The Flexbar is a replacement for Apple's Touch Bar that could give the Stream Deck a run for its money — assuming the software is fully hammered into shape at some point.


The Touch Bar was an element of the MacBook Pro keyboard that offered the promise of productivity. By giving users the ability to touch a row of context-aware buttons that performed shortcuts or changed settings, they could potentially do more without needing to navigate menus or remember key combinations.

While the component had potential, it was often derided and was eventually replaced by a row of physical function keys, following the death of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.


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Consumer electronics and iPhone accessory maker Zagg is letting customers know that credit card transactions between October 26 and November 7, 2024 may have been compromised due to a hack of a third-party payment processor.


Zagg, based in Utah, makes products such as keyboards, phone cases, screen protectors, power banks, and other accessories. It uses BigCommerce to process credit card transactions on its website, which also provides an app called FreshClicks for creating commerce-friendly websites.

It was discovered that an attacker was able to breach the FreshClicks app, injecting malicious code that stole customers' card details, reports BeepingComputer.


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Amber's work setup includes an iMac, a MacBook Air, an iPad Air — and one very, very expensive laser cutter. Here's how it all works together, and how she gets things done for AppleInsider.


At this point, I'm pretty sure I've earned my reputation as the most tech-critical member of the AppleInsider staff through countless other pieces I've written. I'm sure that'll also be reflected here.

When Mike asked me to write a piece about my setup, I scoffed. Surely, my setup would be far less impressive than my coworkers' — and I still stand by that.


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Two months of usage later, the iPad mini 7 is still a great compact media and gaming tablet, though there are certainly some areas for improvement.


I owned the very first Retina iPad mini way back in 2014, but it was only ever a Netflix machine for me. With the release of the new seventh-generation model that's all changed, and it might just be the defacto iPad from here on out.

The new 2024 iPad mini is the smallest tablet in a lineup dominated by superfast, super-big tablets. But after spending a few weeks with the new A17 Pro-powered, I think I finally get why you should buy one.


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Apple's latest iPhones pack impressive hardware and software to capture photo and video anywhere. Here's how you can make the most of it by mastering the Camera app on iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.


In 2024, both pro phone cameras have feature parity. They have identical setups, unlike with the iPhone 15 Pro that lacked the 5X zoom the iPhone 15 Pro Max had.

There is a 48MP ultra wide lens, a 48MP primary lens, and a 12MP 5X telephoto lens. It's easier than ever to choose a third-party app, but if you stick with the stock app, here is how to master it.


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AMD's upcoming Ryzen Z2 Go APU might not be available on as many consoles as the other Ryzen Z2 chips. According to a recent report, AMD's Ryzen Z2 Go is exclusive to the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go S handheld.

Renowned leaker Golden Pig Upgrade (via @Olrak29_) has revealed that the Ryzen Z2 Go will be a budget-focused APU designed exclusively for Lenovo's upcoming handheld gaming device. That, however, doesn't mean AMD won't launch a new AMD APU with similar specs and name it differently so other manufacturers can use it.

The Z2 Go, based on AMD's “Rembrandt-R” silicon (found in the Ryzen 7035 series), will reportedly feature a quad-core Zen 3+ CPU and an RDNA 2-based 12-CU iGPU. While this configuration might seem modest compared to AMD's latest architectures, it's a strategic move to cater to the budget-conscious handheld market. Interestingly, the Z2 Go doesn't have a direct equivalent in AMD's existing Rembrandt or Rembrandt-R lineup. Based on its specifications, it's likely to offer 8 MB of L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, along with support for LPDDR5X-6400 memory.

This focus on affordability aligns with Lenovo's strategy for the Legion Go S, which is expected to be a more budget-friendly alternative to the original Legion Go. By partnering with AMD to create a custom APU, Lenovo can offer a compelling price-to-performance ratio for its new handheld.

KitGuru says: Do you think the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld has a chance of succeeding in the market?

The post AMD Ryzen Z2 Go is a custom chip, seemingly exclusive to the Lenovo Legion Go S first appeared on KitGuru.

Square Enix has announced that NieR: Automata, the critically acclaimed action RPG developed by PlatinumGames, has reached a new sales milestone, surpassing 9 million units sold worldwide.

This figure includes physical and digital sales across all platforms, including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. NieR: Automata, a sequel to the 2010 cult classic NieR, has captivated players with its unique blend of action-packed combat, thought-provoking narrative, and stunning visuals. With an 89 Opencritic score, 93% of the critics recommending it, and a player rating of around 90% across various platforms, it's hard not to consider it a good game.

While there's no official word on a potential sequel to NieR: Automata, fans can take solace in the words of executive producer Yosuke Saito, who recently stated that the franchise will continue “as long as Yoko Taro is alive”. This suggests that Square Enix recognises the value and potential of the NieR universe, and we can likely expect more from it in the future.

