WhatsApp Beta Rolls Out Default Disappearing Messages Update

A new feature is launching on WhatsApp beta that allows users to set all messages to disappear by default. The feature’s current iteration only allows users to turn on disappearing messages for individual chats and only gives the option of seven days.

This new rollout gives you more control over the privacy feature. For starters, there’s now a global timer for all chats, and that’s in addition to the ability to personalise the duration for individual threads. Instead of just seven days, WhatsApp is also adding options for 24 hours and 90 days.

The expanded message timer joins the View Once feature as part of the platform’s growing suite of privacy-focused tools. Be aware of course, that none of these measures prevent recipients from recording or taking a screenshot of the contents that you send and, unlike Snapchat, you have no way of knowing if they did.

The default disappearing messages is rolling out to iOS users on WhatsApp beta and WhatsApp Business beta. Unfortunately, Android beta users will have to be patient as the feature will only be released next week. With the latest beta, WhatsApp also unveiled larger and rounder chat bubbles.

New NBMiner Update Reportedly Enables Better Mining Performance For LHR-limited NVIDIA Cards

NBMiner, a software used for cryptomining, recently released a new tool that is supposedly capable of enabling as much as 70% of the original mining performance of a Lite Hash Rate (LHR) version of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics card.

As some of you know, NVIDIA’s relationship with cryptominers has always been delicate; the group has undeniably been one of the GPU maker’s biggest contributor to GPU sales, hoarding every GPU they can get their hands on, while leaving consumers and actual, bonafide gamers that really just want to game, empty-handed.

Make no mistake, NVIDIA has tried its darndest – bless them – to alleviate the GPU shortage in recent times, first by creating mining-specific GPUs, followed by current release of LHR-based GPUs. In regards to the latter, the company did have a couple of hiccups with the execution of the limiter, the most prominent being the dummy plug bypass employed by miners with their RTX 3060 cards.

To be clear, the NBMiner tool doesn’t “unlock” the performance of the LHR cards. What it does do is allow the miner to make adjustments to the value that is used, to determine the GPU’s maximum unlockable hashrate. In this case, the developer of the tool recommends that miners use 68% specifically, therefore enabling the LHR GPU to mine Ethereum at 68%. And not at NVIDIA’s 50% limited hashrate.

At this point, it is hard to say if NBMIner’s tool will entice miners to pick up LHR cards, considering that it still isn’t the full 100% hashrate efficiency of the card. But, as pointed out by Videocardz, 68% is still a lot better than 50%.

LG Will Update Its Puricare Air Purifier Mask With Mics And Speakers

LG has announced that it will be updating its Puricare Wearable Air Purifier mask with slight improvements and new features. Most interestingly is the new addition of microphones and speakers, which makes it easier to have conversations while wearing the mask.

LG calls this new feature VoiceON technology, which is claimed to automatically recognise when the wearer is talking via the built-in microphones and will then amplify their voice through the speakers. There’s no demo of this technology in action at this time but hopefully it would provide a better experience than the original, which has been reported to significantly muffle the user’s speech.

Other than that, the updated air Puricare Wearable Air Purifier mask will sport a smaller, lighter and more efficient motors for its dual fans. Battery life also gets a bump with a larger 1000mAh battery (up from 850mAh) which charges within 2 hours. And it’s not just the motors that got lighter, as the whole mask itself now weighs only 94g (the original was 126g).

It’s also worth noting that LG’s VoiceON feature is quite similar to Razer’s VoiceAmp technology, which will be present in Razer’s Project Hazel mask that is due to be released later this year. Unlike Razer’s, the South Korean giant’s mask does not feature interior lighting to light up the wearer’s mouth, but it does have a cleaner aesthetic for the minimalists.

While LG has yet to reveal the price, it noted that the mask will first launch in Thailand next month, “with other markets to follow once approved by local regulators.” Unfortunately, the mask is not officially sold in Malaysia, but it is made available in Singapore for SGD $229 (~RM710).

