IfAMD,IntelandNvidia's statistics are correct, you're most likely using a computer and graphics card that are several years old. For PC gaming, animation, video editing and other heavyweight graphics-intensive activities, that's just about forever. Much has changed in the past few years, so chances are you're no longer using a modern card -- much less the best graphics card out there -- with new technologies like ray-tracing acceleration and smart resolution upscaling. And games and software used by creative folks for applications like 3D tools and video editors have only gotten more demanding.

Even if you just need the basics for streaming video or surfing the web, the best graphics card can make your system feel snappier by improving the acceleration of video decoding or redrawing your screens faster, especially if you had previously used a budget GPU. With a Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop or iMac, you can even upgrade the graphics using an external graphics processing unit (an eGPU with its own power supply) or a dedicated graphics card.

For color work, however, Nvidia finally made your old GeForce card a little more useful: As of version 431.70 (released July 29, 2019), the Studio branch of its drivers opened up true 30-bit color support for Photoshop and other Adobe applications. So no more shelling out megabucks for a Quadro workstation card just for the extra bit depth.

Now playing: Watch this: Full breakdown of Nvidia's new RTX 3000 series (3070,...

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The hardware landscape is constantly in flux. As an example, the latest graphics card options in the $500-or-less price range seem to change every six months or so, with AMD and Nvidia overhauling their lineups for the popular 1080p and entry 1440p markets they're for. These biannual shufflings are pretty typical in an era of the ever-improving refresh rate and expanding memory bandwidth. Those models tend to be announced much later than the flagships, so if you're on a tight budget but want something new and cheap, wait until early 2021.

The now-current generation of cards from Nvidia and AMD launched as of October 2020, but are still in the LOL-try-to-get-one-and-overpay stage of the buying cycle. That's partly because Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070 and 3080, and AMD'sRadeon RX 6800, 6800 XT and 6900 XTperform noticeably better all around than the previous generations.

The RTX 3000 series follow on the Super equivalents, and in the case of the 3090, the Titan RTX. The cards use the new Ampere architecture, with improved algorithms and more processing power dedicated to ray tracing (second-gen Turing core), AI (for more efficient upscaling via DLSS) and programmable shaders. They deliver some big jumps in performance over the 2000 series.

I had a very good experience with the EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3as well as the Nvidia Founders Edition models.

AMD's latest GPUs are based on its RDNA 2-gen architecture, used in the Xbox Series X, S and PS5 consoles, and for the first time target 4K gamers (the company previously concentrated on 1080p and 1440p gaming). Hardware performance improvements stem partly from the higher-density on-dieInfinity Cachedesign (all have 128MB) and enhanced design of the compute units (including a newRay Acceleratorcore for each compute unit). They combine to improve the memory subsystem by reducing the latency of moving data around, increase bandwidth by up to 2.2x with a narrower path (256 bits) and deliver better energy efficiency. That also allows the processors to hit higher clock frequencies without a substantial increase in power requirements.

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers great performance, especially as AMD's first significant stab at a 4K-targeted gaming GPU.

The AMD GPUs have been optimized to achieve peak performance when used in conjunction with the company's newRyzen 5000series of desktop CPUs, though it doesn't sound like they get much of a boost from it. If every frame counts, though, it's something to keep in mind. They also support Microsoft'sDirectStorageprogramming interface, which accelerates SSD access by circumventing the CPU to improve storage-intensive game tasks like load times in games developed with it in mind.

Read more:Best gaming chairs we've sat in for 2021

The new architectures for ray-tracing acceleration are accompanied by a larger set of technologies that tend to be lumped in with them because they also improve or accelerate rendering in general. These include upscaling algorithms, for example, which render for a higher resolution screen using native-resolution textures (while maintaining frame rates); in other words, using textures for 1080p to render for 1440p. Nvidia's Deep Learning Super Sampling and AMD's Radeon Contrast Adaptive Sharpening do this.

Though most have technically shipped, neither AMD nor Nvidia's cards are available. We're knee deep in the biggest sale season of the year, but I haven't seen any good deals on graphics cards, except for the very low end. And last-gen cards are overpriced relative to the current generation, and the properly priced cards are all out of stock.

Now playing: Watch this: Everything AMD just revealed at its RX 6000 graphics...

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Ready to throw down some cash for a new graphics card for your gaming rig or laptop? Don't spend a single cent on a graphics card for gaming until you read this buying guide of the best graphics card, wherein we consider everything from video memory, refresh rate and frame rate to power consumption, memory clock and gaming performance. Plus, our general GPU shopping tips at the end will help you make your choice. We update this periodically.

