Massive AMD leak promises a shining future for laptops, with a smorgasbord of new products landing in 2025

AMD’s entire CES 2025 lineup has reportedly leaked, promising a huge range of new hardware - including its new range of next-gen RDNA 4 GPUs.

The leak comes from ‘zhangzhonghao’ in a Chinese forum on Chiphell, who suggests AMD will be revealing: laptop CPUs, desktop CPUs, desktop GPUs, handheld gaming chips, and more - phew! AMD’s chief executive Dr Lisa Su previously confirmed that RDNA 4 GPUs will launch in early 2025 (as revealed to PCWorld), which adds some validity to this new leak. Here’s everything the leaker claims will be on show at next year’s CES:

• Ryzen AI Kraken Point (laptop APUs)
• Ryzen AI Max 300/Strix Halo (laptop APUs)
• Ryzen HX Fire Range/X3D (laptop APUs)
• Ryzen Z2/Z2G/Z2 Extreme (handheld APUs)
• RDNA 4 (desktop GPUs)
• Ryzen 9950X3D/9900X3D (desktop CPUs)

Now, if all that doesn’t mean much to you, don’t worry: I’ll break down the specifics behind each product family below. If accurate, this powerhouse lineup could place AMD as the frontrunner at CES 2025, despite Nvidia’s inevitable RTX 5000 series announcement likely overshadowing Team Red’s new GPUs. While AMD might continue to fall behind Nvidia within the desktop GPU market, it doesn’t seem to be all doom and gloom in other hardware departments.

Ryzen AI ‘Kraken Point’ - a new rival for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite

Among the new Ryzen APUs launching in 2025 is AMD’s Kraken Point, reportedly in line to appear in new AI laptops. Olrak_29 on X, claims the APU will be taking advantage of the RDNA 3.5 architecture, with 8 compute units.

If it does show up at CES 2025, it will be yet another reason for AMD fans to be excited, particularly for the launch of new laptops. RDNA 2 has proven to be a success for devices like the Steam Deck, so the jump to the new architecture could be highly beneficial for thin-and-light gaming laptops since AMD reportedly aims to provide better performance and power efficiency.

Ryzen AI Max 300 / ‘Strix Halo’ - more power for AI laptops

Alongside AMD’s Kraken Point is the Ryzen AI Max 300 chip family (codenamed Strix Halo). It was already spotted as ‘Ryzen AI Max’ by ‘9550pro’ on X in a recent AMD chipset driver update - this name was already previously rumored to replace the codename Strix Halo.

Golden Pig Upgrade, a reliable AMD leaker, claims its strongest APU will feature 16 Zen 5 cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units, which could make it one of the best gaming APUs from AMD while naturally also offering competitive on-device AI performance. The leak suggests that there will be three variants of the Strix Halo; Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16 cores), Ryzen AI Max 390 (12 cores), and Ryzen AI Max 385 (8 cores).

CES 2025 looks set to the perfect stage for its reveal, so previous reports of an early 2025 release are likely true. The AI Max 300 chips won’t be available for direct purchase, but will ship in AI laptops as a more powerful alternative to the existing Ryzen AI 300 chips.

Ryzen HX ‘Fire Range’ / ‘Fire Range X3D’ - new CPUs for gaming laptops

The previous-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D is already a beast for PC gaming on desktops thanks to 3D V-Cache, so new X3D laptop chips are always welcome. (Image credit: Future/John Loeffler)

AMD’s 'Dragon Range' 7000HX-series laptop APU successor, codenamed ‘Fire Range’, is rumored to be a leap from Zen 4 to Zen 5 - Golden Pig Upgrade returns to claim that the new mobile APU will still utilize FL1 packaging. This could indicate that laptops utilizing Fire Range will hardly require any design changes, as they can stick with the same FL1 mainboard socket the previous predecessor used.

The Dragon Range lineup includes chips like the powerful Ryzen 9 7945HX for gaming laptops, and Fire Range will be a direct followup to this - notably, the leak also mentions ‘Fire Range X3D’, indicating that we could be getting AMD’s rumored ‘Next-Gen 3D V-Cache’ feature to take laptop gaming performance to new heights.

Ryzen Z2 / Z2G / Z2 Extreme - more handheld gaming goodness

Gaming handhelds are on the verge of receiving some of the biggest upgrades yet if the Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip spec leak is legitimate. Golden Pig Upgrade once again posted on Chinese social media site Bilibili regarding the new handheld APUs, stating that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme will feature 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores and 8 Zen 5 CPU cores - in other words, a generational step forward for both the CPU and integrated GPU, along with a core count bump for the integrated RDNA graphics (the Z1 extreme only had 12 RDNA 3 cores).

It will also reportedly come with two other variants - the Z2 (with RDNA 3) and Z2G (with RDNA 2), potentially pointing towards greater competition and diversity within the handheld gaming PC market. As aforementioned, RDNA 3.5 is rumored to be built towards greater power efficiency and gaming performance - this would be a significant boost for Asus’ next-gen ROG Ally and Lenovo’s Legion Go successors.

RDNA 4 - AMD's next-gen graphics are on the way

AMD might play second fiddle to Nvidia in the GPU market, but that's no reason to discount RDNA 4 just yet. (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

It’s no secret that AMD is turning its attention away from high-end graphics cards, with confirmation that the focus will now shift to mid-range and budget cards. This isn’t a surprise either, since Nvidia is clearly still dominating the GPU market and is expected to continue that trend with the RTX 5000 series.

As for RDNA 4, the focus will likely be on FSR 4 - newly driven by AI - along with potential enhancements to ray tracing performance which has historically been a weakness for AMD’s GPUs compared to Nvidia’s. It’s important to take this with a grain of salt, as there is still much to be revealed regarding the new GPU architecture.

Ryzen 9 9950X3D / 9900X3D - the new king of gaming CPUs?

