Taiwan's chip sector faces critical supply risks as the island relies on the Middle East for 37% of its LNG and much of its helium and sulfur, amid the Iran war (Bloomberg)

Taiwan's chip sector faces critical supply risks as the island relies on the Middle East for 37% of its LNG and much of its helium and sulfur, amid the Iran war (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg : Taiwan's chip sector faces critical supply risks as the island relies on the Middle East for 37% of its LNG and much of its helium and sulfur, amid the Iran war —  As the war in the Middle East stretches into a third week, the global semiconductor industry is facing mounting threats …

AirPods Max 2 arrive with better ANC, Live Translation, and more

AirPods Max 2 arrive with better ANC, Live Translation, and more

In a surprise launch on Monday, Apple has introduced the AirPods Max 2, updating the premium headphones with better active noise cancellation, the H2 chip, and more new features. AirPods Max 2 - Image Credit: Apple The original AirPods Max arrived in December 2020, but aside from a minor refresh in 2024 with some new colors and USB-C, it hasn't received any real changes. On March 16, Apple changed that. Going by the name AirPods Max 2, the premium personal audio accessory looks like the originals from the outside. They're large over-ear headphones with a bouncy head cushion, just as before. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Resident Evil Requiem Is Selling Faster Than Any Game In The Series

Resident Evil Requiem Is Selling Faster Than Any Game In The Series

Just a few days after Capcom reported that Resident Evil Requiem had set a franchise best with 5 million sales in its launch week, the company has had to update those figures. The horror hit has increased its lifetime sales to 6 million units sold globally, which now makes it the fastest-selling Resident Evil game to date. In total, the Resident Evil franchise has now sold 183 million units since it kicked off in 1996. Those numbers will likely increase in time as Capcom has confirmed that a new story expansion is in development , and while that won't be out for a while yet, more immediate updates include a photo mode and a mystery minigame. Capcom had previously attributed the success of Resident Evil Requiem to a well-run marketing campaign and the game catering to a wide variety of players with its difficulty modes while still retaining its core survival-horror appeal. The company confirmed ongoing support and additional game content as the series celebrates its 30th anniversary. "Capcom is readying various plans for this anniversary to delight series fans, such as a collaboration between Universal Studios Japan and Resident Evil Requiem in 2026, and orchestral concerts in Japan, the US, and Europe," Capcom said in a press release. Continue Reading at GameSpot

New Windows 11 bug breaks Samsung PCs, blocking access to C: drive

New Windows 11 bug breaks Samsung PCs, blocking access to C: drive

Windows 11 updates have been causing all kinds of blood-pressure-raising issues over the last several months. That trend continues with the latest February update, with Samsung PCs now experiencing serious issues after installing update KB5077181 . Confirmed by Microsoft as a known issue in Windows 11, the Samsung Galaxy Connect app is causing “loss of access to the C: drive and app failures” on Samsung PCs running Windows 11 25H2 or 24H2. Without access to the C: drive, PCs are effectively inoperable. Microsoft has reportedly received reports (such as this one and this one ) stating that certain Samsung devices lose access to the C: drive after installing Microsoft’s February update as well as some subsequent updates. Affected users see error message “C:\ is not accessible — Access denied.” Access to files is blocked and the launch of certain applications is blocked, including Outlook, Office applications, web browsers, system utilities, and Quick Assist. By the way: If you’re only using Windows 11 Home, you’re missing out on the many benefits of Windows 11 Pro, which we’ve outlined in our Windows 11 Home vs. Pro guide . The Windows 11 Pro upgrade is available right now in the PCWorld Software Store for just $59 (was $99). Which Samsung devices are affected? Initially, Microsoft’s February patches were suspected. However, a further investigation by Microsoft and Samsung revealed that the Samsung Galaxy Connect app is causing the problem. Microsoft writes: While the reports coincided with recent March Patch Tuesday timing, investigation confirmed the issue is not caused by current or previous Windows monthly updates. The issue has been observed on Samsung Galaxy Book 4 and Samsung Desktop models running Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2, including NP750XGJ, NP750XGL, NP754XGJ, NP754XFG, NP754XGK, DM500SGA, DM500TDA, DM500TGA, and DM501SGA. Regarding how users experience the problem: Affected devices encounter the issue when users execute common actions, such as accessing files, launching applications, or performing administrative tasks, and do not require any specific user action beyond routine operations. In some cases, users are also unable to elevate privileges, uninstall updates, or collect logs due to permission failures. There’s no fix at this time Microsoft has temporarily removed the affected Samsung Galaxy Connect app from the Microsoft Store to prevent further installations. Samsung has since re-released a previous stable version of the app, which should mean that no further problems should occur when installing the Samsung Galaxy Connect app (for first-time users). However, for those who have already installed the broken version of the Samsung Galaxy Connect app and are experiencing the problems described above, trouble continues. According to Microsoft, options for restoring affected devices remain limited. Samsung is continuing to work with Microsoft to explore possible remedies, and Microsoft is collaborating with Samsung to develop and validate solutions for affected devices. Windows PCs from non-Samsung manufacturers are unaffected.

