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Raspberry Pi packs more power into its $15 Zero 2 W board
Raspberry Pi has introduced a new version of its tiny wireless Zero W board with improved performance, added features and a slightly higher $15 price tag.
Windows on ARM can finally emulate x64 apps in latest preview
Microsoft has enabled x64 emulation on ARM in a new Windows 10 Insider preview, significantly expanding the rane of apps you can run.
Windows 10 for ARM will support 64-bit x64 apps through emulation
Windows Insiders can start testing the emulator in November.
It took Google months to patch a serious Android security flaw
Google has patched a critical security flaw that affects millions of Android devices with chipsets from MediaTek, XDA Developers revealed today. The vulnerability is a rootkit lodged in the CPU's firmware. It allows a simple script to root Android devices that use nearly any of MediaTek's 64-bit chips, so it has compromised hundreds of budget and mid-range smartphone, tablet and set-top box models, XDA says.
'The Sims 4' will stop supporting 32-bit PCs in June
We hope you weren't determined to run The Sims 4 on the same PC you had when it came out in 2014. The developers have warned that the life simulator will end support for 32-bit operating systems and non-Metal Macs in June 2019. Simply put, it's about "growing, improving and optimizing the game." And for Mac users, it's virtually necessary. Apple started deprecating OpenGL visuals as of macOS Mojave, and Metal is the only way EA can guarantee cutting-edge performance and features going forward.
Microsoft opens the door to native ARM apps on Windows 10
ARM-based Windows 10 devices have improved in performance, but the software is another story -- without official tools to write native 64-bit ARM apps, it's been difficult to help these machines reach their potential. That shouldn't be an issue after this week. Microsoft has released Visual Studio 15.9, which gives developers the tools they need to craft native ARM64 apps. They can submit those apps to the Microsoft Store, too, although they can also release ARM apps elsewhere (or bundle them into releases for other chip architectures) if they'd prefer.
Apple warns Mac users that 32-bit apps will soon stop working
Starting tomorrow, you'll see an alert box when you open a 32-bit app in MacOS 10.13.4. The one-time-per-app warning is designed to encourage users -- and developers -- to update their apps before Apple's full transition to 64-bit. It's not clear when the complete switch will happen, but when it does, all support for the legacy architecture will cease and apps that haven't been updated will stop working.
Android apps must have 64-bit support by August 2019
Android has supported 64-bit apps ever since Lollipop arrived in 2015, but they haven't been necessary. Now, however, Google is laying down the law... or rather, it will. As of August 2019, Android apps will have to support 64-bit code. They won't have to ditch 32-bit compatibility, but they can't cling exclusively to the past, either. There will eventually be Android devices that will only support 64-bit code, Google noted, so it's important that developers make the leap.
Apple stops showing 32-bit iOS apps in your search results
Apple has been nudging iOS app developers toward 64-bit code for years: it started by requiring 64-bit support, then told users that 32-bit apps might run poorly, and lately has been warning that 32-bit apps wouldn't work in "future versions of iOS." Now, however, it's pulling the plug. TouchArcade and others have noticed that 32-bit iOS software no longer turns up in App Store search results. You can still use direct links, but that's about as far as you can go. And you can probably guess why Apple is making this move right now.
Intel ends its dreams of replacing the x86 chip in your PC
When Intel launched its first Itanium processor in 2001, it had very high hopes: the 64-bit chip was supposed to do nothing less than kill off the x86 architecture that had dominated PCs for over two decades. Things didn't quite pan out that way, however, and Intel is officially calling it quits. The company tells PCWorld that its just-shipping Itanium 9700-series processors will be the last models in the family. HPE, the enterprise company resulting from the split of Itanium co-creator HP, will be the last major customer -- its extra-reliable Integrity i6 servers are getting the upgraded hardware, but you won't hear much from anyone else.
Google Chrome will automatically migrate to 64-bit on Windows
If you can use the 64-bit version of Chrome you probably should, for memory management, graphics performance and security reasons, but some people might not be on it yet. As of Chrome version 58, Google says that Windows users with a 64-bit OS and over 4GB of RAM will be automatically switched from 32-bit to 64-bit. For beta users, as 9to5Google points out, you'll notice notifications have changed to the native macOS setup on that OS (they'll look a little different, action buttons have changed and no more support for images), and it supports animated PNG files natively.
Microsoft Office for Mac gets 64-bit support for better performance
Microsoft announced in April that it would make the transition from 32-bit to 64-bit for Office 2016 for Mac. Well, the time has come. The update is rolling out to those who are running Microsoft's productivity suite on OS X. Apple's desktop operating system has been 64-bit for a while now, but Windows still allows users to to choose between 32- and 64-bit versions. With this latest update, Office 2016 for Mac is making the permanent switch to 64-bit support which Microsoft says will boost performance and allow for new features.