Read more:Best cheap gaming mice

Sure, it's a reasonable price. But if you're planning to spend around $100 on a budget graphics card, don't expect to game with the GeForce GT at 1080p -- 720p at best unless a game is very lightweight, though Fortnite, CS:GO, League of Legends and other multiplayer competitive games generally fall under the "can play on a potato" umbrella. Many games may simply go from unplayable to a little less unplayable. This Nvidia graphics card does for a gaming PC what Nvidia's MX chips do for laptops. In other words,plenty of the latest games will run on it, but many users won't benefit. Cards can come with the chip overclocked, which gives it a little extra oomph as well.

If you've got an old desktop with integrated graphics that don't support the current versions ofgraphics programming interfaces such as DirectX 12 or Vulkan, or if you just want to make your Windows experience feel a little more snappy or smooth, a GT 1030-based card can help. The GT line is designed with lower power requirements than the more popular GeForce GTX models, so it can fit in systems with lesser power supplies and compact designs. Unlike most gaming graphics cards, 1030-based cards can be low-profile and take up just a single slot for connectivity, and are quieter because they only require a single fan.

You may see a random AMD Radeon RX 550 carddrop down below $100, and that's a good choice if you're looking for something with a little extra gaming oomph over the 1030 or support for two monitors. But it takes a lot more space and power than the simple GT half-height replacement cards.

There used to be more options in the $100-$150 range; now, they mostly fall below $100 or above $150, which is frankly annoying. But between $150 and $200 may find the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super-based cards and the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT cards, both of which deliver very similar, solid entry-level 1080p gaming at low or medium settings for all but the most GPU-intensive games. But even these are really hard to find now.

And since much basic photo editing still isn't very GPU-intensive, a fast, high-core-count CPU still gives you more performance value for the money than a higher-power graphics card.

One distinction between the two that may affect your decision is power draw: the RX 5500 XT takes about 30 watts more than the 1650S. Since they're both under 150 watts, though, your power supply probably isn't a problem.

But unless your budget is extremely tight I suggest you spend a little more (about $250 or so) for at least a GTX 1660 Super: It has 6GB of video memory rather than 4GB, which gives you some headroom to improve the visual quality settings in a game, as well as lowers its near-term obsolescence quotient.

AMD's Radeon RX 5600 XT delivers the best graphics card performance for this price tier compared with its competitor, the GTX 1660 Ti. The next real performance and capability jump is to the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti above $400, which makes this a good sweet spot to settle in as well.

With reasonably comparable performance at lower prices, Nvidia's new RTX 3060 Ti cards have a price edge over its RX 6800-based competitors, though the latter is a good graphics card to stick in an external GPU for a Mac. You can't get either one of the cards now, though; they're all out of stock. Read RTX 3060 Ti hands on.

My preference here is for the Radeon RX 6800, which generally performs better than the 3070, but not on everything. For instance, I've noticed that the RTX 3070 occasionally does better on 1080p than the RX 6800, while the latter GPU makes a better showing in 4K. For video editing, the RX 6800's larger bandwidth and 16GB of VRAM give it a leg up over the RTX 3070 as well, exceptif your application takes advantage of Nvidia's CUDA programming interface to accelerate it.

Though it's all moot because everything's sold out, anyway. Read RX 6800 hands on.

As with the step-down price segment the RX 6800 XT generally outperforms the more expensive RTX 3080 especially at higher resolutions and in professional graphics applications, thanks to the better memory bandwidth and more video memory. But that likewise doesn't always hold true, especially with software that takes advantage of Nvidia CUDA.

Also out of stock everywhere. Read RX 6800 XT hands on.

The situation flips when you climb above $1,000, since the RTX 3090 essentially replaces the Titan RTX with 24GB of video memory. I haven't yet had a chance to test either the RTX 3090 or its competitor, the RX 6900 XT, so this is a tentative recommendation. But you can't find it in stock anywhere, anyway.

Things to keep in mind when looking for the best graphics card:

If you subscribe to only one CNET newsletter, this is it. Get editors' top picks of the day's most interesting reviews, news stories and videos.