Marvel Rivals' Staying Power Comes Down To One Key Strategy

Marvel Rivals' Staying Power Comes Down To One Key Strategy

Launching a live-service game might be one of the toughest prospects in the video game industry currently, as several ambitious titles have sadly failed to find an audience and have folded shortly after launch. Marvel Rivals isn't one of those games, as the free-to-play action game has maintained its momentum with a constant influx of new heroes and game modes since it first hit PC and consoles in December 2024. While the market might be tough, Marvel Rivals executive producer Danny Koo believes that there is space for both single-player and live-service games to flourish, as the industry has gone through numerous phases over the decades where certain ideas and genres were declared to be at death's door. The key to success for other studios might lie in being nimble and agile enough to adapt to the needs of an audience quickly. "I think live-service is going to continue; there's a place for it. Single-player games are going to continue; there will be a place for it," Koo said to GameSpot at GDC 2026. "Over the course of 22 years, it's the same narrative being looped based on whichever slice of timeline you look at. Like, once upon a time, it's like AAA games are dead, indie games are in trouble. It's never-ending, the medium is evolving, and we have to be nimble enough to adopt technology and go where the audience is." Continue Reading at GameSpot

Apple unveils $549 AirPods Max 2, offering an H2 chip, up to 1.5x more effective ANC, studio-quality audio recording, and camera remote, shipping in early April (Apple)

Apple unveils $549 AirPods Max 2, offering an H2 chip, up to 1.5x more effective ANC, studio-quality audio recording, and camera remote, shipping in early April (Apple)

Apple : Apple unveils $549 AirPods Max 2, offering an H2 chip, up to 1.5x more effective ANC, studio-quality audio recording, and camera remote, shipping in early April —  Powered by H2, AirPods Max are better than ever with more effective ANC, enhanced sound quality, and new features like Adaptive Audio and Live Translation

Gambling law expert explains California’s crackdown on ‘complicated’ blackjack-style games in cardrooms

Gambling law expert explains California’s crackdown on ‘complicated’ blackjack-style games in cardrooms

“The deal must rotate.” That deceptively simple rule lies at the center of California’s gambling laws, according to top gaming… Continue reading Gambling law expert explains California’s crackdown on ‘complicated’ blackjack-style games in cardrooms The post Gambling law expert explains California’s crackdown on ‘complicated’ blackjack-style games in cardrooms appeared first on ReadWrite .

Sony Announces PlayStation 5 Pro Upgraded PSSR For Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Crimson Desert, And More

Sony Announces PlayStation 5 Pro Upgraded PSSR For Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Crimson Desert, And More

The PlayStation 5 Pro is one of the most powerful consoles on the market right now, and today, Sony has unveiled a selection of recent releases that will be taking advantage of the machine's processing power . These games use the upgraded version of PSSR (which stands for "PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution"), which analyzes the pixels in each frame of gameplay and upscales the image to allow for finer detail. The upgraded PSSR made its debut with Resident Evil Requiem last month, but now it's rolling out to eleven more games. The video above is included in the PS Blog post. You'll likely need to view the video on a high-resolution display to see the finer differences. Today's blog post, written by Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications' senior director Sid Shuman, reads, "With this latest evolution, image reconstruction is more precise, motion stability is improved, and developers have greater flexibility to balance performance and fidelity on PS5 Pro." The blog continues with a list of games taking advantage of the feature, along with quotes from each developer that worked on it, and sample screenshots. Games added to the upgraded PSSR list today include Silent Hill f, Silent Hill 2 (2024), Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Control, Alan Wake 2, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Rise of the Ronin, Nioh 3, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Dragon's Dogma 2. The upgrade will be a part of the next PS5 system software update, which began rolling out today at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Additionally, Assassin's Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077 will get the upgrade via patches to be released "in the coming weeks," while Crimson Desert will launch with upgraded PSSR this Thursday, March 19 . While the above games are specifically built for the upgraded PSSR, the blog post also clarifies that you can try it with any game in your library by activating the feature in the Screen and Video section of the settings menu, though results will vary.