Jury awards HP $3 billion in damages from Oracle
In yet another legal tussle between HP and Oracle, a jury has decided to award HP $3 billion in damages. The case stems from Oracle's decision to stop developing software for HP's Intel Itanium-powered servers in 2011, which HP says is a breach of contract between the two companies. Oracle's argument has been that the Itanium processor was nearing end of life and it didn't think there was a contract requiring it to support the hardware indefinitely.
Firefox is finally 64-bit on your Windows PC
Believe it or not, Firefox on Windows has been a 32-bit affair until now -- while Google and Microsoft made the leap to 64-bit web browsing a while back, Mozilla hasn't been quite so quick off the mark. All's well after today, though, as Mozilla has released a 64-bit version of Firefox for Windows. So long as you're running at least Windows 7, the browser can take better advantage of processors from recent years. The software won't necessarily run faster, but you should get improved security, greater app compatibility (some intensive web apps won't run otherwise) and other upgrades that come with the added headroom.
ARM's latest design brings 64-bit processors to smartwatches
It's no longer hard to find 64-bit processors in smartphones. In smartwatches, though, they're still a rarity -- and ARM wants to change that with its new Cortex-A35 processor design. The architecture promises the most energy-efficient 64-bit mobile chips yet, sipping 32 percent less power than the mid-range A53 even as it outruns the Cortex-A7 it's meant to replace (6 to 40 percent faster). It's extremely scalable, too. You can build full-fledged quad-core chips for entry-level smartphones, but you can also strip things back to make tiny chips for watches and activity trackers.
ARM's latest processor design puts fast 4K graphics on your phone
You've probably heard no end of hype for 4K video on TVs and computers, and now it's about to invade your phone... at least, so long as ARM has its way. The company just took the wraps off of Cortex-A72, a processor reference design that promises a huge boost to computing power, especially when graphics come into play. Thanks to updates that include optimizations for an efficient 16-nanometer chipmaking process, 30 percent more memory performance and an 80 percent speedier graphics core (the Mali-T880), the A72 is about 3.5 times more powerful than ARM's earlier Cortex-A15. That's beefy enough to record 4K video at an extra-smooth 120 frames per second -- many current smartphones only manage 30FPS at best. You should get "console-class" gaming, too, and there's a promise of Google Now-style natural voice commands that don't depend on a distant server to interpret what you're saying.
MechWarrior Online patches in 64-bit client
If you want to hang with the cool kids, you're going to want to ditch that creaky 32-bit client and get with the sleek 64-bit crowd! It worked for the Nintendo 64, and it's now working for MechWarrior Online. As part of the big patch rolling out today, MechWarrior Online is offering an "experimental release" of its new 64-bit client. This client supposedly uses all available RAM for better performance, but can be only handled by 64-bit versions of Windows. Other changes with the patch include several UI improvements that will make it easier to see who is queueing up for matches and which side is winning certain territories.
Micromax launches the phone that got OnePlus banned in India
Micromax has just revealed the first product from its Yu smartphone collaboration with Cyanogen: the Yureka. Even ahead of its launch, the $142 handset has gained a certain notoriety. Cyanogen declared it would no longer update OnePlus One phones sold in India thanks to an exclusive deal with Micromax, and the Indian government even banned the OnePlus One completely. As for the phone itself? Micromax isn't known for spec-tastic handsets, but the Yureka does have one claim to fame: It's the first 64-bit device officially supported by Cyanogen. Otherwise, the phone is a decent-looking mid-ranger with a 64-bit 1.5Ghz Snapdragon 615 octa-core chip, a 5.5-inch 720p screen, 2GB of RAM and dual 13-megapixel/5-megapixel cameras.
The world's slimmest smartphone is now 4.75mm thick
How thin is too thin? Well, the Chinese smartphone makers are always pushing their limits on this end. Following Gionee's 5.1mm Elife S5.1 and Oppo's 4.85mm R5, today Vivo has set a new record with its X5Max, a 4.75mm-thick Android phone that still manages to pack a number of notable features. The slim aluminum mid-frame houses a vibrant 5.5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen, a 1.7mm-thick logic board and a 5-megapixel f/2.4 front camera. Flip to the back and you'll find a 13-megapixel f/2.0 main camera -- the inevitable bulge that goes beyond the phone's official thickness by almost 2mm -- and a loudspeaker towards the bottom. On the whole, the phone feels surprisingly light (Vivo has yet to list the official weight) but also solid and well-made.
Samsung set to release its slimmest smartphone ever
Samsung is far from done releasing thin, all-metal, mid-range smartphones, judging by a leak at Chinese wireless regulator Tenaa. Though more modest in specs than the Galaxy Alpha, the new 5.5-inch Galaxy A7 is definitely the A-series' alpha model, trumping the Galaxy A5 and A3 phones. At 6.3mm, it's Samsung's slimmest model ever, and also sports a 1080p screen, 64-bit Snapdragon 615 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB (non-upgradeable) memory and 13-megapixel front/5-megapixel rear cameras. The model shown above is strictly for the Chinese market -- to find out whether it'll come to these parts, you'll have to wait for Samsung's official word.