With the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU on the verge of its launch amid a barrage of leaks, all eyes will be on the next line of desktop processors that could feature at CES 2025. The 8-core processor is reportedly launching with ‘Next-Gen 3D V-Cache’, which will likely also be present in the leaked Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D. The 9950X3D has the potential to become the single best CPU for desktop PC gamers, though pricing will obviously be the main issue here.

TechPowerUp revealed a report from Benchlife.info that claims the 9950X3D could utilize a total of 208MB of L3 Cache along with the 9900X3D using 204MB - a monstrous amount of cache memory which if true, would further amplify the rumors of Next-Gen 3D V-Cache that started with the incoming 9800X3D. With the new CPU’s launch right around the corner, it gives us confidence that AMD’s Ryzen 9 processors will follow suit…

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Learner driver data exposed in worrying breach - thousands affected

A major Brazilian driving school appears to have exposed the sensitive information of up to 400,000 individuals after failing to properly secure a cloud database.

Researchers from Cybernews claim to have found an unprotected Google Cloud Storage bucket containing information about Brazilian Learner’s Driving permits - Licença De Aprendizagem De Direção Veicular.

The learner permit is a document that the Brazilian government issues to people currently attending driving lessons, allowing them to drive a vehicle during lessons. Cybernews says the archive is most likely owned by a driving school from Sao Paulo, called Centro de Formação de Condutores Free Alda.

Still available

Most of the exposed data carries a Detran insignia - which stands for State Department of Traffic (Departamento Estadual de Trânsito).

The researchers believe that up to 400,000 individuals have had sensitive data exposed this way, including full names, photographs, postal addresses, government ID numbers, taxpayers’ numbers, details about the driving permit, including issue date and validity period, signatures, IP addresses, and user phone models. This is more than enough to run all sorts of cybercrime, from identity theft to wire fraud.

The pros think the archive was either misconfigured, or not properly secured. It is impossible to determine for how long it remained open, or if anyone accessed it before they found it. The Cybernews team says they made the discovery on June 2, and that the school was subsequently contacted by Brazil’s CERT. However, as late as September 19, the archive was still open to anyone who knew where to look.

“The exposed data could be exploited by malicious actors for identity theft, fraud, or other illegal activities. Moreover, a breach of this type can undermine public trust in governmental agencies responsible for managing and protecting sensitive personal information,” Cybernews researchers said.

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This laser technology could save the planet and help AI industry claw back more than $100 billion — half of GPUs are 'wasted' because of limited bandwidth, and this US startup wants to change that

Bandwidth limitations have become a significant bottleneck in AI and high-performance computing (HPC), as GPUs are underutilized due to bandwidth constraints, with nearly half of their computational power going to waste.

Nvidia is not expected to release optical interconnects for its NVLink protocol until the "Rubin Ultra" GPU compute engine launches in 2027.

This delay has led hyperscalers and cloud builders to explore ways to leapfrog Nvidia’s technology by adopting optical interconnects earlier.

Introducing ChromX

Xscape Photonics, an optical interconnect company spun out of research at Columbia University, is using photonics to realize scalable, high-bandwidth, energy-sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to enable the next generation of AI, ML, and simulation hardware.

This could help the AI industry save billions of dollars in wasted GPU capacity while also offering a path to greener, more sustainable AI infrastructures.

The Next Platform recently took a closer look at Xscape Photonics and spoke with the team behind it, including CEO Vivek Raghunathan, a former MIT researcher and Intel engineer.

Raghunathan highlighted the inefficiencies of current GPU systems, explaining that as scaling continues, the problem shifts "from GPU device-level performance to a system-level networking problem."

This is where Xscape’s technology comes into play. By converting electrical signals into optical ones directly within the GPU, Xscape can dramatically increase bandwidth while simultaneously reducing power consumption.

The startup’s solution, called the "ChromX" platform, uses a laser that can transmit multiple wavelengths of light simultaneously through a single optical fiber - up to 128 different wavelengths (or "colors"). This enables a 32-fold increase in bandwidth compared to lasers that use only four wavelengths.

The ChromX platform also relies on simpler modulation schemes like NRZ (Non-Return-to-Zero), which reduce latency compared to higher-order schemes like PAM-4 used in other systems such as InfiniBand and Ethernet. The ChromX platform is programmable, allowing it to adjust the number of wavelengths to match the specific needs of an AI workload, whether for training or inference tasks.

Raghunathan told The Next Platform’s Timothy Prickett Morgan, “The vision is to match in-package communication bandwidth to off-package communication escape bandwidth. And we think when we use our multicolor approach, we can match that so that giant datacenters - or multiple datacenters - behave as one big GPU.”

The potential impact of this technology is enormous. AI workloads consume vast amounts of energy, and with data center demand projected to triple by 2035, power grids may struggle to keep up. Xscape Photonics’ innovations could offer a vital solution, enabling AI systems to operate more efficiently and sustainably.

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Nvidia GPU owners told to update now to patch a range of serious security flaws

Nvidia has released a new patch for its GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux to fix a handful of rather serious vulnerabilities.

If exploited, the vulnerabilities mostly lead to code execution, denial of service, escalation of privileges, information disclosure, and data tampering, which means they are rather serious. Among them is CVE‑2024‑0126, which has a severity score of 8.2 (high severity).

Another six vulnerabilities are scored 7.8, while the final one is scored 7.1. Of the total eight flaws, five affect the Windows ecosystem. They are all user mode layer exploits, in which threat actors could initiate out-of-bound reads and thus execute code remotely. One exploit was for both Windows and Linux.

Smash and grab

The details about the vulnerabilities and how they can be exploited can be found on Nvidia’s security bulletin, here. There was no word of in-the-wild abuse, so we’re guessing crooks haven’t abused these bugs just yet.

