What Is an M3U8 File? A file with the M3U8 file extension is a UTF-8 Encoded Audio Playlist file. They are plain text files that can be used by both audio and video players to describe where media files are located. For example, one M3U8 file may give you references to online files for an internet radio station. Another might be created on your computer to build a playlist for your own personal music or a series of videos....
Here’s a look at the history of the MacBook Pro and how to determine what upgrades you can perform on your device. About MacBook Pro Upgrades Introduced in 2006, the MacBook Pro replaced the G4-based PowerBook line of Mac notebooks. The MacBook Pro was originally equipped with the Intel Core Duo processor. This 32-bit architecture was replaced in subsequent models with 64-bit processors from Intel. The MacBook Pro lineup has gone through some changes in how upgrades are performed....
What Is an MDB File? A file with the MDB file extension is a Microsoft Access database file that literally stands for Microsoft Database. This is the default database file format used in Access 2003 and earlier, while newer versions use the ACCDB format. MDB files contain database queries, tables, and more that can be used to link to and store data from other files, like XML and HTML, and applications, like Excel and SharePoint....
In 2017, Han founded CultivatePeople, a consulting firm that helps startups and emerging tech companies develop better payment structures. The company’s main mission is to make compensation painless for companies while helping to solve pay disparities for fast-growing companies by using machine learning to match employees’ jobs to reliable, global market data. CultivatePeople’s software launched publicly in July 2020, but even with all the success, Han still has to deal with people who doubt her....
How to Test Network Connection Speed Checking the connection speed of a computer network requires running a speed test and interpreting the results. A speed test measures the performance of a network during a short period of time. The test normally sends and receives data over the network and calculates performance according to the amount of data transferred and how much time was required to complete the transfer. Understanding Speed Test Results The most common measurement for network speed is data rate, which is counted as the number of computer bits that travel over the connection in one second....
The announcement was made on the company’s Windows Experience Blog, where it revealed that Start is building on top of the legacy of the MSN feed and Microsoft News. Start is a personalized news feed with content coming from over 1,000 global publishers. The feed uses the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning to help people stay updated on news stories relevant to their interests. As a user spends more time curating their feed, it will morph to suit their needs....
Hangouts: Google announced it would be opening up free access to advanced video conferencing features within Hangouts for both Gsuite and Gsuite for Education users. This will allow up to 250 participants per call, live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a specific domain, and the ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive. This will remain available until July 1, 2020. Teams: According to The Verge, Microsoft plans to offer a six month free trial of the premium tier for its Teams software (which was originally offered to help schools, businesses, and hospitals in China set up on the platform)....
A new batch of Xbox Insider Alpha Skip-Ahead notes reveals that Tuesday’s new mandatory system update includes Xbox One console live streaming. As The Verge points out, Twitch integration for the Xbox One was removed back in 2017. This return looks to be similar to the previous integration and includes features like overlays and webcam support. According to Microsoft, streaming is simply a matter of connecting to your Twitch account and selecting Go Live Now from the dashboard....
The Microsoft 365 Defender Threat Intelligence Team posted its findings on its Security blog, which details how the attacks are done and advises what people can do to defend themselves. The attack works by leading Office 365 users down a series of links and redirections to a Google reCAPTCHA page. Users are taken to a fake sign-in page where their credentials are stolen, leaving them compromised. According to the Intelligence Team, the Google reCAPTCHA verification adds a false sense of legitimacy to users who are tricked into thinking the whole process is fine....
Pulling Some Inspiration With the large craze of Parsec Production’s 2012 smash hit game “Slender: The Eight Pages”, you can very easily tell where Notch pulled a large amount of inspiration for his new addition to the Minecraft mob team. With various nods to the Slenderman, the Enderman creates a suspenseful experience. As Halloween rolled around, Mojang’s Xbox 360 Edition of Minecraft attained a texture pack where the Enderman had been redesigned to appear as if he was the Slenderman....
