Alicia Molik maps out a 2025 season for Nick Kyrgios that could encourage him to keep playing top level singles. Read...

Gaming mice with 4K polling rates became the norm this year. In fact, we saw hardly any mice with 1,000Hz and 2,000Hz polling rates being released — period. These new-generation gaming mice weren’t hard to spot thanks to manufacturers using higher polling rates a bit like DPI values have been used in the past — to plaster the fact on marketing materials in an effort to entice players wanting to buy only the fastest mice available. But the truth is, you really don’t need a mouse with a 4K polling rate, and here’s why… The truth about mice with 4K polling rates A mouse’s polling rate is the number of times per second it reports its position to the computer. That being so, a mouse with a 4K polling rate reports to the computer 4,000 times per second, a 2,000Hz mouse reports 2,000 times per second and so on… A mouse with a 4K polling rate, therefore, should be a lot quicker than one with a 2,000Hz polling rate or 1,000Hz polling rate, and in theory, it is. But that speed advantage doesn’t necessarily equate to better performance in games. That’s mostly due to the limits of human perception and our reaction speeds — but it can also be because of the type of game you’re playing, or the hardware you’re using. Further reading: The best PC gaming mice What polling rate tests show You just have to look at polling rate performance tests to see why you don’t need a mouse with a 4K polling rate. In one such test that compared tracking, polling stability, and motion delay latency in a gaming mouse with a 4K polling rate and another with a 2,000Hz polling rate, the 4K mouse tracked 0.1ms quicker with MotionSync off, and on average 0.5ms with MotionSync on. That, mind you, was in the lab. When the author tested the 4K mouse versus a 1,000Hz mouse in a bunch of games, they failed to notice any difference in latency. Based on those tests they surmised: “Saturating the full 4,000Hz polling rate takes quite a bit of mouse movement, and thus isn’t typically reached all the time anyway, so most of the time, the benefit in terms of latency compared to 1,000Hz is around 0.5ms, which is well below the sensory capabilities of the average human.” That doesn’t mean there is absolutely no advantage to having a 4,000Hz polling rate, just that it’s almost imperceptible from that of a 1,000Hz polling rate for many players. What’s more, the latency advantage is so small that it’s not going to have much of an impact on performance. Many new gaming mice released this year, especially those made for first-person shooters, come with a 4K polling rate. Razer What players will notice in a mouse with a 4K polling rate is likely to be more of a subjective experience. For example, they might feel that it has better precision, or slightly smoother tracking. To actually capitalize on the tiny 0.5ms latency advantage you get in a mouse with 4K polling would require a very specific set of conditions. In a best-case scenario, you’d need to be playing a game where rapid precision firing is the main objective — so a first-person shooter rather than another type of game like an RTS or RPG. Then still, it would have to be one that supports sub-frame rate input, like Overwatch. You’d also need a very powerful CPU because of the higher CPU cost of using a 4K polling rate. A high refresh rate monitor is also advisable (either one with 240Hz or 340Hz). Even with all these factors ticked off, it’s still doubtful that you could click fast enough to turn 0.5ms latency into more frags. The takeaway is, when it comes to gaming performance, a 4K polling rate is a lot less important than you might think. In fact, you’re better off focusing your attention on honing your gaming techniques or memorizing maps for any kind of performance boost. This fact comes with one big benefit, though: You can save yourself a ton of cash and buy a mouse with a 1,000Hz polling rate — it’ll do just fine. Read...