However, with Nvidia’s popularity and prevalence, it is now only a matter of time before miscreants start looking for vulnerable endpoints to exploit.

GPUs are a popular target among cybercriminals, and not just those built by Nvidia. For example, in September 2023, security researchers warned of a flaw found in GPUs from all major manufacturers, which allowed hackers to read sensitive data displayed in browsers. Furthermore, in June 2024, ARM said it had found vulnerabilities in Bifrost and Valhall GPU kernel drivers being exploited in the wild.

At the time, the vulnerability was two years old, yet many users did not patch it on time.

Running regular updates to both software and hardware is one of the best ways to prevent cyberattacks. Users are advised to download and install the software update through the Driver Downloads page or, for the vGPU software and Cloud Gaming updates, through the Licensing Portal.

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"How do these 'snort your coffee' numbers arise?": Expert questions the validity of Zettascale and Exascale-class AI supercomputers, and presents a simple compelling car analogy to explain not all FLOPs are the same

A leading expert has raised critical questions about the validity of claims surrounding "Zettascale" and "Exascale-class" AI supercomputers.

In an article that delves deep into the technical intricacies of these terms, Doug Eadline from HPCWire explains how terms like exascale, which traditionally denote computers achieving one quintillion floating-point operations per second (FLOPS), are often misused or misrepresented, especially in the context of AI workloads.

Eadline points out that many of the recent announcements touting "exascale" or even "zettascale" performance are based on speculative metrics, rather than tested results. He writes, "How do these 'snort your coffee' numbers arise from unbuilt systems?" - a question that highlights the gap between theoretical peak performance and actual measured results in the field of high-performance computing. The term exascale has historically been reserved for systems that achieve at least 10^18 FLOPS in sustained, double-precision (64-bit) calculations, a standard verified by benchmarks such as the High-Performance LINPACK (HPLinpack).

Car comparison

As Eadline explains, the distinction between FLOPS in AI and HPC is crucial. While AI workloads often rely on lower-precision floating-point formats such as FP16, FP8, or even FP4, traditional HPC systems demand higher precision for accurate results.

The use of these lower-precision numbers is what leads to inflated claims of exaFLOP or even zettaFLOP performance. According to Eadline, "calling it 'AI zetaFLOPS' is silly because no AI was run on this unfinished machine."

He further emphasizes the importance of using verified benchmarks like HPLinpack, which has been the standard for measuring HPC performance since 1993, and how using theoretical peak numbers can be misleading.

The two supercomputers that are currently part of the exascale club - Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Aurora at Argonne National Laboratory - have been tested with real applications, unlike many of the AI systems making exascale claims.

To explain the difference between various floating-point formats, Eadline offers a car analogy: "The average double precision FP64 car weighs about 4,000 pounds (1814 Kilos). It is great at navigating terrain, holds four people comfortably, and gets 30 MPG. Now, consider the FP4 car, which has been stripped down to 250 pounds (113 Kilos) and gets an astounding 480 MPG. Great news. You have the best gas mileage ever! Except, you don’t mention a few features of your fantastic FP4 car. First, the car has been stripped down of everything except a small engine and maybe a seat. What’s more, the wheels are 16-sided (2^4) and provide a bumpy ride as compared to the smooth FP64 sedan ride with wheels that have somewhere around 2^64 sides. There may be places where your FP4 car works just fine, like cruising down Inference Lane, but it will not do well heading down the FP64 HPC highway."

Eadline’s article serves as a reminder that while AI and HPC are converging, the standards for measuring performance in these fields remain distinct. As he puts it, "Fuzzing things up with 'AI FLOPS' will not help either," pointing out that only verified systems that meet the stringent requirements for double-precision calculations should be considered true exascale or zettascale systems.

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The Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot launches next month, featuring unique rotating thumbstick and button modules

Turtle Beach has announced the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot, a brand-new wireless smart controller that features unique rotating button modules.

Launching on November 26, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot will cost $129.99 / £119.99 and, while the smart controller works both wirelessly and in wired mode for Windows PCs, it's designed specifically for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One. Pre-orders for the controller are now open.

The standout feature of the Stealth Pivot is its unique, rotating thumbstick and button control modules. They offer precise and enhanced control that can be switched depending on the game, whether it's first-person shooters, action, or racing games.

According to Turtle Beach, one layout provides traditional PC and Xbox pad controls, and the modules can be easily rotated and locked back into place to produce a stick-and-button layout more suitable for fighting games.

Crafted from premium materials, including built-in Hall effect sensors in the rotating control modules, users will be able to fully customize their controller from an extensive list of options available.

It also boasts Bluetooth 5.2, which is compatible with Android devices and smart TVs, a 20-hour wireless battery life, "lag-free" connectivity on PC using the 2.4GHz wireless transmitter, and anti-drift thumbsticks for smoother gameplay.

The controller's D-pad is also customizable and can be set to classic digital input, and there are four mappable quick-action buttons with the "Pro-Aim" feature, along with a "Quick-Slide Switch" for in-game adjustments.

"Turtle Beach’s Stealth Pivot delivers a new level of innovation in controllers by giving gamers the ability to play more of their favorite games using one controller," said Cris Keirn, CEO of Turtle Beach Corporation.

"The Stealth Pivot’s unique rotating modules that switch between traditional, fighting game, FPS, and MMO button and stick layouts is an industry-first, and its premium design and compatibility with PC, Xbox, and via Bluetooth make it a great controller for playing more games on more platforms."

