it is easier on the eyes and more “legible.” The second major change is in the Alt+Tab interface. Normally, you use Alt+Tab to browse the applications you’ve opened in Windows; now, you’ll also be able to see your open web pages in Microsoft Edge. If you find this feature annoying, you can deactivate it. Also new with this release is the ability to change your display’s refresh rate right in the Windows 10 settings app. Those are the main changes; of course, there are also other small changes here and there, but overall, this update is not going to change your life.

Windows Central, Zac Bowden, “Top 5 new features in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update.”

 

PS5 for playing and streaming

PS5 media remote.

PS5 Media Remote. © Sony.

Sony’s next console is going to be much more than a plain video-game system. In a blog post on Thursday, the company confirmed that several popular streaming services like Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Hulu, MyCanal, Netflix, Peacock, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube would be available on the PS5. (For some reason, HBO Max is glaringly absent from this list). However, on actual launch day, November 12, just 6 applications will be available: Apple TV (which is also coming to the PS4), Disney Plus, Netflix, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube. All the other services will be available at a later, unspecified date. Additionally, Sony confirmed that the four previously unmarked buttons located on the dedicated PS5 Media Remote would serve as dedicated launch buttons for Disney Plus, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, as you can see pictured above. The remote will launch at the same time as the PS5, on November 12, for USD30.

Ars Technica, Kyle Orland, “PS5 will be missing some PS4 video-streaming apps at launch.”

The Verge, Taylor Lyles, “Sony confirms Disney Plus, Netflix, and Twitch will be on the PS5 at launch.”

 

Datacenter in a box

Azure Modular Datacenter.

Azure Modular Datacenter. © Microsoft.

After its underwater data center coup, Microsoft unveiled a modular data center that can be deployed to remote areas, as well as a partnership with SpaceX to connect those data centers to high-speed Internet through Starlink’s constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. Microsoft said the Azure Modular Datacenter (MDC) is “for customers who need cloud computing capabilities in hybrid or challenging environments, including remote areas” for scenarios such as “mobile command centers, humanitarian assistance, military mission needs, [and] mineral exploration.” The MDC is “a self-contained datacenter unit” that “can operate in a wide range of climates and harsh conditions.”

Ars Technica, Jon Brodkin, “Microsoft’s new data center in a box will use SpaceX Starlink broadband.”