Samsung has a new battery problem with its Galaxy smartphones. After the disaster with the Galaxy Note 7, which exploded and was recalled worldwide, older smartphones are now bloating and can become an undiscovered danger.
Samsung has promised that after the catastrophic incidents involving the Galaxy Note 7 , the batteries will be safe and there will be no more problems. As it turns out, Samsung has an even bigger battery problem than just one model. YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss has found many Samsung phones in his smartphone collection with swollen batteries. A reaction and gas formation probably occurs inside, so that the battery swells up and the back bursts open . In this case, there is no explosion or fire. The batteries are therefore fundamentally safe.
It becomes critical if the battery is still bloating and you don’t notice it immediately. In fact, the problem tends to affect older Samsung phones that are stored with an empty battery. Our Galaxy S6 edge has also ballooned, as you can see in the cover photo above . But Mrwhosetheboss has also noticed early signs of a swelling battery on his Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy Z Fold 2. And then it gets dangerous. If gases are produced and the battery swells, there could be a reaction and excessive heat development when charging the smartphone.
How should you store a Samsung phone?
Mrwhosetheboss gives an important tip on how to store your Samsung phones when you are no longer using them. Then you should charge the battery to about 50 percent. This should reduce the risk of the battery bloating. If you are still using an older Samsung cell phone, you should regularly check whether the battery has not already swelled up slightly. Then you shouldn’t charge your cell phone anymore and turn to Samsung. We will seek an opinion from Samsung on the matter.
As the company Atlas VPN has found, hacker attacks have been particularly successful in recent months. Chainalysis had already warned of a record month.
Although the cryptocurrency sector is now much better regulated and more and more investors are taking the necessary steps to increase security – such as storing their own coins in hardware wallets – hacker attacks are still a big issue in the cryptocurrency sector, albeit only in relation to the volume traded affect a fraction of the sector.
In one quarter, hackers cause almost half a billion dollars in damage
According to Atlas VPN data , in the third quarter of 2022, criminals stole around $483 million worth of cryptocurrencies through targeted attacks. The number of hacks fell by 43 percent compared to the second quarter. In the first quarter, the damage amounted to around 1.3 billion US dollars.
Even if the damage appears large in absolute numbers and was certainly significant for those affected, in relation to the size of the crypto sector with a value of around $970 billion according to CoinMarketCap, it is not quite as dramatic as it might seem at first glance.
Ethereum, Polkadot and BNB Chain particularly affected
The hacks primarily affected the Ethereum network. A total of 11 attacks on Ethereum blockchain-based protocols caused $348 million in damage. However, considering that most protocols run on Ethereum, this is not surprising. For Polkadot, it was $52 million in just two attacks. While projects on the BNB chain have been attacked 13 times, the damage amounts to only $28 million.
It is important here that the blockchains themselves are not attacked. Instead, it is mainly smart contracts in the DeFi area that cause security gaps.
This quarter could be a record
Chainalysis also deals primarily with the damage caused by cybercrime in the cryptocurrency sector. The figures determined by Atlas VPN for the third quarter correspond to the information from Chainalysis, which expects a record month for October. As Chainalysis announced on October 12, eleven hacker attacks with damage totaling $718 million had already been registered by then.
1/ After four hacks yesterday, October is now the biggest month in the biggest year ever for hacking activity, with more than half the month still to go. So far this month, $718 million has been stolen from #DeFi protocols across 11 different hacks. pic.twitter.com/emz36f6gpK
If the trend of the month continues, the fourth quarter is likely to be the most momentous for the cryptocurrency sector. The BNB chain hack caused a stir this month , in which at least no funds were stolen from other users. Instead, the attackers created over $100 million worth of coins out of thin air.
Closeup of old circuit board. Image: Circuit Board, Free Stock Picture, MorgueFile.com.
Small changes to caches and processor cores, this is how a preliminary analysis of the A16 silicon chip from Angstronomics can be summarized. Although there is still no high-resolution image of the die, there is a video in which some details can already be seen. Since various components such as caches, processors and GPU form unique patterns on the die, they can be identified and at least roughly measured.