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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Tuesday, October 29 (game #240)

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… You and me

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• NAME
• MESS
• SITE
• BIKE
• DINE
• FINE

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Just the two of us

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: top, 4th column

Last: bottom, 2nd column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #240) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #240, are…

• FRIEND
• PARTNER
• BESTIE
• COMPANION
• SIDEKICK
• SPANGRAM: TOGETHERNESS

---

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

---

Strands is generally at its easiest when the words are all simple synonyms – and today's is one such example. There are only five words to find, because the spangram, TOGETHERNESS, is so long, and the likes of FRIEND, COMPANION and BESTIE are all pretty obvious. Finding that spangram was the hardest part of it, but even that was only the work of a minute or so.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 28 October, game #239)

• PUMPKINS
• APPLES
• MAZE
• CIDER
• DOUGHNUTS
• HAYRIDES
• SPANGRAM: ORCHARDS

---

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D full specifications have leaked, and it’s great news for gamers and overclockers alike

The specifications for AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 7 9800X3D have leaked ahead of its scheduled release on November 7 - and it’s good news for gamers.

The leak remains consistent with the previous marketing description leak regarding a performance boost over its predecessor, the 7800X3D. As spotted by VideoCardz, the leak originates from Geizhals, a price comparison tool used by retailers in Europe. While the veracity of the information can’t be fully determined at this point, it’s likely to be accurate; leaks that stem from retailers tend to be more reliable than anonymous claims made on social media, after all.

AMD’s upcoming CPU will reportedly utilize eight Zen 5 cores with a 4.70GHz base clock speed, which can be boosted up to 5.20GHz - a 0.20GHz jump over the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, and with the CPU multiplier unlocked, users will be able to manually overclock this new processor. This wasn’t possible with previous AMD CPUs that utilized 3D V-Cache, which could be a significant boon for overclocking enthusiasts.

The leaked specifications reference 96MB of 3D V-Cache, identical to the 7800X3D (which is among AMD’s best processors), but the aforementioned marketing leak suggested that the 9800X3D may have an 8% performance boost over AMD's current high-end gaming CPU. This is reportedly powered by ‘Next-Gen 3D V-Cache’, but the Geizhals leak doesn’t appear to add any more information.

What does this mean for gamers?

AMD’s 3D V-Cache is a nifty tool for PC gamers, since it effectively triples the amount of available cache memory on the processor - something virtually every game can easily take advantage of, but it's especially valuable in CPU-bound titles.

Content creators in particular could benefit from the rumored Next-Gen 3D V-Cache, as it should boost performance when running multiple applications simultaneously - for example, having OBS or Twitch open in the background while playing a game.

Of course, it’s important that we wait for AMD’s official reveal, to find out if the leak’s suggested improvement in gaming performance is indeed the case - and if so, it could go a long way in improving gaming experiences for many on PC, considering the recent slate of CPU-bound titles such as Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

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1Kg, Sub $600 rival to Apple MacBook Air emerges in India — Infinix Air Pro+ has twice the memory, twice the storage, an OLED display but, somehow, is almost half the price

If you want to buy a MacBook Air but your budget won’t quite stretch, Infinix has launched a lightweight, highly-affordable Windows 11 alternative which brings an impressive array of features promising to rival higher-end competitors.

The Inbook Air Pro+ weighs only 1kg, placing it firmly in the thin and light category - ideal for everyday use, performance, processing, and multitasking.

Equipped with Intel’s 13th Gen Core i5 processor (1334U), featuring 10 cores, a 4.6GHz turbo boost, and integrated Iris Xe graphics, the laptop comes with 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 512GB of M.2 NVMe SSD storage - doubling the memory and storage capacity of the entry-level MacBook Air. An advanced cooling system with 79 precision-designed 0.2mm S-shaped fan blades prevents the device from overheating when under load.

Short battery life

One of the highlights of the Air Pro+ is its 14-inch OLED 2.8K (2880 x 1800) display. It’s rare to see an OLED panel at this price, so that alone is a great selling point. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, a peak brightness of 440 nits, and a 120Hz refresh rate, it promises vibrant, sharp visuals. The display also supports 100% of both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction - ideal for creative professionals.

The Air Pro+ sports all the ports you expect to see on a modern laptop, such as USB-C, HDMI 1.4, and USB 3.2. It also comes with a Full HD+ IR webcam supporting face recognition and a backlit keyboard. Wireless connectivity is provided in the form of WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

The 57Wh battery life, as per Infinix’s claims, lasts up to 8–10 hours, which should be just enough to get you through a full workday. In comparison, the Apple MacBook Air offers up to 18 hours. The Air Pro+ does at least support 65W Type-C fast charging.

Currently priced at 49,990 Indian rupees (approximately $600) on Flipkart, the Infinix Air Pro+ provides impressive specs for its price, offering a tempting option for budget-conscious buyers who need performance and portability without breaking the bank.

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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Monday, October 28 (game #239)

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #239) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Fall fun

NYT Strands today (game #239) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• PUMP
• PLUS
• AIDE
• PAID
• DIRE
• CHAMP

NYT Strands today (game #239) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Pick your own

NYT Strands today (game #239) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 5th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #239) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #239, are…

• PUMPKINS
• APPLES
• MAZE
• CIDER
• DOUGHNUTS
• HAYRIDES
• SPANGRAM: ORCHARDS

---

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 hints

---

I suspect many people will find today's Strands a lot easier than I did – but it may well depend entirely on where in the world you live. If that's the United States, then this may be easy enough, with the theme of 'Fall fun' and the spangram of ORCHARDS making perfect sense. For me, born and bred in the UK, it was all a bit alien. Sure, I know what an orchard is but it has no connection to 'fall' particularly, let alone to CIDER, MAZE or HAYRIDES. And then there's DOUGHNUTS, which seems entirely out of place here – and indeed out of place among all that fresh fruit and outdoor goodness. I think we have to chalk this one off as a case of transatlantic differences.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 27 October, game #238)

• CLASS
• PARTY
• LITTER
• LIFE
• CREAM
• CROP
• HEAD
• PICK
• SPANGRAM: PERFECTPAIR

---

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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Are you nostalgic about 56K dial up internet from the 1990s? Well, this Japanese company is selling an analog 56K modem that can connect to your copper landline — if you have one, of course

Japan is often seen as a global leader in cutting-edge technology, known for innovations in robotics, electronics, and high-speed trains - however, the country is also known for its tendency to hold onto older technology long after it has been abandoned elsewhere.