Requirements for Dual Graphics Cards To use dual graphics cards, your computer needs AMD or Nvidia technology that links the cards to produce a single output. The AMD graphics technology is CrossFire and the Nvidia technology is SLI. For each of these solutions, the computer must have a compatible motherboard and the motherboard must have the necessary PCI Express graphics slots. Dual graphics cards also require a desktop case that is large enough to fit the extra hardware and a power supply that can run dual cards....
Last week, the company released music by artists Little, Sharooz Raoofi, and Tom Varrall, who experimented with Aloha while in different locations across London. Aloha joins a growing number of products that allow musicians and amateurs to collaborate online. It’s a niche market that’s growing as musicians are forced to stay home because of the pandemic. “Aloha is not going to replace being in a room with someone,” Simon Little, one of the musicians who produced the recorded session remotely, said in a telephone interview....
Netflix revealed in a letter to shareholders that it plans to offer video games to existing subscribers at no additional cost, viewing gaming as “another new content category for us, similar to our expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV.” The streaming service said it initially plans to focus on games for mobile devices. The Associated Press reported that the first games released would be tied to original programming on the platform, so we could see a Stranger Things game or an Ozark game....
According to a recent patent filing, Apple is experimenting with horizontal cavity surface-emitting lasers (HCSEL). They sound complicated (and they are), but the technology would essentially allow for an array of HCSELs to be placed underneath the display to monitor biometrics and other environmental factors. There are plenty of other applications for HCSELs, and the potential for developers to explore the technology could result in a wave of new features on your iPhone and Apple Watch....
According to MacRumors, the new iPad model will still provide more overall 5G coverage than other cellular iPad Pro models. However, mmWave 5G support is currently only limited to the new iPhone 13 models, the entire iPhone 12 lineup, and the 11-inch and 12.9-inch cellular iPad Pro models. The main difference between the sixth-generation iPad mini’s 5G compatibility and mmWave 5G support is that it has faster speeds at shorter distances, making it ideal for more crowded and urban settings....
The USB Promoter Group has announced USB4 version 2.0, which they claim will deliver speeds up to 80 Gbps. That’s twice the 40 Gbps promised by the original USB4 and even Thunderbolt 4. The real kicker, though, is that we can experience the enhanced speeds using existing 40 Gbps USB Type-C passive cables. “Once again following USB tradition, this updated USB4 specification doubles data performance to deliver higher levels of functionality to the USB Type-C ecosystem,” Brad Saunders, Chairman of the USB Promoter Group, said in a press release....
Workers with the highest digital skills (regardless of industry) earn higher wages, according to a report from Brookings. So where do you (or your child) get these skills, particularly on a budget when a four-year college degree is out of reach? The Winding Road to Technology Riches Most of us have been conditioned to assume that high school students are either on a path to college and a ‘good’ career or, sadly, on any other path which will lead to a ’not-so-good’ career....
Type of Protection/Security: Virus Definitions and Heuristic Monitoring Norton Antivirus still uses the Windows malware definition engine to power its security offerings, and those virus definitions are updated multiple times a day—as needed to stay effective against new threats that pop up. However, in addition to signature scanning, Norton also has heuristic capabilities, which means it’s always watching and “listening” to files on your hard drive to spot any kind of unusual behavior....
According to Nvidia, the rollout is currently underway, and members will enjoy high-performing cloud gaming with the ability to stream up to 1440p resolution at 120 FPS on both Macs and PCs. People who bought Nvidia’s Shield TV set will also enjoy 4K resolution at 60 FPS. The RTX 3080 tier offers ultra-low latency that makes it feel like you’re playing a game locally, with each gaming session lasting up to eight hours....
The Omnicharge Omni 20+ is a special sort of power bank that tries to be all things for all people. With a decent 71Wh capacity and a wide variety of ways to input and output power, including USB-C and a wireless Qi charger, it comes pretty close. Always on the lookout for ways to simplify my road kit, I recently slipped an Omni 20+ into my messenger bag to see how well it can stand-in for the assortment of chargers I normally pack....