The operator of Angstronomics, who publishes under the pseudonym Skyjuice, comes to the conclusion that Apple has reduced the L3 or system level cache (SLC) in the A16 compared to the predecessor A15. Compared to the 4 MB L2 cache of the Efficiency CPU cluster made of Sawtooth cores, each of the two SLC blocks occupies about three times the area, so it should hold 12 MB – the SRAM memory cells need the same regardless of the cache hierarchy lots of space.
This means that the SLC of the A16, at 24 MB, is a quarter smaller than that of the A15, which has 32 MB. However, Apple has given the performance cores named Everest a third more L2 cache: the area here suggests that each of the two blocks holds 8 MB, while the A15 had a total of 12 MB.
One can only speculate about the reason for the reduction of the size of the SLC: Angronomics brings the higher data rate of the memory into play as a possible reason: LPDDR5-6400 is used for the first time in the A16. Optimizations are also conceivable, since the L2 cache of the P-cores was enlarged at the same time. Many factors play a role in the dimension of caches, including the micro architecture of the processors – it is very likely that there was not a single decisive argument for the redistribution.
Changes to processor cores
There are also small changes in the processor cores: they are arranged differently on the die, and Apple has also revised their structure. Both the Everest and Sawtooth (P/E) cores also appear to be slightly larger than their Avalanche and Blizzard predecessors. The neural and graphics processing units (NPU and GPU), on the other hand, seem to be quite unchanged. However, they are hardly recognizable in the Angtronomics image.
However, the NPU is only eight percent faster than the A15. This is part of the switch from the supplier TSMC from the N5 to the N4 process and the expected increase in speed of ten percent as a result. Major changes are therefore unlikely. The higher switching speed of the transistors in N4 should also play a role in the GPU, which also benefits from the larger memory bandwidth. Together, both could almost explain the measured 28 percent increase in speed .
With N4, TSMC refers to a further development of the N5 manufacturing process, with which Apple’s A15 is manufactured. According to TSMC, this increases the integration density by six percent, and the number of transistors also increases by six percent – 16 billion in the A16, 15 billion in the A15. Theoretically, the dies of A15 and A16 could be the same size.
Intel is set to retire its long-used Pentium and Celeron CPU brands and has instead opted for a new, unified naming structure for Intel processors.
Starting in 2023, Intel notebooks will be powered by an Intel processor that spans multiple processor technology families.
“Intel is committed to driving innovation for the benefit of users, and our entry-level processor families have been instrumental in raising the standard of PCs at all price points,” said Josh Newman, the company’s interim general manager of Mobile Client Platforms.
“The new Intel processor branding will simplify our offering so users can focus on selecting the right processor for their needs.”
An Intel Pentium chip was first used in a consumer PC in 1993, and many generations have come since then. The Celeron chips were introduced in 1998.
Intel is looking to simplify the entire naming structure, with “Intel Processor” set to join the flagship Intel Core, Intel Evo, and Intel vPro brands.
The idea behind this change is to make it easier for consumers to buy products. However, mostly only the branding will change, since the product lines that the chipmaker plans to serve remain largely the same.
These are the new laptops, monitors and PCs for 2022
At the Global Press Conference 2022, Acer presented a variety of new products such as laptops, convertibles, desktop PCs and monitors. In addition to technical updates of the individual model series, the manufacturer wants to focus primarily on sustainability and 3D screens without glasses.
Acer’s Vero series: Many new devices made from recycled materials
In its Global Press Conference for the second half of 2022, Acer presented a large number of new products. It is striking that the Vero series, which stands for recycled materials, is being expanded again. In addition to laptops, there will also be an all-in-one PC, monitors and a projector from the Vero series. In addition, a keyboard and a mouse are already in the starting blocks for the fourth quarter.
The laptops are 14 and 15 inch models, which should be available from the third quarter. Acer asks for the Aspire Vero (AV14-51) from 799 euros and the Acer Aspire Vero (AV15-52) should be available from 999 euros. Both feature 12th generation Intel Core processors. The housings are made of 30 percent PCR plastic. In addition, you should be able to carry out minor repairs or upgrades yourself.