Windows 10 KB5001330 Update Reportedly Causing Framerate Issues And BSODs For Gamers

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 Patch Tuesday update has reportedly been the bane of gamers. According to a post on Reddit, a gamer by the username of u/m4ddan says that they have been facing numerous issues while gaming, after he had installed the update.

The problems that they encountered after the patch supposedly includes stuttering, framerates wildly fluctuating, a non-functioning V-Sync, and sudden FPS drops whenever they shared their gameplay on Discord. At this point, the issue clearly isn’t an isolated incident and at the time of writing, the subreddit has more than 80 comments from users, all expressing discontent and anger over the same issues.

The good news is that uninstalling the update and reverting back to the previous version of Windows 10 eliminates the issue. That said, this isn’t the first time a Windows 10 update has caused grief for users, and there is a laundry list. As far back as 2018, updates to the OS have been known to cause its own digital assistant, Cortana, to freeze; Bluetooth connections to fail; unnecessary defragging of SSDs and an update last year that could damage the storage medium if users performed a Check Disk scan.

Then, if that wasn’t bad enough, the March update last month also contained a bug that causes systems to BSOD whenever a system tried to use a printer.

At the time of writing, Microsoft did not comment, neither did it specify when a fix to the update would be available.

PS5 Update Lets You Store Games On External USB Drives

The PS5 has had an update or two since launch, but they were on the smaller side of things. Now, Sony Interactive Entertainment has released what it calls the console’s first major update. And this one lets you store games on external USB drives.

That being said, the limitations of external storage remains, that is you can’t play PS5 games from them. You’ll still have to move them to the internal SSD for that. This is definitely a faster process than having to download them. That being said, you’ll have to be careful about chewing through its total read/write life cycle.

Other things being added in this update include features that extend across two console generations. For one, there’s cross-generation Share Play. This means you can let a friend try out your PS5 game on their PS4, and vice versa. Then there’s the Request to Join Game Session option. This allows others to join in your game without you sending out the invite yourself, and you just need to approve their request.

The PS5 is also getting more personalisation options with this update. This includes things like shortcuts to disabling in-game voice chat and adjusting the volumes of individual voice chats. A more interesting one is what SIE calls Game Update Pre-download. It basically allows you to download updates early, if it’s enabled by a game’s dev team.

The PlayStation blog post also mentions new features coming to the PS app in the future, including joining a PS5 game via the app. For a more detailed breakdown of each feature, you can tread them yourself.

Microsoft Rolls Out Update For Disconnecting Xbox Series X Controller Issue

It appears that Microsoft quietly rolled out an update to fix some of the issues that have plagued the Xbox Series X controller, chief among which being the disconnecting issue. In addition, it has also introduced new features.

As a quick recap, some owners of the Xbox Series X controllers took their complaints online, when their controllers started disconnecting intermittently, in intervals of 10 seconds, and for about five times. For gamers, it’s an issue that would effectively destroy the gaming experience.

Now, the new features and fixes aren’t technically being listed in the update’s official patch notes, but Jason Ronald, Xbox Program Manager, did assure owners of the controllers that the fixes are live. As for the new features, the update now gives users the option to toggle FPS boost and auto-HDR settings. To be clear, both those features launched last month; the new update merely gives users the option to turn them off and on.

Windows 10 March Update Gives You The BSOD When You Use Printers

Windows 10 updates has, unfortunately, quite the history of breaking PCs. Previously, we saw updates break Bluetooth, WiFi, and possibly SSDs. This time, it would crash your PC if you use a printer.

According to Windows Latest, this is caused by the Windows 10 KB5000802 March 2021 update. And it’s an automatic security update, which means that it may have already been installed on a lot of PCs. And because it’s an automatic security update, you can’t really say no to its installation.

Reports of printers crashing PCs seem to primarily involve Kyocera printers. That being said, there are other reports involving printers from Ricoh and Zebra, among others.

For what it’s worth, Microsoft says that it is aware of the problem. The company says that they are currently investigating the matter, but has no solution to it yet. As you’d expect, the company only says that it will provide updates “when more information is available”.

If you’re affected by this, one solution is to roll the update back. There are two other workarounds shared by a Reddit user who claim to be a Microsoft staffer. One involves enabling direct printing via the Command Prompt, while the other is using the Compatibility tool. For what it’s worth, the workarounds look to be effective.