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An emerging mini-trend at CES this year is robot pool cleaners that generate cleaning patterns based on the size and shape of your pool, and a new high-end cleaner from Beatbot is the latest example. Set for release next month, the AquaSense 2 Ultra arrives with Beatbot’s HybridSense AI Pool Mapping system, which integrates AI cameras, infrared sensors, and ultrasonic technology to create precise, efficient cleaning paths, ideal for tackling every inch of the pool. The Ultra’s cleaning capability covers floors, walls, waterlines, and even the water surface. The unit also includes the ClearWater Clarification System, which uses natural crab-shell agents to bind fine particles, allowing the bot to clean up to 99,000 gallons of water four times faster than traditional clarifiers. Beatbot Other Ultra features include AI Targeted Debris Detection and Adaptive Path Planning, while a 13,400mAh battery enables up to 11 hours of surface cleaning and 5 hours for walls and floors. Priced at $3,450, the AquaSense 2 Ultra will be available starting February 10. The AquaSense 2 Ultra is a member of Beatbot’s new AquaSense 2 Series, which includes two other models: the entry-level AquaSense 2 and the mid-range AquaSense 2 Pro, with the Ultra staking out the high end of the line. The AquaSense 2 Pro offers many of the same features as the Ultra, including 5-in-1 cleaning for the waterline, walls, floors, and surface skimming, paired with water clarification. The unit includes app-based smart controls and is powered by a nine-motor propulsion system. The Pro’s Smart Surface Parking allows it to float to the edge of the pool for easy retrieval, while its cordless charging dock ensures safe and hassle-free recharging. With a battery life capable of up to 11 hours of operation, the AquaSense 2 Pro is priced at $2,499. The entry-level AquaSense 2 ($1,499) offers 3-in-1 cleaning for floors, walls, and waterlines with a 10,000mAh battery that supports up to 4 hours of continuous cleaning. Its Smart Surface Parking technology ensures easy retrieval, while its powerful brushless pump motor delivers 5,500 GPH suction for effective debris removal. All three models come equipped with an ergonomic, vertical Cordless Charging Dock that reduces the risk of water ingress. Beatbot has also introduced a three-year warranty on all AquaSense 2 models, extending its standard two-year coverage. The AquaSense 2 Series will officially launch on February 10, 2025, with availability through Beatbot’s official website. Read...

Aerologix and Soar have teamed up to launch the world`s largest digital atlas, integrating over 36,000 drone pilots with 700,000 maps. Read...

It’s been a big year for Google…but then as the de facto leader in online search, browser, and advertising, it’s always a big year for Google. Perhaps the biggest news is undeniably tied to the company’s status as an official and illegal monopoly, according to the US Department of Justice.  While a potentially historic breakup is hanging over Google like the sword of Damocles, we won’t truly know how it ends until next year (at least). In the meantime, let’s look back at Google’s wins, losses, and WTF moments for 2024.  Fail: The US Department of Justice wants Google to sell Chrome  Michael Crider/Foundry After a historic ruling that found Google guilty of violating US anti-trust laws, the Department of Justice has recommended that Google be forced to sell the part of its business that handles the Chrome browser. This is the proposed “fix” for Google’s abuse of its position dominating search and advertising all across the web, tied in with things like Android, Gmail, YouTube, and pretty much every facet of its business. Forcing Google to break off Chrome would be devastating. Chrome is the #1 browser on the planet for both desktop (including laptops) and mobile, to say nothing of the decade-plus Google has spent trying to make Chromebooks a viable alternative to Windows-powered laptops. And that’s ignoring other proposed recompense, including a moratorium on high-dollar search contracts with companies like Apple and syndicating search data to its competitors.  But the story (which has stretched for over four years since the original indictment) is far from over. Google will undoubtedly appeal, both the judge’s guilty ruling itself and any proposed penalty, dragging the case out for months or years. And the incoming Trump administration is a huge wildcard, sure to steer the DoJ to be both friendly to America’s mega-corporations and punitive toward the technology industry to suit the president’s goals.  The outcome of the trial, whatever it is, could shake Google to the core in ways we haven’t seen since AT&T was broken up in the 1980s.  Win: The Pixel 9 series is good!  Luke Baker Google has been trying to sell its own-branded Android phones for almost as long as Android has been around — first with the Nexus series, then evolving into a more mass-market form with the Pixel. Apple and Samsung still rule the roost in the smartphone world, but it’s undeniable that after nine iterations, the Pixel is now a force to be reckoned with.  The Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 phones are very, very good, especially if you’re hunting for a phone that takes great photos. The Pixel Fold and its horribly-named follow-up the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are also good, albeit still way too expensive for most users. The Pixel Watch 3 is good — I’m wearing it right now, and I’m very pleased with it. And there are more affordable (if not quite “budget”) alternatives in the Pixel A variant phones, which deliver almost all the same features at a far more palatable price.  It’s been a slow, ponderous process of more than a decade, but Google finally has its own phone brand that most people are familiar with, and which is distinct from Android as a platform. There are regular users — not die-hard Android fans like me — who are seeking out Pixel phones because they like them, not just because they’re in all the carrier stores (though they are). That’s a win in anyone’s book.  WTF: What the hell is Google doing with non-phone hardware?  Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry I’ve literally bought more Google tablets than I can remember. I will always love you, Pixel C, even if Google doesn’t. But amid news of Google trying again to create a branded laptop years after closing the team that already did that, only to hear that it’s once again given up on a Pixel-branded Android tablet, I gotta ask: What the hell, man?  For all the progress that Google has made in smartphones and wearables, not to mention ChromeOS with its Chromebook partners, it seems to be as clueless as ever as to what to do with its hardware brand beyond that. Even after watching this company closely for my entire professional career, I couldn’t tell you what it’s going to do next for a tablet or a laptop.  But I can tell you what I want it to do, and what I think would be successful. Oh look at that, I have!  Fail: AI search is turning tons of people away Mattias Inghe Google is pushing hard on its Gemini AI system across its business, but it’s most immediately visible in Search. And that’s not necessarily a good thing. While the initial blowback from Google’s AI Overviews in Search (including such infamous results as using glue as a pizza topping) seem to have died down, it’s a symptom of a deeper and much more widespread problem.  Web users seem to have soured on Google, a name that used to be synonymous with search as in “let me Google that for you.” Between more and more advertising in results, and results themselves becoming far less useful as targeted SEO and AI-generated text becomes more prevalent, it’s easy to see why. Google’s dominant position isn’t going away anytime soon, but it’s clear that people are hungering and thirsting for an alternative, if not exactly a replacement. Perhaps more daunting for Google is that it doesn’t seem to have a clear solution. Search is the bedrock of Google’s empire, and if it cracks up — with or without a one-two punch from losing Chrome — the entire company could be in danger.  Win: “Web” tab is how search should be  Google For all the belly-aching that I gave Google Search in the section above, I confess that it’s so integrated into both my personal life and my workflow that I’m not ready to give it up. And I don’t have to. Google introduced a new “Web” search tab this year, and it’s almost like Google Search used to be. Almost.  Clicking “Web” will strip out the AI overview results, the don’t-call-it-advertising shopping suggestions, the Maps business listings (again, essentially advertising!). It’s ten blue links again, giving Google Search a sense of focus and intention it’s been missing for a long time. I adjusted all my default searches to this view almost immediately, and it’s been a marked improvement.  Granted, this doesn’t solve all of Search’s problems. Sometimes I want that Maps info right away, and there’s no way to pick-and-choose which bits you get, it’s All or (not quite) nothing. The Web view still periodically serves up alleged search results that are “Sponsored” — again, ads — right at the top, forcing you to scroll to get more organic info. And this view can’t do anything about junk SEO or AI-generated text, both of which make searching for genuine information far harder.  But it’s an improvement. And it feels like a long time since I’ve been able to say that about Google Search.  WTF: Google can auto-generated video games Google I feel like I constantly have to remind people that what they’re being sold as “AI” is not artificial intelligence in the sci-fi sense, a la Commander Data or HAL 9000. But darn it if that isn’t hard to keep in mind when you see some of the things these models can do, like create simple but complete video games from just a prompt.  I don’t mean “code a game that’s kind of like the original Zelda.” I mean full games with 3D movement and graphics that are generated on the fly, no polygons necessary. The Genie 2 system has apparently analyzed so many video games that it can generate basic playable systems, including what looks like physics interaction and multiple viewpoints.  