Technology News for Monday 25th October 2021

1. A man spent most of his covid business loan on one item, prosecutors say: A $57789 Pokémon card

The wire-fraud charge brought last week against Oudomsine is part of a federal crackdown on alleged misuse of massive relief programs that threw lifelines to businesses during the pandemic but also raised concerns about scams and waste.

2. Age of Empires IV review impressions — Real-time strategy comes back to the mainstream

I've gotten a good look at the campaign part of the game. I'll do a full review with multiplayer later, but these are my impressions from playing the introductory Norman single-player campaign. In a nutshell, it's designed for mainstream gamers.

3. Google Pixel 6 Pro in for review

Razr 5G Fan, 7 hours agoPixel 6 Pro 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) 210 g (7.41 oz) Pixel 6 158.6... moreYour screen scratches when looking at it the wrong way, don't act like it's any durable. Rating0 |; Reply; Report. S131.

4. MacBook Pro preorders slip to late November, December ahead of release

AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Potential owners of the new MacBook ...

5. Microsoft: Russian-Backed Hackers Targeting Cloud Services

NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft says the same Russia-backed hackers responsible for the 2020 SolarWinds breach continue to attack the global technology supply chain and are have been relentlessly targeting cloud service companies and others since summer.

6. How to Use the Microsoft Store in Windows 11

Microsoft is also taking a huge leap by making third-party storefronts available to download from the Microsoft Store. The first to be added is the Epic Games Store, which offers a wide array of games and apps. The Amazon Appstore, which will allow Android ...

7. Halo Infinite's campaign is getting a re-reveal today – watch it here

The first new Halo Infinite campaign gameplay for over a year is finally being shown today, in less than a couple of hours – and you can watch it right here. The latest Halo game's multiplayer has been shown many times, and has even been playable, ...

8. The case against Mark Zuckerberg: Insiders say Facebook's CEO chose growth over safety

In America, the tech CEO is a champion of free speech, reluctant to remove even malicious and misleading content from the platform. But in Vietnam, upholding the free speech rights of people who question government leaders ...

9. Halo Infinite's campaign showcase: How to watch, start times

It's been more than a year since we last saw the Xbox console exclusive's campaign mode, but Microsoft is giving us a peek Monday. ... Halo Infinite releases Dec. 8, and we're getting a a fresh look at its campaign on Monday.

10. Russian Hackers Still Targeting Tech Despite Biden Sanctions

The hackers behind the notorious SolarWinds cyberattack are engaged in a fresh campaign to compromise global networks by targeting the tech supply chain, including resellers and providers of cloud technology, according to Microsoft Corp.

11. Amazon brings Alexa to hospitals and senior living centers

The solutions, which are a part of Alexa Smart Properties, are designed specifically to meet the needs of deploying Alexa devices at scale and will allow the facility's administrators to create customized experiences for their residents or patients.

12. Halo Infinite's Campaign Finally Re-Revealed, And It's Looking Much Better

After what's felt like an infinity of waiting, we finally have an idea of what Halo Infinite's campaign will look like. Developer 343 Industries re-revealed the mode for the first-person shooter in a digital showcase today. Take a look: ...

13. Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2021, M1 Max) Review

The new ultimate Mac laptop, the 2021 Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch is a finely engineered, high-octane workstation that will thrill content creators. The pumped-up M1 Max silicon in our tester, though, is beyond mere bragging rights—it's reserved for ...

14. Apple MacBook Pro 14-Inch Review

The 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro occupies a new sweet spot among pro content-creator laptops: far more capable than consumer-class alternatives, yet much less expensive than its 16-inch sibling and bulkier Windows workstations.

15. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Max review: New silicon meets retro ports

The first thing you notice about the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is its build is slightly thicker and heavier than its predecessor. And unlike some earlier MacBooks, this version doesn't try as hard to hide its size with curves and tapers.

16. Guardians of the Galaxy review: A video game worthy of the MCU

The gang's all here to save the galaxy again. Square Enix. Considering where comic book movies are today, it's easy to forget there was a time when comic book adaptations were almost certainly expected to be sub-par. The Marvel Cinematic Universe ...