The Veriton Vero all-in-one desktop computer (VVZ4694G) is also made from 30 percent recycled plastic and has a 24-inch display that can also be wall-mounted. The scope of delivery includes a mouse and keyboard, which are also made of PCR plastic. The computer is equipped with an Intel Corei9 processor of the twelfth generation, an Nvidia GeForce MX550 graphics processor and up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory. It should be available from 919 euros in the third quarter.
The two new Vero monitors, the 27-inch Acer CB273 and the 24-inch Acer B247Y G offer Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) and are made of 85 percent PCR plastic and 5 percent OBP plastic . The 27-inch model costs 39 euros, while the 24-inch model costs 269 euros.
Acer will also have the Vero PD2325W projector in its portfolio, which also consists of 35 percent recyclable plastic and whose LED lamp is said to last around 30,000 hours. It is said to consume around 50 percent less energy than a conventional projector. It offers WXGA resolution (1,280 x 800 pixels) and should be available in stores from the third quarter for around 549 euros.
Spatial Labs: 3D technology without glasses
The Acer Spatial Labs View Pro is a commercial 4K monitor that is supposed to enable glasses-free 3D. Image credit : Acer
tial Labs: 3D technology without glasses
In addition, Acer will expand its 3D lineup with two SpatialLabs View Series displays, with the standard version aimed at end users and the Pro version at business customers. Both screens are 15.6 inches and offer 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels).
The SpatialLabs View has the so-called “SpatialLabs TrueGame”, which should be able to show games in stereoscopic 3D. At the start there should be preconfigured profiles for more than 50 games that support this AI feature. Gamers should be able to have a completely new gaming experience in real time even without VR glasses.
Another application that supports both displays is “SpatialLabs Go”. This AI solution is intended to create stereoscopic 3D content from two-dimensional screen content at the click of a mouse.
The “SpatialLabs Model Viewer” function that bears its name, on the other hand, is only available for the Acer SpatialLabs View Pro. It should enable 3D design software such as Maya, Blender or Cinema 4D to create stereoscopic 3D models.
It is not yet known when the devices will be available and how expensive they will be.
The new gaming products
The gaming highlight of the new Acer lineup is likely to be the Predator Helios 300 in the SpatialLabs Edition. Acer has installed the aforementioned 15.6-inch “SpatialLabs View” display in the notebook, which has a resolution of 4K with 3,840 x 2,160 pixels and whose technology should enable stereoscopic 3D images without VR glasses. It is equipped with a twelfth-generation Intel Core i9 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 in the laptop version and up to 32 GB of fast DDR5-4800 RAM. The device will probably be available from September at a starting price of 3,299 euros.
The slim Predator Triton 300 SE is a 14-inch laptop that is aimed not only at gamers but also at content creators. It is equipped with the latest 12th generation Intel Core CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 laptop GPUs. Among other things, an OLED variant is available as a display. The device should already be available in June for a price starting at 1,499 euros.
In addition, two gaming monitors are in the starting blocks with the Predator XB273K LV and the Acer Nitro XV272U RV. The former is a 27-inch model and offers 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) at a frame rate of 160 Hz. It also supports HDR 600. It should be available from October for around 850 euros. The Acer Nitro, on the other hand, is a 27-inch monitor with WQHD resolution (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) and a refresh rate of 170 Hz, which has HDR 400 certification. This model should be in stores from October for 399 euros.
Minor upgrades from well-known brands
In addition, well-known model series will receive a technical upgrade. These include, for example, the Acer Swift 3 OLED (in July from 999 euros), the Acer Spin 5 (in July from 1,399 euros) and the Acer Spin 3 (in June from 999 euros).
The business line of the Tavelmate series will also be relaunched. Depending on the model, these will be available from August/September.
Acer will also continue the ConceptD notebook series: The ConceptD 5 notebook will probably be available from July for a price starting at 3,399 euros, the ConceptD 5 Pro probably from August at a starting price of 3,799 euros. Both are equipped with 12th generation Intel Core processors and powerful Nvidia RTX GPUs.
With the ConcetD series, Acer proves that desktop PCs are far from dead. Two new models will be launched here in September, the ConceptD 100 and ConceptD 500 desktop PCs. The 100 should start at 1,099 euros and the 500 at 2,199 euros.