Only recently has Japan begun to phase out floppy disks in government offices, and far too many of its laptops and devices still come equipped with legacy features like VGA connectors. Most recently, we covered a PCI Express adapter that adds a parallel port to modern PCs, allowing buyers to connect long-forgotten devices like HP LaserJet or dot matrix printers. For bonus nostalgia points, the driver for it comes on a CD, and it’s compatible with Windows XP and newer.

But now, Planex Communications has embraced Japan’s unwillingness to fully move on with the release of its PL-US56K2(A) USB-connected 56K modem, ideal for anyone who still needs to dial into the internet like it’s 1999.

BEEEEEE-DEEEE-DEEEEEE-KEEEEEE-SHHHHH-BRRRRR-DEEEEE-KRRRRRR-WEEEEEEEEE-SHHHHHHH

For around 5,980 yen (about $40) on Amazon, this device is designed for PCs without built-in modems, enabling access to analog public phone lines for internet connectivity, data transmission, and even faxing - all without needing to install any drivers.

The modem supports the ITU-T V.90 and V.92 protocols, offering a maximum theoretical data reception speed of 56Kbps and a transmission speed of up to 33.6Kbps. At those speeds, you won’t be streaming HD videos, but you can at least check your emails or send a fax while reflecting on how far technology has come - or hasn’t, depending on your perspective.

Powered via USB 2.0, the PL-US56K2(A) is small and light, weighing just 28 grams and measuring a compact 25mm x 75mm x 18mm, making it easy to tuck away next to your other relics from the late '90s like your floppy disks, PalmPilot, and that stack of AOL free trial CDs.

The PL-US56K2(A) isn’t likely to take the world by storm, but it’s a handy solution for anyone still navigating the world of dial-up or needing to send the occasional fax.

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I love Kobo's E Ink writing tablets, but there's one critical area where Kindle has them beat

Having tested ereaders for about seven years now, it's fair to say I've tried most models from the mainstream brands – Amazon Kindle, Kobo, reMarkable, Onyx Boox and PocketBook. These companies make some of the best ereaders and writing tablets, but I am partial to a Kobo because of the user interface and the fact that I can borrow ebooks from public libraries in Sydney, Australia (where I am based). I also have a Kobo Plus subscription.

At present, my daily e-ink device is the Kobo Elipsa 2E – I prefer the writing features over the Kindle Scribe and its interface is far more streamlined than any Onyx Boox device I've tested. It also gets me a screen light that the reMarkable 2 doesn't, so I can read in bed at night or jot down an idea at 2am without turning on the lights.

However, if you were to ask me for a recommendation for an e-paper writing tablet, I'd probably suggest anything but the Elipsa 2E for one simple reason – how the Kobo Stylus 2 feels on the screen. If Kobo can fix one little hardware bit, I dare say all the writing tablets from the Japanese-Canadian brand – the Libra Colour, the Kobo Sage and the Elipsa 2E – would become my most-recommended devices.

That little hardware bit is the stylus' tip or nib.

The Kindle Scribe (left) uses a softer plastic tip for its Pen compared to a hard, conical nib on the Kobo Stylus 2 (right) (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Softly does it

While most brands use plastic for the styli tips, the Kobo Stylus 2 has a harder point than the ones on Amazon's Basic and Premium Pens, Onyx Boox's Pen Plus, and reMarkable's Markers. The softer plastic makes gliding over the various E Ink screens of the respective writing tablets very smooth, and this is particularly true for the 2022 Kindle Scribe (we are yet to fully test the new 2024 Kindle Scribe).

The Kobo Stylus 2, on the other hand, creates a lot more friction than any other brand I've tested. It's not quite reminiscent of a pen – fountain or ballpoint – on paper because it feels like you are actually writing on a sheet of plastic. Let me be clear, though – the overall writing experience on the Elipsa 2E, the Kobo Libra Colour, even the Sage, isn't too bad; it's just that the other brands do it better.

That said, I think the harder nib might also mean there may not be as much wear and tear compared to the softer pen tips. When I initially started using the Elipsa 2E, I found the Stylus 2 tip began to show signs of wear quite quickly (within days), but it plateaued out after that and, in the year that I've been using it, it hasn't gotten any worse.

That could be because I don't apply as much pressure on pens when writing as I've seen other people do. Take my colleague's experience as an example – Philip uses the reMarkable 2 for notes and "burns through the plastic pen nubs [sic] quicker than expected". So he turned to third-party titanium alternatives which, unfortunately, ended up being a "pen-destroying mistake". I have another friend who wore through the reMarkable's Marker Plus tip in about two months, nearly flattening it! This might sound like a reMarkable thing, but I have seen similar conditions on Kindle Scribe Pens.

The original Kobo Stylus with 2 buttons and no eraser (Image credit: TechRadar)

The pen is mightier

Kobo is no stranger to redesigning its digital pen. The first iteration of the Kobo Stylus was a AAAA battery-powered pen, which meant it was a little on the heavy side. Moreover, most people would likely have a spare AA or AAA battery lying around, not necessarily a AAAA. So not only did you need to take into consideration the ongoing cost of nib replacement, but also the battery.

This older pen didn't feature an eraser on the top, but had a button on the side (or is that 'length' on a cylindrical object?) close to where the thumb would be. It also had a second button close to it for using as a highlighter.

The Kobo Stylus 2, which debuted with the Elipsa 2E in April 2023, was a significant improvement over its predecessor. Gone is the battery; instead a USB-C port helps keep it topped up, so it's both lighter and a wee bit thinner in comparison. There's an eraser at the top of the Stylus 2, so it features just one button for highlighting. I also love the touch of white on the eraser – it adds a little something to the design aesthetic I think.