MSI Aegis RS (RTX 3060 Ti)

MSI MEG Trident X (RTX 2070 Super)

MSI Aegis RS (RTX 3060 Ti)

MSI Aegis RS (RTX 3060 Ti)

Origin PC Chronos (RTX 3080)

MSI Aegis RS (RTX 3060 Ti)

Origin PC Chronos (RTX 3080)

MSI MEG Trident X (RTX 2070 Super)

MSI Aegis RS (RTX 3060 Ti)

Maingear Turbo (RTX 2080 Ti)

Origin PC Chronos (RTX 3080)

MSI MEG Trident X (RTX 2070 Super)

MSI Aegis RS (RTX 3060 Ti)

Maingear Turbo (RTX 2080 Ti)

Origin PC Chronos (RTX 3080)

MSI Trident X (RTX 2070 Super)

Maingear Turbo (RTX 2080 Ti)

Origin PC Chronos (RTX 3080)

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Best graphics card for gamers and creatives in 2021 - CNET

Windows at Emerson Hough Elementary are going to be replaced, but it will cost the Newton school district $135,000 of its Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) funds, which is funding stream primarily used for infrastructure needs.

Tim Bloom, director of business services, said the Newton Community School District received two bids. The $135,000 bid came from Elite Glass & Metal, LLC. Bloom said NCSD Maintenance Supervisor Jack Suttek met with the two companies and walked them through Emerson Hough.

Suttek told school board members that the contractors took good notes during their tour. The part of the Emerson Hough building that maintenance is looking at is the original, two-story rectangular section. Right now, the school is experiencing weather issues with those windows.

School board member Graham Sullivan asked Suttek if the contractor is going to replace all the windows in Emerson Hough. Suttek confirmed Elite Glass & Metal will replace most of them, except for the big ornamental-type windows in the gymnasium and some other areas of the school.

Were definitely going to make a nice improvement on that building with those windows, Suttek said. There are some nice, one-inch insulated aluminum windows (that are) going to match all the existing windows in the building. Of course, originally that school did not have a drop ceiling.

Both contractors the other being Forman Ford have worked with the Newton school district in the past and are very reputable companies, Suttek added. Bloom acknowledged the Emerson Hough window project was initially budgeted at a lower price than the proposed bids.

We did have this as part of our capital improvement plan, he added. Our budget was $100,000. This came in at a little bit more. We feel like this is a good investment. It might shift some things in our capital improvement plan, but right now its not affecting anything.

The school district had a good carryover balance, which allowed for the extra $35,000 to be absorbed, Bloom said.

Suttek said the rest of the building will not need replacement projects for the next 10-15 years. The windows on the north side edition of Emerson Hough, Suttek pointed out, are still in good shape. The districts maintenance supervisor is hoping to be done with windows for quite a few years to come.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com

See the article here:
Emerson Hough windows to be replaced for $135K - Newton Daily News

A do-it-yourself approach for home improvement projects may reduce your initial costs but for certain jobs, the risks far outweigh any potential savings. If any of these projects are on your to-do list, call in the pros unless youve got plenty of related experience.

1. Roof replacement

Roofing is extremely hard and dangerous work. Any upfront savings you might get with a DIYroof replacementcould easily be eclipsed by the costs of making expensive mistakes or causing dangerous accidents. Aside from having the skills and tools needed to do a decent job, youll also need to climb ladders, lift heavy materials and navigate a steeply pitched surface high above the ground. Risks include:

Cost of hiring a pro

Roofers charge about $150 to $300 per roofing square in addition to the cost of materials, which typically brings the total price of installing a new roof over your existing one to about $5,400 to $10,900, according to the home services company HomeAdvisor. Removing the old roof or repairing damage can add to that cost.

In some cases, homeowners insurance might cover some or all of these expenses. Opting for less-expensive materials can also lower the bill. And if youre installing an energy-efficient roof that meets certain criteria, you might qualify for a tax credit.

2. Mold removal

Everyones cleaned up a bit of mold at some point, and even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gives the green light on DIY mold removal for areas under 10 square feet. But once mold infestation becomes widespread, it might become necessary to open up walls, lift up carpeting or take out fixtures to fully remove it and clean and dry the space thoroughly. A DIY approach, in this case, means risking:

Cost of hiring a pro

Professional mold remediation generally costs about $1,500 to $3,150, or $15 to $30 per square foot, according to HomeGuide, a home services referral website.

To make sure that money is well-spent, go with an experienced, well-reviewed mold remediation specialist who can do a thorough job.