Granted, we only have Google’s word for it. And as impressive as the results are (or at least the videos Google deigns to share), there’s no way the juice is worth the squeeze in terms of computing resources. But I could see this kind of system giving the tools to make simple games to kids and the non-tech-savvy, a step or two above RPG Maker or Dreams on the PS4, in a very cool way. Fail: Chrome users rebel after ad-blocker fiasco  Google/Vivaldi As if Google didn’t have enough to worry about from alienating regular search users, it’s also managed to piss off power users with a shift to a new series of Chrome extension guidelines. Manifest V3 seems specifically targeted to hamstring ad-blockers — an implication, if not a direct allegation, from more than one ad-blocker developer — among other more laudable goals.  And users are taking note. While most extensions are updating to bend the knee, the developer of the popular uBlock Origin refused, instead creating a separate and deliberately less powerful alternative as a means of demonstrative protest. As some form of ad-blocking becomes almost essential for using the web both efficiently and safely, alternative browsers are suddenly on the rise.  I can’t claim objectivity here, as I bid adieu to Chrome after using it for over a decade in favor of the far more customizable Vivaldi. But Vivaldi, like almost every browser from a small company or development team, is based on Chromium. The only notable exception is Firefox. If there’s a reckoning for browsers on the horizon, it’ll have to go through Google first…at least if Google still controls Chrome at that point.   Win: Google could combine ChromeOS and Android  Dave Parrack / IDG With that huge uncertainty hanging over Google’s continued control of Chrome, there was a story that broke and gave us reason to celebrate. Google is, apparently, working on a new version of ChromeOS that uses Android as a base. ChromeOS and Android already have a lot in common — they’re both open-source operating systems maintained by Google, after all — but moving them closer could solve a lot of problems.  Chromebooks could handle Android apps much more fluently and gracefully. That, in turn, would make ChromeOS tablets (a small but important part of the market) better all-around. On the flip side, it could give Android a much better way of handling multitasking on tablets, something that it’s not great at right now, and one of many reasons that the iPad kicks its butt in almost every metric.  Android and ChromeOS both have long histories of being more or less distinct products unified by Google’s ecosystem…and that ecosystem isn’t great. But moving them closer together could go a long way towards fixing that, and making Google a more integrated alternative to both Microsoft and Apple. Granted, all of this is extremely tentative in more ways than one.   WTF: Russia fines Google more money than exists in the world  New Line Cinema Alright, you’ve got to admit this one’s funny. As a result of the Russian government’s crackdown on social media and some very bad math, a court has ordered Google to pay two undecillion rubles, the equivalent of 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 US dollars, in fines. Probably a lot more by this point.  The details of how and why are hardly important, since that’s more than a hundred trillion times the amount of money that exists on the planet, in all currencies, everywhere. Though Google still serves most of its products to Russian residents, its business operations in the country have shut down in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  The odds of Google ever being forced to pay even a tiny, tiny portion of that ludicrous sum are about, hmmm, I’d say two undecillion to one. Read...

TL;DR: Turn any car into a smart car with this 10” wireless display for just $99.97 until December 8 during Cyber Week, perfect for safer, more connected holiday driving. Why should all the tech perks stay reserved for brand-new cars? This 10” wireless touchscreen lets you bring modern connectivity to any vehicle — no expensive upgrades required. Hurry and grab this Cyber Week discount ending December 8 for $99.97 (reg. $199). Designed for drivers who want the convenience of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without replacing their car, this display delivers hands-free navigation, calls, and music streaming right to your dashboard. The crisp 10-inch screen provides a user-friendly interface, so you can easily access your apps, maps, and playlists while keeping your eyes on the road. You can connect it via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, making setup a breeze in any car. It even includes a built-in speaker and FM transmitter, ensuring your music and directions come through loud and clear. Whether it’s for yourself or someone on your gift list, it’s the perfect way to add big-screen functionality to any car — all without the hefty new-car price tag. This WiFi- and Bluetooth-enabled wireless touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Support is a gift-worthy upgrade for any driver, on sale for $99.97 until December 8 at 11:59pm Pacific.   10? Touchscreen Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Wireless Car Display with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Support – $99.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

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