If Kobo is still keen on innovations, the one change I'd really like to see is a softer nib for a potential Stylus 3 that offers a smoother writing experience. Although I hope it doesn't come at the cost of needing to replace it often.

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Something to make Arm, Intel and AMD squirm; Nvidia, Qualcomm, Google and Samsung will deliver AI-focused presentations at RISC-V Summit

The recent RISC-V Summit in Santa Clara, California, saw major industry players like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Google, and Samsung deliver presentations focused on AI and the expanding role of the RISC-V architecture.

The involvement of such big name players put a spotlight on the growing momentum behind RISC-V, which is increasingly being seen as viable challenger to proprietary architectures like Arm and x86.

Nvidia, which has used RISC-V in its GPU microcontrollers for nearly a decade, presented a 20-minute keynote titled “One Architecture, Dozens of Applications, Billions of Processors,” presented by its VP of Multimedia Architecture/ASIC, Frans Sijstermans exploring the company has used RISC-V to improve its products, highlighting the architecture’s growing influence in GPU design.

Building new AI accelerators

Having previously announced its long-term commitment to RISC-V, Qualcomm also took to the stage to discuss Sail and other alternative approaches to providing a single source of truth for the RISC-V ISA. The company also participated in a keynote panel on the future of AI and security, alongside Nvidia and others.

Samsung highlighted how it has successfully integrated RISC-V CPUs into its embedded systems, and offered insights on how Samsung Foundry is helping customers innovate with RISC-V. The company also discussed ways it has optimized chip and chiplet performance to create smarter, more efficient systems.

One of the definite highlights of the event was a talk from Google DeepMind’s Cliff Young and Martin Maas, who spoke on the benefits of building new AI accelerators with RISC-V. Google’s TPUs are based on the architecture, and the session covered the pair’s experiences at Google designing and deploying successful accelerators and the challenges faced along the way.

Although widespread server and PC adoption may take time, RISC-V is gaining momentum in both the AI and automotive sectors, with other summit speakers discussing more about this and cover how upcoming computing trends could be shaped by the architecture, including RISC-V’s role in generative AI and high-performance computing.

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Sandisk quietly puts 2TB SD card on sale — Extreme Pro is as fast as a hard drive, has a lifetime warranty, and is actually cheaper than I'd expect

Western Digital recently split its business into two divisions: The WD brand, which now focuses exclusively on hard drives, and SanDisk, which manages the flash side, including SSDs, memory cards, and USB flash drives. While browsing SanDisk’s site, I noticed the Extreme Pro SDHC and SDXC UHS-I card is now available in a 2TB capacity, expanding the existing range, which previously topped out at 1TB.

This is great news for content creators and professionals, as the doubled capacity provides plenty of space for thousands of RAW photos or hours of 4K UHD video, and the card is fast too, making it ideal for demanding tasks like continuous burst photography and slow-motion video capture.

SanDisk claims the card offers read speeds of up to 250MB/s and write speeds of up to 150MB/s when used with the SanDisk QuickFlow SD UHS-I Card USB-A Reader (sold separately). QuickFlow first exceeded the UHS-I 104MB/s speed barrier in 2018, and SanDisk made further improvements to its technology in 2022 and again in 2024.

Reasonably priced

Living up to the Extreme part of its name, the card is engineered to withstand harsh temperatures, humidity, water, shocks, and even X-rays, ensuring reliable data protection in tough environments. It comes with a lifetime limited warranty, underscoring its durability, and buyers get access to RescuePRO Deluxe data recovery software for two years after purchase, to help restore accidentally deleted or corrupted files.

2TB of storage is enough to store up to 47,368 24MP RAW photos or over 2,800 minutes of 4K UHD video. Compatible with various devices, including DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, camcorders, and laptops, the SanDisk Extreme Ppro SD UHS-I card is priced lower than I would have expected, and you can buy it right now for $299.

if you want to pick up the SanDisk QuickFlow SD UHS-I Card USB-A Reader at the same time, that will cost you an additional $17.99. You can obviously use the 2TB card with other readers.

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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, October 25 (game #236)

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #236) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Make some noise!

NYT Strands today (game #236) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• META
• QUEUE
• BARN
• BRUNT
• TOUR
• STEP

NYT Strands today (game #236) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Woofers and tweeters

NYT Strands today (game #236) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 4th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #236) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #236, are…

• CHIRP
• SQUEAK
• PURR
• GROWL
• BARK
• SQUAWK
• GRUNT
• MEOW
• SPANGRAM: PETSOUNDS

---

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

---

What better way to end the working week than by solving a Strands puzzle that's all about PETSOUNDS. No, not the Beach Boys album – though I would have been VERY happy to have had a Strands game with that as the theme – but rather the actual sounds made by animals. For instance SQUEAK, PURR, BARK, MEOW and CHIRP.

They're all pretty obvious, to be honest, so I doubt anyone here will have struggled too much. The most difficult element will have been to get started, but many of the answers are easy to find, so even that is unlikely to have troubled you by much.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 24 October, game #235)

• PEPPER
• ANISE
• CINNAMON
• CLOVE
• CARDAMOM
• NUTMEG
• SPANGRAM: MASALACHAI

---

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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Google Calendar finally gets an official dark mode on the web –here's how to find it

---

• The web version of Google Calendar has been given an official dark mode
• The feature is rolling out globally this week to all Calendar users
• Google has also given Calendar a "refreshed user interface"

---

If you've been patiently waiting years for Google Calendar to deliver an official dark mode, today is your day – the web version of the app has finally been given a darker optional color scheme, along with a mild redesign.

The news came in a Google Workspace blog post where Google said that it's introducing the ability to switch between light mode, dark mode, and default themes. As previous reports have noted, dark modes can give you a small battery life saving, particularly if you're using a device with an OLED screen.