3. Toilet replacement

To install a new toilet, youll have to shut off the water; disconnect, drain and remove the old toilet; and seal and connect the new one. Thats a manageable task for someone with basic plumbing knowledge. But if youre a DIY newbie, its trickier. Risks include:

Cost of hiring a pro

The average labor cost for basic toilet installation runs between $70 and $190, according to the services marketplace website Thumbtack, and that doesnt include the price of the toilet. Underlying problems your plumber finds (such as leaky pipes, a cracked flange or leaky valves) can increase costs; disposing of your old toilet also runs about $50 to $200, the site notes.

If youre installing a water-saving toilet, you might qualify for arebate from your state, which could defray some of these costs.

4. Window replacement

Replacing drafty old windowscan reduce your utility bills but only if its done correctly. Installing a window is a meticulous process, and any mistakes may leave your home unexpectedly vulnerable to the elements. Other pitfalls include:

Cost of hiring a pro

Professional window installation usually runs between $175 to $700 per window, but can be much more expensive for high-end windows, according to Angies List, a website that provides referrals for home services pros. If the frame needs to be replaced, thats extra.

Choosing less-expensive materials reduces upfront costs. And if youre switching to more energy-efficient windows that meet certain specifications and are professionally installed, you might qualify for rebates in some states.

More From NerdWallet

Roberta Pescow is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: USexpansion@nerdwallet.com.

The rest is here:
4 home repair projects that are best left to the pros - OregonLive

Honda is recalling a total of 1.79 million cars worldwide1.4 million in the U.S.across four separate campaigns. It boils down to three distinct issues, one of which has been linked to over a dozen reported fires due to a part that's already been recalled before. According to the NHTSA doc, precisely 268,652 CR-Vs from model years 2002 to 2006 have been recalled in the U.S. over power window master switches that are at risk of melting, smoking, and catching fire if exposed to moisture.

Notably, the issue was already addressed in a 2012 recall that apparently attempted to remedy the issue using butyl tape. The documentation specifically calls out this previous campaign as "insufficient" and will be replacing switches entirely this time around with a redesigned part.

Via NHTSA: "The recall remedy for NHTSA recall ID number 12V-486 of applying butyl tape to seal the power window master switch (PWMS) from moisture was insufficient. The butyl tape could separate from the PWMS if improperly applied. Under certain conditions, moisture may enter through an open drivers window and reach the PWMS on the door. Over time, exposure to moisture can cause electrical resistance in the switch, which ultimately can cause the switch to overheat and melt, damaging the switch and potentially damaging an associated wire harness. Additionally, if a switch melts, it could produce smoke and increase the risk of a fire."

As of late November, Honda is aware of 16 fires and 87 reported "thermal events" related to the second-gen CR-V's window switch woes but no injuries.

Honda's recall blitz also affects 737,233 cars made much more recently such as certain 2018 to 2020 Accords, Accord Hybrids, and 2019 to 2020 Insights that have been recalled in order to install an update to those cars' Body Control Module software. "Inappropriate software programming" is said to be the culprit over electrical components failing after "a certain combination of driver actions and vehicle conditions" that "may intermittently or continuously disrupt communication between the BCM and other components." This is said to affect windshield defrosters, wipers, automatic headlights, turn signals, rearview cameras, and power window systems.

Lastly, two separate campaigns will address front driveshafts on some of the company's compact models that may break due to corrosion from road salt. Only applying to cars residing in 22 states and the District of Columbia that keep ice off their roads during the wintertime using salt, Honda's recall applies to the 2012 Civic Hybrid, 2007 to 2014 Fit, 2013 to 2015 Acura ILX, and 2013 to 2015 Accord, according to Reuters. Affected cars will be inspected and if (but only if) corrosion is found, front driveshafts will be replaced.

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Honda Recalls Nearly 1.8 Million Cars Over Flaming Window Switches and Corroding Driveshafts - The Drive

New West Brom manager Sam Allardyce has admitted the January transfer window will be important to the clubs hopes of survival.

The 66-year-old has been tasked with the job of keeping the Baggies in the Premier League and signed a contract until the end of the 2021-22 season.

Allardyce replaced Slaven Bilic, who was sacked after West Brom secured only one victory from their opening 13 games to leave them two points from safety.

Speaking to talkSPORT on Thursday morning, the new man in the hotseat at the Hawthorns said: They (the board) are prepared to get some players, but we need to find where those players are and who wants to let a player go in this pandemic.

I cant suggest at this moment how many players we need.