Microsoft To End Support For Legacy Edge; To Be Automatically Replaced With April Update

Microsoft recently announced that it is ending support for the non-Chromium version of its Legacy Edge browser. The announcement comes nearly a year after it said it would discontinue any and all development for it, back in August.

As a quick primer, Legacy Edge was originally known by its codename “Spartan” and came bundled with Windows 10 as the default web browser, long before it was officially given its “Edge” namesake.

The current iteration of Edge is based on Microsoft’s Chromium-esque browser which, in turn, is technically based on Google’s own Chrome web browser. Moving forward, Microsoft says that Legacy Edge will be automatically removed from Windows 10 in its upcoming Windows 10 update, with the new Edge browser being installed.

Alternatively, you can also download the new Edge browser yourself. All you have to do is head over to Microsoft’s official site, assuming the company’s forced Windows 10 updates hasn’t already strong-armed you into doing so already.

Apple Rolls Out Update To Address WebKit Security Issue On iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS

Apple has rolled out a set of updates that are meant to address the security issue within WebKit which is the web browser engine that the company uses in its Safari web browser. Interesting enough, the issue seems to be affecting multiple Apple products at once.

The exact nature of the security issue which is labelled as the CVE-2021-1844 was not revealed by Apple although it has been described as a memory corruption issue that could provide space for a malicious website to run unauthorised codes. Its discovery was credited to Clément Lecigne from Google’s Threat Analysis Group and Alison Huffman of the Microsoft Browser Vulnerability Research team.

For iPhone and iPod Touch, the patch comes in the form of iOS 14.4.1 and similarly, iPad users can also obtain it via iPadOS 14.4.1. On another hand, the fix is being delivered to Apple Watch Series 3 and above through watchOS 7.3.2.

Mac users should keep a look for macOS Big Sur 11.2.3 for the security fix but if they are using an older version of the operating system such as Catalina and Mojave, the update is delivered directly to the Safari web browser. Once the update is applied, the build number of the Safari 14.0.3 on their Catalina machine will be refreshed to 15610.4.3.1.7 while those on Mojave will see build 14610.4.3.1.7.

Sony A7S III Gets S-Cinetone Colour Preset In Latest Firmware Update

Sony has announced that its A7S III camera now includes the S-Cinetone colour preset for video recordings, thanks to a firmware update that is available today. This comes as a surprise, as the company had recently launched the FX3 a few days prior, which most considered to be the former‘s Cinema Line counterpart in terms of specifications.

For those unfamiliar, the S-Cinetone is a colour preset that is regularly featured on the Cinema Line models, including the FX9 and the aforementioned FX3. It is based on the popular Venice Colour Science profile from the company’s Venice flagship cinema camera, which – in Sony’s words – provides a “cinematic look with a film like [colour] and pleasing rendering of skin tones that has gained such a good reputation in the market”. S-Cinetone, on the other hand, is designed to allow filmmakers to quickly process high quality colour graded footage without the need for expensive post production.

With this recent update, it appears that Sony has no intention of leaving its A7S III in the cold – despite the recent launch of the FX3, which is viewed as an ideal option for compact-sized videography. The inclusion of the S-Cinetone would slightly upgrade the former’s video shooting capability to be as close to its Cinema Line counterpart – but the fact remains that the FX3 still triumphs over it, thanks to the built-in active cooling system which enables for high resolution video recordings up to 13 hours uninterrupted. Regardless, consider it as a bit of “fan service” from Sony for A7S III users.

As mentioned earlier, the camera’s latest firmware is available now and its installation file for both Windows and Mac platforms can be downloaded via Sony’s official website. However, keep note that the Mac version of update, as pointed out by the company, does not support macOS Big Sur at this time.

By the way, the A7S III isn’t the only camera from Sony’s Alpha series to feature the popular preset. The S-Cinetone profile can also be found in the company’s recent high-end shooter, the Alpha 1, which will launch in Malaysia in April.