The most recent entry in the NieR franchise was NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139, a remaster of the original NieR, released in 2021. With Square Enix's release schedule for 2025 looking relatively light, perhaps a new NieR game will be announced sometime next year.

KitGuru says: Did you play Nier: Automata? Did you enjoy your time with it?

The post Nier: Automata has sold over 9 million copies first appeared on KitGuru.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 has been suffering from quite a few contradictions since its release back in October. While the gunplay, movement and content released for the game has been the best we’ve seen in years, much of this goodwill is being actively undone with issues surrounding cheating and most notably its ever-increasing push towards new forms of monetisation. With BO6 set to crossover with Squid Game early next year, a new leak has revealed that the event will include a premium event pass.

As shared by ‘xFleXy_’ via Twitter, some users have received a message within Black Ops 6 which details the fact that the upcoming Squid Game limited-time event will not only feature the typical list of free rewards, but will also offer a Premium Track route which “allows for more incredible rewards, including the Front Man Operator.”

Of course, Call of Duty has hosted many crossovers in the past, but unlike the Squid Game event, all pass rewards were previously obtainable simply through playing the game.

With the £70 Black Ops 6 now featuring not only Seasonal Battle Passes and costly store bundles, but also another additional premium pass mid-season, it begs the question as to how far Call of Duty will go to squeeze money from its players before they deem the practice to be too anti-consumer – especially ironic given the underlying message of Squid Game itself.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Call of Duty’s ever-increasing monetisation? Will there be a breaking point? Let us know down below.

The post Upcoming Black Ops 6 crossover will include a premium pass for the first time first appeared on KitGuru.

For the final weeks of 2024, Epic is giving away a different game for free every 24 hours. Available right now for a limited time, all those with an Epic Games account can claim the fun arcadey racer Hot Wheels Unleashed for free.

Available to add to your library for free from now until 4PM UK Time (on the 28th of December), Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fun and light-hearted arcade racer which takes the Hot Wheels aesthetic and embraces it fully – from the tracks themselves to the way in which you unlock and acquire new vehicles.

Released back in 2021, the game was received well by both critics and fans alike, with the primary criticism being its abundance of DLC. Of course, for the price of free, players should have a solid time playing alone or with friends.

If you do wish to purchase some of the game’s post-release content however, Epic is currently offering all of the DLC for a heavily reduced price (up to 80% off).

As stated, you have until 4PM to claim Hot Wheels Unleashed, at which point it will be replaced by an as-of-yet-unknown title.

KitGuru says: What do you think of today’s offering? Have you been keeping up with Epic’s free games throughout 2024? How many ‘free’ titles do you have in your Epic library at this point? Let us know down below.

The post Hot Wheels Unleashed is free on the Epic Games Store first appeared on KitGuru.

For Day 28 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar we have teamed up with NZXT to offer up THREE hardware bundles! One winner will get a gaming peripheral bundle featuring the Function 2 keyboard and Lift 2 mouse. Another winner will get a PC case bundle, centred around the NZXT H5 Flow Starfield Edition case and a third winner will get a H9 Flow case, along with extra RGB fans, an RGB controller and a Kraken Elite 360 ARGB AIO liquid cooler. 

The full prize list can be found below:

Prize 1 – Gaming Gear Upgrade (MSRP £213)

• Function 2 Full
• Lift 2 Symm or Ergo
• MXP700 Mid-Size Extended Mouse Pad Mouse Pad

Prize 2 – Limited Edition CRFT Starfield (MSRP £195)

• H5 Flow Starfield
• Lift 2 Symm Starfield
• MXL900 Extra Large Starfield Mouse Pad

Prize 3 – Case, RGB & Cooling! (MSRP £565)

• H9 Flow
• 2x RGB Core Single Frame
• RGB Controller
• Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – Which of the NZXT prize bundles do you want the most?

This competition is open in the UK and EU.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 29th, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 29. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open in the UK and EU, starting at 11AM GMT on December 28th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 29th. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winners. 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 28: Win one of THREE NZXT hardware bundles! first appeared on KitGuru.

Apple has pulled the iPhone 14 and the third-gen iPhone SE from its online Apple Store in a number of EU countries, all to abide by inbound charger regulations.


Earlier in December, it was rumored that Apple would discontinue sales of the iPhone 14 generation of devices, as well as the current iPhone SE, in the European Union by the end of 2024. Two weeks later, it has become a reality.



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The lowest price on Apple's iPad mini 7 can be found at B&H and Amazon, with both retailers running a limited-time deal on the 256GB model.


The 256GB iPad mini 7 in Space Gray can be snapped up for $529 at B&H and Amazon today, with both retailers knocking $70 off Apple's MSRP on the Wi-Fi model.