By the time I had finished four weeks and no wins in six games at Crystal Palace, I knew exactly what we needed to do and pushed Steve (Parish) beyond the brink of really where he wanted to go which paid off in the end.

It will be a very important part I think and while the players here are trying their very best and had a fantastic gutsy performance at Manchester City, which I watched live on the TV, it is always good when a player sees a new player come in.

And then sees that player on the training ground who will make them better. The difficulty is finding that player and we will have to do our best to do that.

This is Allardyces first role since he left Everton after he guided them to an eighth-place finish in the 2017-18 campaign after they were embroiled in a relegation battle when he had replaced Marco Silva six months earlier.

After keeping up Sunderland and Crystal Palace in similar circumstances, the one-time England national team boss expressed sympathy for predecessor Bilic, who replaced him at West Ham in 2015.

You always look at the job and say how difficult will it be and have you got an opportunity to try and turn it around and use your experience, which I have done on many occasions over the last few years and I only hope I can have the same influence at West Brom, with no guarantee of course, that I have had at many other clubs, Allardyce added.

All of a sudden you have gone 13 games with only one win and unfortunately for Slaven that is what has cost (him) and made West Brom think they need to make a change.

I know Slaven and he is a great guy, but it is what it is when the board make a decision and I am here to try and save West Brom and keep them in the division for next season. If I can do that it would be great.

Bilic has expressed his sadness at leaving West Brom but wished his old club all the best in their battle for Premier League survival.

The Croatian was dismissed by the Baggies on Wednesday, with his last game in charge a creditable 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Tuesday.

During his year-and-a-half spell at the Hawthorns, the 52-year-old led the club back to the top flight with automatic promotion last season, but seven points out of a possible 39 this term has proved his undoing.

I am hugely disappointed to have left West Bromwich Albion, Bilic said in a statement to the Daily Mail.

I am honoured to have managed this unique football club with full commitment and integrity. I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to all the players, my hard-working coaching team and our dedicated staff.

I am incredibly proud that we secured automatic promotion from the Championship in our first season. It was a real shame to not have our loyal supporters there with us during that moment and upon our return to the Premier League.

In what has been a really difficult year for so many, those special fans have stood alongside us throughout it all.

My staff and I are grateful for having had the privilege to serve them. They would have enjoyed some of our excellent performances where the team showed how much they wanted us to succeed.

Ultimately, I am sad that it hasnt worked out in the way we wanted. But I leave with my head held high, along with some wonderful memories that I will always cherish.

Im sorry that I cannot say goodbye to you all properly at The Hawthorns. I genuinely wish the club well for the future.

West Brom are second from bottom and two points from safety, with new boss Allardyce due to face the media later on Thursday afternoon.

Originally posted here:
Sam Allardyce admits January transfer window could be key to West Brom survival - FourFourTwo

The window minimizing feature is set to leave Windows 10 in early 2021.

An upcoming Windows 10 update will remove one of the operating system's least liked and least used features.

That's right: Shake to Minimize is leaving Windows 10 for good.

Although it is an underused Windows 10 feature, it is also one that drew considerable ire from users, usually after triggering the feature accidentally.

Shake to Minimize was first introduced with Windows 7. It allows users to close all windows on their screen bar one by moving their mouse back and forth rapidly.

Microsoft doesn't advertise the option widely, and many users only discover it when all of their windows disappear from the screen.

The feature, also known as Aero Shake, is the only existing Windows 10 option that allows a user to close all windows except the one you shake. As such, some users will definitely bemoan the loss of the feature, especially without a replacement.

Shake to Minimize will be removed in Windows 10 build 21277, which was pushed to Windows 10 Insider Preview users on the Dev Channel in December 2020.

Given the normal timetable of Windows 10 features moving from the Dev Channel into a proper release, you can expect to see the removal of Shake to Minimize in the Windows 10 21H1 update, expected in the first half of 2021.

Related: The Most Important Things to do After Installing Windows

True to form, dedicated Microsoft users have already found a method to switch Shake to Minimize on again. The fix involves creating a new registry key, but it isn't a difficult process.

To switch Shake to Minimize on in Windows 10:

Please note that this fix will only take effect on systems where Shake to Minimize has been disabled. If you're using Windows 10 on the standard release branch, as most users do, Shake to Minimize is still active on your machine.