Apple Offers Free Watch Series 5 And SE Repairs If Firmware Update Fails To Fix Charging Issues

Apple has rolled out a new watchOS update that aims to fix a battery charging issue present on its Watch Series 5 and SE wearables. For reference, the latest firmware version number is 7.3.1 and is now available for download.

The support document on the company’s website stated that a small number of users have experienced their Apple Watch Series 5 and SE to not charge after entering Power Reserve mode. It added that the issue is reported to occur on the aforementioned devices that are running on watchOS 7.2 or 7.3.

On that note, to check which firmware is currently operating on your devices, simply open the Watch app on your iPhone or the Settings app on your wearable. From there, tap General and then navigate to the About page in order to check the watchOS version.

After updating your Watch’s firmware, Apple suggests to place the affected watch model on the charger and wait for at least 30 minutes to see if it is charging normally. Should the update fail to remedy the issue, the company recommends to contact Apple Support directly so a mail-in repair can be arranged, completely free of charge. Keep in mind that Apple will still have to examine your watch first to see if it is eligible for the service.

Sony ZV-1 Firmware Update Adds Direct To PC Live Streaming Capabilities Via USB-C

Sony has released a new firmware update for its vlogging-oriented ZV-1 compact camera, which provides it the ability to link directly to a PC and be used as a webcam. This enables users, as Sony claims, to fully utilise the camera’s “high-quality video stream and built-in microphone for crystal-clear audio” for live streaming, video calls and more.

But wait, didn’t Sony do something similar to this already? Well, yes. The company indeed released a free desktop application last year in August, which lets users convert compatible Sony-branded cameras (including the ZV-1) to be used as webcams for video calls.

This new update, on the other hand, makes the process more straightforward as the feature is now natively included into the Sony ZV-1 itself – basically turning it into a plug-and-play device. Therefore, all the users need to do is connect the camera to their PCs via a USB-C cable, and it should register as a compatible webcam device. In addition, the feature uses standard UVC and UAC technologies, so any live streaming platforms that support those will be able to take advantage of the camera’s high-quality video capabilities.

Sony added that you needn’t necessarily require a PC in order to livestream via the ZV-1. This firmware update also allows users to link the camera directly to a compatible Xperia phone and use it as a secondary display to read comments and monitor the live feed. A very cool extra, provided that you already own a Sony smartphone, that is. For now, only the Xperia 1 II and Xperia 5 II are supported and they have to be running Android 11. Sorry, Xperia 10 II.

The Sony ZV-1 firmware update is available now for both Windows and Mac platforms. The company says that this capability will also be added to additional compatible cameras in the future, but did not specify which models exactly.

Upcoming iOS 14.5 Update Let Users Unlock iPhones Via Apple Watch; Adds DualSense Controller Support

Apple has recently released the iOS 14.5 developer beta that comes with new features for iPhones. These include an alternative way for users to unlock their handsets while wearing a mask and also adds support for next generation video game console controllers, among others things.

Since face masks have become a necessity for every individual as of late, the upcoming update introduces a new method for users to easily unlock their iPhones via their Apple Watch. According to a report by Engadget, the feature acts more like a 2-step verification process rather than a remote unlocking ability. Specifically, unlocking the paired Watch device will then activate the iPhone’s Face ID system that uses a lower facial recognition accuracy to identify its owner. 

This helps to speed up user verification especially when they are wearing a mask. The paired Watch will also provide a brief buzz to notify that the unlocking is successful. Apple previously added an update to Face ID which allows it to verify users even when they have their face protected. This upcoming feature, on the other hand, acts as an additional layer of security to that – ensuring that only the owner is able to unlock their iPhones.

The iOS 14.5 developer beta also included full support for the PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controller on iPhone devices, as well as third party AirPlay 2-equipped smart TV compatibility for Apple’s new Fitness+ service. This version also debuted the company’s App Tracking Transparency measures, which require developers to request for a user’s consent before enabling any of their app’s data tracking abilities for whatever purposes.

Seeing that the beta was just recently released, it may take some time for these new features to be publicly available. On a related note, Apple had recently released iOS 14.4 for iPhone users just last week and includes critical fixes for existing security exploits.