Get 256GB iPad mini 7


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Charles really loves his mostly-older Apple gear, but 2025 is going to be a year of change. Here's how he gets work done at AppleInsider.


I only develop and write stories for AppleInsider on the weekends, hence my Weekend Editor title. As a result, I have a pretty modest setup and workflow compared to most of the full-timers.

Versatility for travel is one of my key requirements, since I am on the road at various times of the year. Even when I'm at home, I'm often in a cafe or occasionally doing local radio as a "computer guru," or on Zoom teaching online tech classes.


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Patriot Memory has just launched the P400 V4, a new PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 M.2 SSD that promises read speeds of up to 6,200 MB/s. Suitable for PC and PlayStation 5 consoles, the P400 V4 comes in various storage configurations, ranging from 500GB to 4TB.

This versatile drive delivers sequential read speeds of up to 6,200 MB/s and write speeds of up to 5,200 MB/s, making it ideal for gamers, content creators, and anyone who wants to upgrade their system with faster storage. The P400 V4 leverages the latest PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 NVMe technology to achieve its speeds while maintaining low power consumption. On the PlayStation 5, the drive delivers sequential read speeds of up to 6,000 MB/s, ensuring rapid loading times for a smoother gaming experience. Alternatively, due to its slim design, you can mount it on most SSD enclosures, making a portable SSD out of it.

To keep things running smoothly, the P400 V4 features an advanced graphene heatshield to manage thermals, even during intensive workloads. Its compact M.2 2280 form factor makes it suitable for many systems besides consoles, including slim laptops and small form factor PCs.

Available with up to 4TB of storage, the P400 V4 has a rated endurance of up to 1280 TBW (Total Bytes Written). Moreover, these new Patriot SSDs are backed by a 5-year manufacturer warranty.

KitGuru says: With many PCIe 4.0 SSDs only going up to 2 TB, the P400 V4 4 TB model could be worth considering for users looking for bigger storage in a single device.

The post Patriot launches new P400 V4 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD for PC and PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9070 XT is back in the spotlight, with new leaks shedding light on its power consumption and potential performance.

According to Chiphell leaker zhangzhonghao (via HXL), the reference design of the RX 9070 XT will have a Total Board Power (TBP) of around 260W. However, custom models from board partners could draw up to 330W, representing a 70W (or 27%) increase over stock settings. The leak also suggests that the RX 9070 XT will have a base frequency of 2.8 GHz, with boost clocks ranging between 3.0 and 3.1 GHz, depending on the model.

With a 260W TBP, the RX 9070 XT is expected to sit between Nvidia's upcoming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 in terms of power consumption. Interestingly, the leaker claims that the RX 9070 XT performs within 5% of the RTX 4080 in games they've tested, although no specific data or titles were mentioned.

Previous leaks suggested the RX 9070 XT would be faster than the RX 7900 GRE, potentially rivalling the RTX 4080, somewhat matching the new claims. However, without knowing the exact pricing (claimed to be up to $650), it's still too soon to grasp how competitive the product will be in the current market. As we approach CES 2025, where AMD is expected to officially unveil the RX 9070 XT and other RDNA 4 GPUs, more concrete information about its performance and pricing should emerge.

KitGuru says: Assuming it would perform similarly to the RTX 4080, how should AMD price the upcoming RX 9070 XT?

The post AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT may have up to 330W TDP first appeared on KitGuru.

Made in collaboration with Vancer, the ambidextrous AKITSU is the first mouse released by Arbiter Studio. Being made of a carbon fiber composite, the AKITSU is exceptionally light at 39 g, and features PixArt's PAW3395 sensor, custom Huano main button switches, up to 60 hours of battery life, and true 8000 Hz wireless polling.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold - Starting at $1799 The Pixel 9 Pro Fold delivers all the Google software goodness wrapped in some of the finest folding hardware, making it one of the best book-style folding phone available in the US. Standard 20:9 form factor Premium, thin and light design Beautiful displays Excellent cameras Outstanding software...

The Zone is Zotac's first PC gaming handheld. It is based on AMD's Ryzen 8840U processor, packs 16 GB of memory, 512 GB of NVMe storage and comes with Hall Effect triggers and thumbsticks alongside a gorgeous, OLED screen that supports HDR.

A leaked CPU-Z screenshot with AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor has surfaced online, revealing key specifications of the upcoming processor.

The screenshot, shared by @94G8LA, showcases an engineering sample of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. The screenshot shows that the CPU is identified as revision GNR-B0, with “GNR” standing for Granite Ridge, the codename for AMD's upcoming Zen 4 architecture for desktop processors. Moreover, it shows it has a 16-core, 32-thread configuration.