Related: How to Clean Up Your Computer Without Reinstalling Windows

The loss of Aero Shake leaves Windows 10 users with two alternative desktop minimization shortcuts. You can use Windows Key + D to show or hide the entire desktop, or Windows Key + M to minimize all open windows. Furthermore, you can restore all of your open windows using the Windows Key + Shift + M shortcut.

You need specialized search engines to find legal torrents, foreclosed houses, public records, and even UFOs. Enter the dark web.

Gavin is the Junior Editor for Windows and Technology Explained, a regular contributor to the Really Useful Podcast, and was the Editor for MakeUseOf's crypto-focused sister site, Blocks Decoded. He has a BA (Hons) Contemporary Writing with Digital Art Practices pillaged from the hills of Devon, as well as over a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.

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Microsoft to Remove Handy Windows Feature in Upcoming Update - MakeUseOf

In what might prove to be the biggest Android news story of the week, today Google announced that all of Qualcomm's future chipsets, starting with the upcoming Snapdragon 888, will support three Android OS updates and four years of security updates. In layman's terms, that means some new phones landing in 2021 will probably get an extra year of updates assuming OEMs step up to the plate and follow suit.

The change builds on some of Google's previous improvements, and it's pretty technical. Most of our readers are probably already familiar with Project Treble, which restructured how parts of Android work in a way that made it easier for manufacturers to deliver updates and that's actually making a difference, too. But because of how it worked, this actually made chipset manufacturers' jobs harder, amplifying the work they had to do to support multiple generations of software depending on when phones would launch during that chip's lifecycle. In short: Making it easier for smartphone makers to deliver software updates pushed extra work onto companies like Qualcomm.

Above: A rough idea of how complicated a chipset vendor's job used to be across years of updates. Below: How it is now, with these changes.

Over the past year, Google has been working with Qualcomm to fix that problem, bringing the logic of Treble's modularity down to the chipset level as well. This makes Qualcomm's job easier, allowing them to maintain chips for a longer period, resulting in today's news: All future Qualcomm chipsets starting with the Snapdragon 888 will support four years of Android OS version updates three Android OS updates and four years of security patches. That means some Android phones launching in 2021 and later could see four years of updates.

That lack of certainty is because, although Google and Qualcomm have made this change, they're not the ones that deliver updates to your phone. This just guarantees that the updates will be available should smartphone companies want them. Right now, we don't know of any manufacturers that have stepped up to match these numbers when it comes to Qualcomm's future chips. But, I think there's a good chance that companies known for their update commitment like Samsung and Google will take advantage of it. Or, at least, they should.

We've asked Google if any phone manufacturers are on board already to match that change, and if there are plans to bring this same level of support to other chipset vendors (like MediaTek), but have yet to hear back at the time of writing. We'll update if and when more information is available.

Up until now, the best update commitment you could get in the world of consumer Android devices is three years usually for security patches paired with either two or three years of OS updates. This is in stark contrast to iPhones, which get updates pretty much until Apple can't get the software to run on its older hardware that's usually around five years, and sometimes more. In many cases, perfectly capable Android phones have been left behind as a result of limited software support windows, as was the case just this month with Google's recent Pixel 2 series.

Ultimately, we can't promise that today's change will result in longer-lasting Android phones. This change only even applies to future phones powered by upcoming Qualcomm chipsets, starting with the 888, and it's still on phone makers to actually deliver those updates, regardless of the changes Google or Qualcomm implement. Best case scenario, we'll finally reap these benefits in 2025. But hey, at least it's something.

The joint announcement was slightly misleading, and there's a little more subtlety involved than we originally thought. Google and Qualcomm are promising three OS version updates and four years of security updates, rather than just four years of OS updates. (While four years of OS updates would usually equate to three version updates under most software upgrade schedules, they are technically different things.)

Phones like Pixels actually already meet that requirement, by virtue of being updated at the last minute to the latest version (and therefore getting three total updates) before being dropped. However, it still sounds to us like Qualcomm and Google are now promising four years of security updates as a result of this change, which would be an extension of our understanding of the current policy, and more than the best-case three-year promise most smartphone vendors have now.

This is more complicated than it probably needs to be, and we're digging into the details in case this slightly more nuanced understanding is also flawed, but it sounds like the two companies are still making it possible to get an extra year of security updates on top of what we're currently used to, if smartphone makers will use it.

Link:
Future Android phones may get 4 years of updates, thanks to Google and Qualcomm - Android Police

Ken Herman|Austin American-Statesman

An email with a good opening line is sure to capture my attention. Heres a recent one:

Howdy Herman. This is the bull sperm muralist with another idea for an article.