17. Russian group that hacked SolarWinds is still attacking America's computer networks

The Microsoft statement follows CNN's reporting earlier this month that the Russian hacking group had been leveraging compromised technology vendors to try to infiltrate US and European government networks in previously unreported activity.

18. Talking Point: Five Years On From The Frenzy Of 'NX' Becoming The Switch

Often there's hyperbole thrown around about 'failures' in gaming, but even though many of us have a soft spot for the system it was genuinely a disaster for Nintendo. Its lifetime hardware sales were 13.56 million units; as a contrast the most recent ...

19. Halo Infinite's Craig, Once A Laughingstock, Now Looks Better Than Ever

If any single character is a visual shorthand for Halo Infinite—more than Master Chief, more than Cortana, more than...that other AI—it's Craig the Brute. A screenshot of his character model served as evidence for the game's supposed graphical ...

20. macOS Monterey is now available to download

New features include the ability to set Macs as an AirPlay target to play content from iPhones and iPads, as well as Shortcuts, Apple's iOS automation software. There have also been improvements made to FaceTime, as well as a new Quick Note feature.

21. Samsung tablet leak shows super-slim bezels, Macbook Pro-style camera notch

According to OnLeak's information, the base-model S8 Tab is expected to be an 11-inch tablet, a "Galaxy Tab S8+" will be 12.4 inches, and this notched behemoth, the Tab S8 Ultra, will have a 14.6-inch display. The renders only cover the Ultra model.

22. The original iPod 'prototype' was an Apple design to prevent leaks

As funny as it would be if Apple was actually trying to make the iPod look like a failed attempt at a pocket-sized DVD player, that's (sadly) not the case. A tweet from Tony Fadell, the inventor of the iPod, confirms that the prototype was designed to ...

23. Apex Legends season 11 release date: Storm Point map and Ash revealed

Going by the title Escape, Apex Legends Season 11 sounds like it will be just as exciting as ever. This season will bring all sorts of new things to the game. So far, we have a trailer and a few details to go on – we know that the new map will be tropical ...

24. Destiny 2 Glitch Breaks Game, Will Get You Banned

Destiny 2 has an easy to pull-off trick called the min/max glitch on PC that gives players infinite orbs and a host of other advantages that break a lot of the game's big activities. Bungie confirmed over the weekend that it's working on a fix, ...

25. LG is apparently working on its first Chromebook

Without any official word from LG, we can't be sure that the product exists. But since the company went through the effort of getting Bluetooth certification from Bluetooth SIG, an LG-branded Chromebook is far from a pipe dream. Plus, it would make sense ...

26. Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy: The Kotaku Review

When Square Enix revealed Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy at E3 earlier this year, I was not excited. The idea of playing only as Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, arguably the least interesting member of the galaxy-guarding super group, did nothing for me.

27. AirPods 3 review: Big sound upgrade

New drivers that are supposed to make them sound more detailed and deliver fuller bass are also on board. So just how good are they and why would you get them instead of the AirPods Pro, which offer full active noise-canceling and cost about the same at ...

28. Google Pixel 6 Pro Preview

Class-leading battery life, swift performance, and promising cameras are just a few of the things that make the Pixel Pro 6 look like a home run for Google. Starts at $899.00. PCMag editors select and review products independently.

29. Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) Review

Apple's third-generation AirPods provide notably better bass depth and are more rugged than their predecessor. Despite some improvements to how they fit and some neat sensor tricks, we still aren't wild about their open earbud design. MSRP $179.00.

30. iPhone SE 3 rumors: Apple's next budget-friendly phone could look like the iPhone XR

The iPhone SE 2020 looks striking in red. At $399 it's the most affordable iPhone you can buy. John Kim/CNET. If you're on the lookout for an affordable iPhone with a LCD display, 5G support and a design similar to the iPhone XR, you may want to wait ...

31. Google Pixel 6 Pro review: The best Android phone money can buy

And it offers all that at a price that, sensibly, undercuts its main rivals. The 6.7-inch base 128GB model costs $899 (£849, AU$1,299), a sizable chunk less than the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro's $999 price and even more off the $1,099 Apple wants for the ...