(Image credit: Future)

The update is rolling out now, though it's also become available to a few members of the TechRadar team so far. To see if you have it, head to the settings cog at the top right of the page, then in the new drop-down menu click 'Appearance' (see above).

You'll then see the menu below – choose 'Dark' and you'll be treated to the eye-pleasing sight of the new dark mode. That's not everything that's changed either – the typography and controls have been tweaked in line with Google's 'Material Design 3' guidelines, which Google says makes it "more modern and accessible."

The calendar certainly looks cleaner to us, but the dark mode is the main improvement that we're particularly happy to see.

Warning: may cause extension headaches

(Image credit: Future)

In slightly less good news, Google says these changes may break some of your Chrome extensions if they "are active when using Google Calendar."

Google didn't elaborate on what extensions might be affected but said some "might not work as expected" and that you should contact the extension's developers with any issues. We'd imagine ones like G-Calize (for color-coding calendars) and Timely might be the kind of extensions that could be affected.

Other affected extensions could include some theme customizers that became available in the Chrome Web Store when it looked like Google was reluctant to make an official one.

Fortunately, that dark mode is now here – which is good news for both our eyes and laptop battery lives in general.

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AMD’s leaked Ryzen 7 9800X3D performance boost over the 7800X3D might be a reason for you to wait before your next CPU upgrade

A new leak claims AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor will see an 8% performance boost over the Ryzen 9 7800X3D — in other words, the chip that is regarded as one of the best gaming CPUs on the market now looks set to be dethroned.

This could stand as a significant boost for PC gamers, especially considering the improvement in 3D V-Cache, which was a downside in our AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D review. The leak from VideoCardz contains a marketing description of the 9800X3D, revealing ‘Next-Gen 3D V-Cache’ which points towards better thermal performance when operating at higher clock speeds.

VideoCardz also reports that it’s expected to have a 15% enhancement over the 7800X3D in multi-threaded workloads, ideal for multi-tasking duties and video editing, using 8 cores and 16 threads — this strikes a balance for both content creators and gamers, along with the aforementioned 3D V-Cache improvements. These pivotal enhancements being leaked ahead of the 9800X3D’s confirmed November 7th launch and AMD’s full spec reveal gives gamers some insight into what to expect.

Will the 9800X3D be worth the upgrade?

While we have yet to see the full scope of what the Ryzen 7 9800X3D will have to offer specification-wise, the leaked marketing description gives us a great idea of what is in store for PC gamers. Considering the aforementioned 8% boost in gaming performance and room for slightly higher clock speeds up to 5.2GHz compared to the previous 5GHz, the switch is certainly worth contemplating - and for gamers who have yet to upgrade to an AM5 chip, this performance boost could finally be the push they need.

Despite the improvements listed in the leak, it’s important to note that there is only so much that can be done when it comes to poor game optimization on PC — an upgrade can help specifically with reducing stuttering in certain games, but it’s not the silver bullet for achieving optimal performance. Besides, most modern games are far more dependent on your GPU and available VRAM.

If you’re using the best GPUs on the market, like the Nvidia RTX 4080 Super or RTX 4090, any kind of upgrade isn’t entirely urgent, but we’ll have to wait to see everything AMD’s new processor has to offer before we can pass judgment on the value of this new chip.

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This cheap mini PC packs an Intel Core i3, four 10GbE and 2.5GbE Ethernet ports and can even run Windows — so could it be the perfect home web server?

The iKOOLCORE R2 Max is a compact yet powerful mini PC that comes with either the Intel N100 or the more powerful Intel Core i3-N305, making it capable of handling various tasks such as content creation, virtualization, and office work.

Despite its small size, measuring just 15.7 x 11.8 x 4 cm, the R2 Max is well-equipped with four high-speed Ethernet ports - two 10GbE ports powered by Marvell AQC113C-B1-C chips and two 2.5GbE ports running on Intel i226-v controllers.

These could make it an excellent choice for users seeking a budget-friendly home web server with advanced networking capabilities.

Keep cool

(Image credit: iKOOLCORE )

Internally, the R2 Max supports up to 32GB of DDR5-4800 RAM in a single slot and includes dual M.2 NVMe slots (2242/2280) for storage, with support for up to 2TB. While the PCIe 2.0 x1 lanes limit peak SSD performance, they should be fast enough for sharing files and serving up media.

The R2 Max also includes two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port for connecting peripherals, alongside HDMI 2.0 and USB-C for 4K 60fps display output. Power can be supplied via a 19V DC input or a USB-C PD port, adding flexibility for users who want a backup battery.

Cooling is handled via a passive system, featuring a copper heatsink and a CNC metal top cover for heat dissipation, which should be more than sufficient for typical home server tasks. For heavier workloads, two optional fans can be added to improve airflow and prevent the system from overheating.

The R2 Max is priced at $299 for the N100 barebone version and up to $709 for the fully equipped N305 model with 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD. The mini PC is compatible with Windows, Linux, pfSense, OPNsense, OpenWrt, Proxmox VE, VMware ESXi, Unraid, and more.

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Qualcomm’s next AI frontier is… your car

Qualcomm has historically been quiet about its automotive aspirations, preferring to focus attention on its Snapdragon mobile and laptop processor offerings. That might be changing. The company flew me to its Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit on Maui to see its latest Snapdragon Elite chips, and this year it's all about automotive. The Snapdragon Digital Chassis has been powering cars for a couple of years, but now Qualcomm is honking its Elite horn with Snapdragon Ride Elite and Snapdragon Cockpit Elite systems on a chip. And when Qualcomm says ‘Elite,’ it means power and AI. AI is coming to cars in a big way.

