Image: Blizzard Blizzard is bringing back 6v6 matches in testing for Overwatch 2 when it launches its next season in December. The company had previously switched the series to a 5v5 format, and Blizzard is now trying these tests to find how it can “make the core game even stronger” through a balanced new version of the classic 6v6 mode that lets each team have multiple tank characters once again.Game director Aaron Keller says Blizzard knows the 5v5 format appealed to and brought in a new group of players, and developers are hoping to repeat that success with the addition of 6v6 (which won’t replace current formats). For a detailed write-up of what’s changing, you can read the full director’s take.In July, Keller noted some of the issues 6v6 faced... Continue reading…

Network-attached storage (NAS) drives are almost identical to those inside your desktop or laptop PC. They use the same technologies to store data but often come with additional features for server and NAS usage. While your desktop or laptop storage drives aren't designed to run for years without a break, NAS and server storage are a little different in that they're specifically designed to handle such a scenario. It's better for hard disk drives (HDDs) inside a NAS to continuously operate with its spinning platters than halting when the system isn't in use.

Perhaps our main complaint about this SSD was its expensive price when it was first launched. Now, with this fantastic discount, there really isn't much that holds it back when compared to its competition.

Image: Scout Motors This is how you revive an iconic brand. Continue reading…

Did you know that SBCs can make really good retro consoles? It's true - just ask our Jeff Butts who turned a Raspberry Pi 5 into a retro console. If you're looking for something a little more portable, one tinkerer has just the projeect for you. It's called the Picopocket, and it's running off of a Pi Pico in a tiny case that's bound to be a hit for retro console lovers.

Virtualization serves as the crux of pretty much every home lab project, be it running an instance of macOS on top of your favorite hypervisor or testing new Linux distros for your self-hosting needs. However, nested virtualization dials the whole running-a-PC-inside-a-PC shtick to an eleven, as it lets you turn virtual machines into hubs capable of deploying their own VMs.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Apple is inviting investigations into the Private Cloud Compute (PCC) system that powers more computationally intensive Apple Intelligence requests. The company is also expanding its bug bounty program to offer payouts of up to $1,000,000 for people who discover PCC vulnerabilities. The company has boasted about how many AI features (branded as Apple Intelligence) will run on-device without leaving your Mac, iPhone, or other Apple hardware. Still, for more difficult requests, it will send them to PCC servers that are built using Apple Silicon and a new operating system.Many AI applications from other companies also rely on servers to complete more difficult requests. Still, users don’t have much line of sight into how secure those... Continue reading…

You made the right choice and decided to go your own way, skipped buying a pre-built NAS and opted to build your own with the incredibly flexible Unraid operating system. Unraid provides an extremely easy setup, along with the ability to mix and match hardware, which suits hobbyists perfectly. Due to Unraid allowing such flexibility with expansion of storage and other hardware, over time you will find that your simple set up slowly begins to get more complex.

Arm and Qualcomm have been in a war for quite a while now over Qualcomm's Oryon cores. These cores are used in the Snapdragon X series and, now, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. To give a brief overview of the situation, Qualcomm purchased Nuvia, a start-up developing Arm-compatible custom cores aimed at servers. After Qualcomm made that purchase, Arm claims that the cores Qualcomm calls "Oryon" are iterations upon those initial designs. Arm claims to have given Nuvia "substantial, crucial, and individualized support" in making those cores, which in effect, means that Arm helped to create its own competitor given that those cores are why Qualcomm will be using fewer off-the-shelf Arm cores. Arm also says that Qualcomm would have needed permission to transfer and use Nuvia's designs.

Thanks to Google's partnerships with services like Steam, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Nvidia GeForce Now, you can enjoy AAA game titles on the latest Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets. Although it's not possible to play every game locally on your Chromebook, if you have a fast and reliable internet connection, you can play just about anything over a game streaming service.

Image: Notion After taking on calendar apps earlier this year, Notion is ready to tackle emails with a fully customizable app launching next year. Much like Notion’s other tools, the company says Mail will “distill email down to its building blocks,” allowing you to create an inbox with views, layouts, and actions tailored to your preferences.You can also use Notion AI to automatically organize, archive, or draft emails based on a prompt. Its AI can schedule meetings for you through integration with Notion’s Calendar app, as well as help you quickly write personalized emails using “one-click snippets.” The Mail app bears some resemblance to Skiff, the secure email service Notion acquired in February. GIF: Notion Notion plans on... Continue reading…

When I wrote about a modern OS that could run on a floppy disk, I knew I had to try it. Something about going back to the old days when apps could fit within a 1.44MB disk format made me want to give it a try. So, I did what any sane person would do; I tried to get KolibriOS running on modern-day hardware. Except I didn't just want to run KolibriOS, but I wanted to get it running off of a floppy disk.