The screenshot also confirms the presence of AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, with the L3 cache section displaying “96MB + 32MB L3.” This aligns with expectations for a dual-CCD Granite Ridge CPU, where one CCD features 32MB of standard L3 cache plus a 64MB 3D V-Cache layer, while the other CCD has 32MB of standard L3 cache. This approach mirrors the design of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, offering a total of 128MB of L3 cache and 144MB of combined L3+L2 cache.

The leaked screenshot also hints at impressive clock speeds. The CPU-Z image shows a multiplier of 56.5, suggesting a boost clock of 5.65 GHz. This aligns with previous rumors that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D will maintain the same high frequencies as its non-X3D counterpart. Interestingly, the screenshot also reveals a TDP of 170W, which matches the non-X3D 16-core variant.

With the CPU specifications more or less set in stone, we are still unaware of its pricing. Hopefully, we'll know more about it when AM officially unveils the processor and the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D at CES 2025.

KitGuru says: Planning on buying a Ryzen 9 9950X3D? How much are you willing to spend on the new processor?

The post AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D leak shows 5.65 GHz boost clock speed and 170W TDP first appeared on KitGuru.

Steam has had a monumental year, shattering its previous record for new game releases and welcoming a surge of new players. But while the platform continues to thrive, Valve has poured cold water on hopes for a Steam Deck 2 anytime soon.

A staggering 18,825 new games landed on Steam in 2024, eclipsing the previous year's record of 14,311. However, SteamDB (via Tom's Hardware) categorises 14,888 of these as “restricted games,” meaning they have limited profile customisation options due to low player counts or sales figures. This raises questions about the quality and value of a significant portion of Steam's new releases, with some people arguing that many of these titles are “shovelware”. Still, the number of non-limited games released has increased over the past year, even if just a mere 2%.

Moreover, this year saw the highest number of games sold on Steam since 2019, with steady growth year over year, even during the 2020 pandemic. Steam also saw a surge in active users, with around 40 million concurrent players during the Christmas season, an 8 million increase compared to the previous year. However, the average Steam user played only four games this year, matching 2023's figure and slightly lower than 2022's average.

While Steam has enjoyed a successful year, it hasn't been without its hiccups. The platform faced criticism for clarifying its stance on game ownership, reminding users that they don't truly “own” the games they purchase on Steam. Additionally, Steam ended support for Windows 7 and 8, urging users to upgrade to newer operating systems.

KitGuru says: Are you an avid Steam user? What games have you played the most in 2024 on the platform?

The post Steam hits new record with almost 19,000 games launched in 2024 first appeared on KitGuru.

The launch of Animal Crossing New Horizons back in 2020 was a phenomenon in many ways – quickly becoming the second-best-selling game of all time on Nintendo Switch. That said, in Japan the game has managed to exceed even this, having now broken a decades-long sales record held by the original 1996 Pokémon.

Since its release back in 1996, Pokémon Red/Green has held its position as the best-selling game(s) of all time in Japan with 7.93 million copies sold in the region alone.

While this record was technically already broken by Animal Crossing New Horizons back in 2022, the game has now doubly secured its position at the top of the podium, with industry analyst Genki_JPN revealing:

“Animal Crossing New Horizons has sold over 8 million physical units in Japan and is the best selling physical game ever in Japan above Pokémon Red and Green!”

Given the fact that digital gaming didn’t exist back in the 90s (especially on consoles/handhelds) Pokémon’s physical and total sales share the same figure.

As such, Animal Crossing not only superseding Pokémon both in terms of total sales, but now also physical, puts it in a league of its own – and with physical media becoming less of a factor as the years progress it is possible that this new record may never be beaten.

KitGuru says: Are you surprised by the overwhelming success of Animal Crossing New Horizons? Will its record ever be beaten? Do you still buy physical games? Let us know down below.

The post Animal Crossing breaks decades-long Japanese sales record first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winners today are Jonatan Olsson & Teo Korres! If you missed out this time, then the good news is there is another giveaway to enter. Today's competition can be found HERE.

For Day 27 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with Silverstone to give TWO lucky readers a hardware upgrade. Two winners today will each get a new Silverstone NovaPeak 240 ARGB AIO cooler, as well as a 1000W Platinum-rated power supply.

The NovaPeak 240 AIO cooler comes with a pair of ARGB fans, as well as ARGB LEDs on the pump block. The cooler has a slightly convexed copper baseplate to ensure firm contact with the CPU, and the radiator is optimised for airflow with the included fans. The other prize on our list, the ST1000-PTS modular power supply, comes with Platinum certification, so you can be assured that you'll get efficient power delivery to all of your components.

HOW TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us – What CPU do you use?

This competition is open worldwide.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 28th, and a new competition will also be announced for Day 28. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 27th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 28th. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all entering – we'll be back tomorrow to announce the winner. 

 

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 27: Win one of TWO Silverstone bundles! (CLOSED) first appeared on KitGuru.