I like a good mural. And Im always looking for good ideas to write about. And, though Im not an expert, I have reason to believe bull sperm somehow is important in the bovine cycle of life.

The electronic missive came from Tom Besson, an artist I wrote about in 2017 when he completed a fabulous mural celebrating the history of Elgin Breeding Service, a Central Texas business that collects and sells frozen bull semen.

Thats right. Frozen bull semen. You got a problem with that? You think you can get frozen bull semen via Amazon? I typed in frozen bull semen and the first four results were for a masters thesis about Norwegian Red Bull semen, flea pills for dogs, an energy drink and a box of staples.

But Besson didnt want to talk about frozen bull semen. Pity. He wanted to talk about the festive holiday season.

My family and I have a 40-plus-year history of painting Christmas windows at Austins car dealers, Besson, who also goes by Snap P, told me. It started in the mid-70s when many car dealers were in downtown Austin and no one had to beg that we keep Austin weird because that was its natural state.

Weird, yes. And often unbound by traditional notions of taste and standards. Oh, Snap P, please do regale us with tales of car dealer holiday art of yesteryear.

The bean counters had not yet overtaken the world and the sales managers had a free hand, he said, recalling a downtown dealership that was OK with Bessons interpretation of a band of hippies dancing around a bonfire whose flames became a 20-foot-tall dancing naked woman.

Yes, that says festive holiday season. To somebody.

At a truck dealer, Besson, 69, once painted a New Years artwork featuring an outgoing-year grim reaper that was so scary they had to call me to change it because the grade-school kids on the bus started crying when they rode by.

Yes, what says festive holiday season more than crying kids on a school bus?

Thats all in the past, Besson said as he fondly recalled the last of the halcyon days of hippie Austin and cheap rent.

I recently caught up with him as he, with wife Beth Rolingson and son Pascha, were doing the windows at Leif Johnson Ford on East Koenig Lane. Fairly standard holiday fare was going up there, but Besson fondly remembered when lots of unstandard holiday fare went up on the windows.

It just depended on the personality of the sales manager and general manager, he said. Back in the old days, those people had more freedom to do what they wanted. Austin was a weird city. They accepted strange things.

Maybe even expected them, especially when Besson was hired. From his website bio: My work is born of some strange marriage of Paganism and Roman Catholicism, substituting the juxtaposition of evil and good with the mundane and the inspirational.

Reality, it says, comes with such limitations.

So true.

Besson says he generally doesnt get specific painting orders from his customers. Wife Beth immediately recalled that the problem with Christmas windows sometimes is Christmas. As youve perhaps heard, the word has become somewhat controversial. Besson told me that last year they had to scrape Merry Christmas off the window of a customer who didnt think it was a good idea.

You also can go wrong by excluding Christmas.

Someone came up to us telling us she was offended by our message, Besson reports. We had painted Happy Holidays and she said we were taking Christ out of Christmas. I gave her a little history of Christianity usurping the pagan holidays but this failed to appease her.

Surprising.

Images also cause controversy. Rolingson recalled a window on which they painted gnomes headed to a bonfire and carrying lit torches.

So,Besson said, youve got these torches in their hands and youve got this 10-foot figure and the people say, What in the hell are those torches for? Thats not very Christmasy. So you think, Damn, I dont want to have to scrape that stuff off. So, quickly, theyre holding bells!

Some customers offer general instructions on whether they prefer religious or secular.

I tell them, Well, if I put anything religious up there its so damn pagan nobody will recognize it anyway, Besson said.

Later that day, he sent me another email, this one devoid of frozen bull semen references. I read it anyway.

Do we do what we want or ask the client what they want? Besson wrote. For the most part we do what we want but across the years we have learned what we will be asked to scrape off and repaint.

A few years back, he painted what he called a beautiful winter scene with snow cranes on a winter lake on the windows of a Japanese vehicle dealership.

We were told it wouldn't do as it looked too Japanese, he said. It was scraped and repainted into the more mundane, resisting a mischievous notion to replace it with a Pearl Harbor scene. That would have been wrong.

Though it wasn't a Christmas window, Besson told me of another painting, one of our saddest scrape and repaints was a kneeling 10-foot Jimi Hendrix with his guitar aflame and with the hand of God passing him a joint from the heavens.

This years whimsical, yet pandemic-appropriate offerings include one on a medical facility showing a stethoscope-wielding nurse/angel.