I don’t just mean self-driving AI, though that's certainly a big part of Qualcomm’s technology. The new Snapdragon Ride Elite chipset can manage up to 40 different sensors at once. These might include radar, LiDAR, cameras, microphones, and infrared. It will use AI to manage all of that data and assist with driving. Qualcomm suggests the Ride Elite will be able to handle Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving, which means you’ll still need to keep your hands on the wheel, or at least close to it.

Qualcomm AI means much more than driving automation. There will be new features tailor-made for an in-car experience, though a lot of what Qualcomm is showing off right now sounds like smartphone AI transported to the vehicle. You’ll be able to use AI to set a reminder, or it might find the closest Starbucks if it thinks you need some caffeine. Your kids can ask for last-minute homework help on the way to school.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Some of those sensors managed by Snapdragon will be pointed inside the car. Qualcomm imagines car makers using infrared cameras to not only detect the number of occupants, but also to read our body positions and even facial expressions. This technology is similar to Apple’s FaceID, which also uses infrared cameras to read the contours of your face.

Once the AI is aware of the passengers, it can help with safety features, like making sure you don’t leave pets or small children behind by accident. It will detect if you start to fall asleep and help keep you alert. It might also detect if your children in the back are asleep, and quiet the music and road alerts in their zone.

Zones will be a big part of the next generation of automobile cabins. Using AI, Qualcomm says the Snapdragon will be able to direct sound environments, climate changes, and other customizations only at one passenger or another. You might listen to music as you drive, while your passenger watches a movie and the kids in the backseat play games.

Getting Unreal graphics help from Epic Games

All of that will happen in the car, and Qualcomm imagines a car that has door-to-door displays. The new Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform can drive up to 16 4K displays. Some of those will be your instrument gauge, your cockpit controls, and your rearview camera. Other displays will offer entertainment and controls to all of your passengers. Overkill? Maybe not.

The most interesting partner to appear with Qualcomm during the automotive keynote at the Snapdragon Summit was Epic Games. Epic has ported its Unreal Engine to cars. The same software that provides the backbone for some of the best video games, including Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, also powers the dashboard on Rivian trucks.

RIvian is using Unreal Engine on its console displays for maps, vehicle status, and pretty much everything else, and it looks unreal. The Engine is great at rendering a 3D environment, so it makes a natural fit for maps, looking at a diagnostic view of your car, and controlling the climate.

Rivian with K.I.T.T. headlights glaring (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This Halloween, Rivian owners have been treated to car costumes that make the interior look like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider or the DeLorean from Back to the Future. You can’t drive with the costume on, but it still looks fantastic and is fun to show off.

Where we're going we won't need roads ... or at least buttons

Qualcomm makes the brains, but it relies on car makers and software developers to make the thoughts

I still worry about the future of cars without physical buttons and controls, because I personally don’t have the dexterity to tap tiny touchscreen buttons while I’m driving. Thankfully, I won’t have to worry about touching controls, because the car’s AI will handle everything.

I don’t need to twist the temperature dial, I can just say “I’m hot” and the car will turn on the air conditioner. If my friend in the back says “I’m getting cold,” it will warm their zone. With intelligent AI assistance, I’ll be able to ask for anything that used to have its own button. I’ll just say ‘play Chappell Roan;’ or ‘turn on my emergency lights.’

Of course, relying on voice for control presents a new set of problems, especially for folks who have difficulties speaking, or an accent the car finds unfamiliar. Will the car know how Chappell Roan pronounces her name?

I wish I could tell you much more about what AI will do in your car, but we really don’t know yet. Qualcomm makes the brains, but it relies on car makers and software developers to make the thoughts. When Qualcomm launches a new chipset, we get one or two solid examples of what the future can hold, but we need to wait for RIvian, Mercedes, and myriad Chinese electric car makers like Great Wall Motors and Li Auto to develop and evolve the features.

Your car will get software updates and apps, just like your phone

Hearing from Li Auto, Rivian and Mercedes at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit, it’s clear that what excites these car makers the most is the way Snapdragon Elite chipsets will make it easier to update a car’s software and features. The entire software update process is going to change for cars.

Today, updating car software is a complicated process that requires a smartphone connection. Premium electric cars from Rivian and Tesla get software updates and major new features over-the-air, thanks to always-on connectivity and powerful processing.

That same concept is coming to more cars in the future, and when all of your car controls are based in software, that could mean you step into an entirely new vehicle after an overnight update.

Do you get annoyed when Apple updates your iPhone and suddenly your photo gallery looks totally different? Wait until that happens to your Mercedes cockpit. If it sounds like cars are getting dangerously close to being like smartphones, you don’t know the half of it.

Apps are coming to cars in a big way, and not just the apps you’d expect. Sure, there will be games you can play in the car. Angry Birds was on Qualcomm’s list of car apps, and Epic says Fortnite is a popular request from car customers. But Qualcomm also imagines your car will be a space for productivity.

You’ll run Zoom meetings in your car and see your participants on the dashboard. When you drive by a billboard for something you want, you’ll open Amazon on your dash to buy it. If you want to stop for the night, open Booking.com through your car, not your phone, and then your car AI will automatically map its way to your hotel room.

GM CEO Mary Barra addresses Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

You can even buy new additional software features through the car. Right now, Tesla owners can pay extra to buy the contentious Full Self Driving software update, but in the future, more cars will offer software updates and new features for an additional fee. You might start with a base model car, then after a year decide you want to pay for something more premium, and it will only take a software update to give you more.

Qualcomm still needs car makers to build upon its vision in order to realize an AI future that will be useful for cars, but GM, BMW, Mercedes and Rivian were all present for the Snapdragon Ride Elite and Cockpit Elite chipset launch.

Rivian wouldn’t comment on when the Elite chips would power its cars, and it also wouldn’t comment on what chipset the upcoming Rivian R3 will use. That car is launching in the right time frame to get Elite Qualcomm status. Reps from BMW told me to look out for an all new vehicle at CES 2025.

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