Google Drive Files Gone Missing Due To a Bug In The Desktop App

Google Drive is one of the best cloud storage options available and is open to the public. However, according to a trending support thread on Google’s support forums, users have reported that some of their files have started to disappear from the service in recent months. Furthermore, since none of these files were deleted manually, they don’t appear in the platform’s recycling bin feature and thus cannot be recovered (so far).

Early on in the investigation, many speculated that the files vanished due to a hacker attack, but this isn’t the case. According to a thorough investigation, it has been concluded that the issue stems from the Google Drive app for desktop, which affects users regardless of whether their system is Windows or Mac. With that said, users on the browser variation of the service can rest easy.

It was also discovered that the bug would eliminate the data from the account, almost reverting the account back to a state before that data was made. Unfortunately, there’s no explanation for it so far, but Google has confirmed that this problem is related to a syncing issue seen in the recently rolled-out v84.0.0.0 through 84.0.4.0 of Drive.

Although this issue affects – as Google puts it – a “limited subset of Drive for desktop users,” it is recommended to backup all important files and documentation. Furthermore, the company has warned users to avoid disconnecting their Google account from the Drive on desktop, and that they should not tamper with the “DriveFS” folder that’s locally found on their machines in any way, shape, or form.

Apple’s Plan For Periscope Cameras On iPhones Reportedly Halted Due To Samsung Patents

Rumours suggesting that Apple may be planning to include a periscope camera on future iPhone models have been circulating around since last year. Now, a recent report by The Elec has revealed that the company might be facing an issue to achieve this purported goal.

According to the South Korean news outlet, Apple allegedly planned to have its periscope camera to come with a ball actuator, a mechanism used to move the module’s interior lenses. However, this technological innovation is patented by rival smartphone maker Samsung, who’ve also featured the mechanism in the imaging systems featured on its flagship products, including this year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The iPhone maker was expected to acquire the periscope camera modules from its long-time supplier LG InnoTek, The Elec reports. But this route may not be favourable for Apple, as the supplier procures its ball actuators from Samsung Electro-Mechanics – a move that will result in the Cupertino-based company to pay Samsung a patent license fee in order to use the technology for its future smartphone releases.

Similarly, the publication added that the same issue also plagued Apple’s decision to procure a potentially new optical image stabilisation (OIS) module by Jahwa Electronics. According to The Elec, the supplier raised concerns that it may not be able to supply the iPhone maker with the technology, due to the fact that it was co-developed together with Samsung and its Samsung Electro-Mechanics subsidiary.

With several obstructions being in the way, Apple is reportedly seeking alternatives to bypass the problem. It is suggested that the company is considering to either change the design of its periscope camera module altogether in order to avoid using the patented technology, or simply pay the patent license fee to Samsung.

Regardless, it will still take a while until we actually see a periscope camera on an iPhone, as it is said to only debut in 2023. But as always, such reports regarding this are unofficial at this current time, so be sure to take these rumours with a nice pinch of salt.

NASA, SpaceX Halts Progress On Moon Lander Project Due To Contract Challenges

NASA has put a hold on its moon lander project, which it rewarded Elon Musk’s aerospace firm SpaceX  a US$2.9 billion contract two weeks ago. The delay is caused by the recent formal complaint filed by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and defence contractor Dynetics to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) earlier this week.

According to a statement released on Friday, NASA spokesperson Monica Witt says that the US-based space agency has instructed SpaceX to suspend progress on the lunar HLS (human landing systems) until GAO resolves all outstanding litigation related to this procurement. Sources such as Reuters noted that the challenges from Blue Origin and Dynetics could extend until 4 August 2021 at the latest.

In a report by SpaceNews, Dynetics claims that NASA chose “the most anti-competitive and high risk option available”. It argues that the space agency proceeded with a single award despite receiving only about one fourth of the $3.3 billion it requested for the program from the US Congress in fiscal year 2021. “In light of this new budget constraint and schedule change, the HLS program as originally conceived and as set forth in the Solicitation is no longer executable,” Dynetics said.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin, as previously reported, said that NASA’s decision to award SpaceX the moon lander contract eliminates opportunities for the competition. It added that this in turn narrows the supply base, which not only delay but also “endanger America’s return to the moon”.

That being said, the contract challenges by the two companies against NASA and SpaceX is already causing a delay to the country’s potential revisit to Earth’s natural satellite, ironically.

TSMC 2nm Chips Reportedly Enters Development; 3nm, 4nm Due In 2022

While the chip shortage is expected to rage on till next year, Taiwanese foundry, TSMC, has no intentions of slowing down the development of new and thinner fabrications of its products. To that end, reports suggest that the foundry has already entered development of a 2nm process node.

According to Anandtech, TSMC seems to be developing both 3nm and 2nm at the same time. Unsurprisingly, the Taiwanese foundry isn’t sharing a lot of detail, only that development for the die lithography is progressing nicely under its “advanced CMOS logic”.

As for its 3nm and 4nm process, Anandtech says that both process nodes are still on track with its development, with 4nm expected to enter mass production by early 2022, while the 3nm – part of the company’s N3 roadmap – should enter risk production this year, with mass production expected to begin during the second half of 2022.

TSMC has long dominated the semiconductor market and has virtually cornered half the market, the other half having been bagged by Samsung. Earlier this month, the company also announced that it would spend US$100 billion (~RM410 billion) over the next three years to ramp up its production capacity.

New Router Orders Hit With 60-Week Delay Due To Global Chip Shortage

Broadband and internet providers around the world have become the latest victim of the ongoing chip shortage, as global supply chains for router manufacturers are now increasing the wait time for the component to a 60-weeks period.

According to Bloomberg, that waiting period is reportedly more than double the length of previous waiting periods. To be clear, many of these carriers still have routers in their inventory, but in the case of Taiwan-based maker, Zyxel Communications, the company says that the impact of the shortage has hit close to home “several times” in the past.

Zyxel Communications also wasn’t spared from ongoing world events and mishaps; the router manufacturer had inventory stored onboard the Evergreen ship that blocked the Suez Canal last week, throwing yet another wrench into its supply chain at the time.

It bears repeating that the ongoing chip shortage has affected many major tech players and their roles on the world stage. For GPU makers NVIDIA and AMD, the critical chip shortage has put a dent in the world’s graphics card supply. Compounding that insult even further are the numerous scalpers and GPU miners that are hogging up every available GPU they can get their hands on, leaving bonafide gamers without nothing left.

Even Samsung isn’t spared from the chip shortage and it certainly didn’t help that the Korean electronic giant’s factories in Texas were forced to close, due to a freak winter storm that swept the US state and left virtually the whole state and its residents without power for days.