Despite having to learn to live with periodic rejection, Besson enjoys window art.

Like most artists, I enjoy working at a large scale but find that large-scale work is hard to sell and very hard to store, he told me. Window work, which lies somewhere between art and cartooning, allows me to draw big and get paid for it. And the whole family gets to color for a living, at least for awhile.

And, because some things and people in Austin still are weird, sometimes the family gets to color outside the lines. No bull.

More here:
Herman: 40 years of painting holiday decorations on windows - Austin American-Statesman

SINGAPORE - There were 49 cases of fallen windows across Singapore from January to November this year, but no one was injured, said the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on Friday (Dec 11).

The majority of them, 32 cases, involved casement windows, while 16 were fallen sliding windows, and one case of louvre windows.

"There were no injuries from the cases reported," said the BCA in a press release.

The agency said investigations showed that the key causes of fallen casement windows included windows that were found fitted with aluminium rivets which had corroded.

"Corrosion compromises the strength of the rivets, rendering it unable to hold the casement window panels firmly in place," said BCA.

Since 2004, BCA has been issuing retrofitting orders requiring home owners to replace all aluminium rivets with stainless steel ones.

Home owners can be fined up to $5,000 and jailed up to six monthsfor failing to carry out the replacements.

For sliding windows, a key cause is the lack of proper safety stoppers and angle strips to keep the window panels within the tracks, said BCA.

"Sliding window panels without these safety features in place detached and fell when homeowners applied excessive outward force in opening or closing the windows," BCA explained.

It added that home owners should ensure that the safety features are in place, and also replace any worn-out ones.

If a window falls due to lack of maintenance, home owners can be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to one year, or both, said the agency.

Since 2006, 378 people have been fined and 92 people were prosecuted for fallen windows, said BCA.

BCA's facade engineering and technology department director, Mr Lee Chee Weye, said: "Over the past few years, the number of fallen window cases we see yearly remains at about 50 cases. While there has not been an increase in numbers, there has also not been any improvement.

"The risk of injury from falling windows is high and is not a trivial matter. All home owners and occupants can play a part to mitigate this risk by checking and maintaining their windows regularly. Together, we can keep our community safe."

BCA added thathome owners can prevent falling windows by checking and maintaining their windows at least once every six months.

For casement windows, check that fasteners are not rusty or loose, and clean and oil the joints or moving parts. All aluminium rivets should also be changed to stainless steel ones by an approved window contractor.

For sliding windows, check that safety stoppers and angle strips are in their proper places, and change those that are worn out. The tracks also have to be cleaned so that window panels can slide smoothly.

Read the original:
49 cases of fallen windows reported in first 11 months of 2020 but no injuries: BCA - The Straits Times

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of 178 trusts nationwide set to receive a share of 600m to tackle their maintenance backlogs.

It will get 1,515,000 to spend on 25 projects, covering critical maintenance and improvement works.

Outdated ventilation plant and controls at Thomas Linacre Centre will be replaced and water systems at Wigan Infirmary and Wrightington Hospital will be upgraded.

Leaking flat roofs at Wrightington Hospital, Wigan Infirmary and Thomas Linacre Centre will be replaced, and a trust-wide window replacement programme will start at Wrightington and Leigh Infirmary.

Other work includes a new boiler plant at Wrightington, improved cafe at Wigan, and a fire alarm and emergency lighting upgrade at Leigh.

Medical gas systems plants will also be replaced at all sites.

David Evans, the trusts director of estates and facilities, said: I am delighted that the Government has recognised the importance of additional investment to help us address the on-going condition backlog issues across the trusts estate.

The NHS estate is both extensive and complex with many of our buildings and engineering services being built and installed many years ago.

Ongoing investment in the estate is critical in ensuring compliant, high quality and reliable facilities for our clinical teams to treat patients and the continued commitment to fund these critical maintenance and improvement works is welcomed.

The national investment is part of 1.5 billion capital funding announced in the summer, which includes plans to modernise mental health facilities, expand A&E capacity and improve infection control ahead of winter.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: Alongside delivering on our manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals and 20 major hospital upgrades across the country, this investment will help our NHS build back better.

These crucial maintenance projects will deliver immediate benefits and provide NHS staff with the facilities they need to provide world-class care to their patients this winter, helping ensure the NHS is always there for you when you need it.

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Trust reveals how 1.5m fund to improve Wigan's hospitals will be spent - Wigan Today