32. New Apex Legends Escape trailer reveals Ash's abilities

This morning's Apex Legends season 11 gameplay trailer revealed more about new legend Ash's abilities. The trailer shows Ash leaping into the fray and taking out several other legends with her sword-based finishers. It also shows her tossing out a ...

33. Apex Legends reveals new map Storm Point: Everything you need to know

Respawn Entertainment have finally revealed Storm Point, the newest battle royale map coming to Apex Legends in Season 11. The new map takes Apex players to a beautiful, but dangerous, tropical island. Set in Gaea, one of the many planets in the ...

34. Clubhouse Adds Pinned Links Feature

Creators of rooms on social audio application Clubhouse can now pin links to the top of room pages. Clubhouse said in a blog post that the new Pinned Links feature enables room creators to share elements such as ...

35. 'Squid Game' apps are infecting devices with malware viruses: report

In the latest scam, discovered by a cybersecurity researcher, an app for SG-themed wallpaper — available on the Google Play Store — has been installing insidious malware onto people's phones, the Sun reported.

36. Facebook invests billions in metaverse efforts as ad business slows

Oct 25 (Reuters) - Facebook Inc (FB.O) said on Monday it will start breaking out the financials for its virtual and augmented reality unit, an announcement that comes as its main advertising businesses face "significant uncertainty.".

37. Is there an Apex Legends Season 11 trailer?

Given recent “Stories from the Outlands” reveals, here's everything you need to know about Season 11 including its start date, trailers, Storm Point map, content leaks, and details about the new playable character called Ash.

38. You Can Change Your Overwatch Battletag For Free Thanks To McCree

Blizzard recently announced that Overwatch players will be able to change their battletags for free through next Friday, November 5. Advertisement. The news comes shortly after the reveal that original Overwatch character McCree becomes Cole Cassidy ...

39. Google Pixel 6 review: I can't think of a better phone to recommend

There is a lot of hype around the Google Pixel 6, which has new cameras, Google's Tensor chip and more premium ambitions. Some of that hype is from Google announcing the phone months before it was released and some of it comes from the phone's bold ...

40. YouTube removed 7M accounts this year used by children and preteens on the sly

YouTube is the world's biggest online video platform. Angela Lang/CNET. YouTube plans to tell Congress on Tuesday that it removed 7 million accounts believed to belong to young children and preteens on the sly in the first nine months of this year, ...

41. Samsung's Galaxy Watch3 Is 55% Off At Best Buy Right Now

Among the strongest Best Buy Black Friday deals: $220 off the 41mm Samsung Galaxy Watch3 with GPS. Now $180 in either Mystic Bronze or Mystic Silver, that's the lowest price we've seen for this version of Samsung's smartwatch, and the first time it's ...

42. What do ordinances do in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

There are four ordinances to choose from: Beautiful Island ordinance; Early Bird ordinance; Night Owl ordinance; Bell Boom ordinance. How do ...

43. AirPods 3 review: Apple ups its sound game with the third-gen earbuds

Like · Ultracompact, lightweight, sweatproof (IPX4) and very comfortable to wear · Significantly improved sound with better bass · Performance when making calls is excellent · Improved battery life (up to 6 hours) · Spatial audio virtual-surround feature works ...

44. Phasmophobia's Nightmare update delivers four new ghosts and a haunted campground

The new map, called Maple Lodge Campsite, features picnic areas, tents, a log cabin, and a lake, which of course is haunted. It's a medium-sized map but has more unique objects, object density, and visual detail than other maps in the game, which could ...

45. iOS 15.1 update: How to download the first major upgrade to iOS 15

Stay up-to-date on the latest news, reviews and advice on iPhones, iPads, Macs, services and software. When is the iOS 15.1 release date?

46. Minigame That Gave Kids 'Cuts, Blisters & Burns' Returns To Mario Party With A Warning

The upcoming Mario Party Superstars on the Switch features 100 minigames, drawn from the long-running history of the series. One of those, Tug o' War, is making a somewhat surprising return, after what happened last time the game was available to play ...

47. 1000 Warhol artworks are on sale for just $250 each. But only one is real

An art collective purchased an original Andy Warhol drawing for $20,000 and is selling it to one lucky buyer for just $250. But there's a catch: The artwork is being offered alongside 999 high-quality forgeries -- and even their creators can't tell ...