The Next iPad Mini Could Be As Powerful as the iPhone 13 | Digital Trends

July 23, 2021July 20, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A new report today shed some light on the upcoming iPad Mini 6 as well as Apple’s next “basic” iPad model. The company is said to be equipping the iPad Mini 6 with an A15 chip and USB-C connector, as well as updating the iPad with an A13 chip. Volume 90%

The iPad Mini 6 has already been extensively reported on and leaked in the past, but a new report from 9to5Mac today adds some extra detail. Citing sources familiar with the product, the new iPad Mini is said to be coming with an A15 processor. Earlier reports had pinned it as coming with an A14. Apple has yet to announce the A15 processor, but it is presumably doing so with the launch of the iPhone 13, expected to be due this fall. The report from 9to5Mac also notes that Apple is working on an A15X variant likely aimed at the iPad Pro refreshes in 2022.

All eyes are on India’s brightest Zomato | TechCrunch

July 20, 2021July 18, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Relevance is often tied to rarity. As a result, the first anything — whether a birthday, scientific feat or female vice president — comes with its own weight. Whether that pressure is warranted is a discussion in and of itself, but today, we’ll focus on the ripple effects of India’s first unicorn IPO: Zomato.

Food delivery startup Zomato, set to start trading public shares next week, has been labeled by journalists and industry experts as India’s biggest tech public offering to date. The company could be valued at up to $8.6 billion in its public debut, and early indications of investor interest were strong.

Why companies are offering employees early access to their paychecks | CNN

July 15, 2021July 13, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Ethel Lawrence normally doesn’t have a hard time covering her expenses. But when her husband was prescribed a new medication that cost almost $400 a month, she was in shock.

“I was smacked in the face and low on cash. It wasn’t payday yet,” said the 72-year-old Oklahoma resident. “It’s not like it’s optional. It’s not a luxury item you can choose to buy or not. You have to buy it.”

To cover the unexpected expense, Lawrence was able to request a portion of her pay early, enabling her to avoid taking out a loan.

For many workers, two weeks is a long time to wait for a paycheck. And unexpected events — whether it’s an unplanned medical expense or car repair — can be financially devastating.

But a growing number of companies have started offering employees early access to their earned pay.

Biden Could Extend Student Loan Relief Beyond September 30, Even If Unemployment Benefits And The Eviction Moratorium End | Forbes

July 13, 2021July 11, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Student loan payments may be delayed beyond September 30, even if unemployment benefits and the eviction moratorium are ending.

Here’s what you need to know.

Student Loans

Student loan borrowers, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and now some members of the U.S. Department of Education are all lobbying President Joe Biden to extend student loan relief beyond September 30, 2021. Currently, the following student loan relief is set to expire on that date:

Cut water use by 15% this summer, California governor says | Fast Company

July 12, 2021July 11, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

California Governor Gavin Newsom has asked residents and businesses statewide to cut their water usage by 15% this summer, as low precipitation and low snowpack threaten reservoir levels and raise the specter of another deadly wildfire season.

While some California counties have already instituted mandatory water restrictions, Newsom’s request to reduce usage is voluntary.

“We’re hopeful that people will take that mindset they brought into the last drought and extend that forward,” he said at a Thursday press conference, according to the Los Angeles Times.

New Windows 11 Build Improves the Start Menu | Digital Trends

July 9, 2021July 8, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A little over a week after Microsoft launched Windows 11 in an early preview with the Windows Insider program, the new operating system is already seeing some big updates.

Microsoft just announced a new Dev Channel build of Windows 11, improving the Start Menu and adding fixes that “make the Windows 11 experience even better.

The big improvement in this build of Windows 11 is a new search box in the Start Menu, making it easier to find what you’re looking for, without the need to open the dedicated search app. Other changes include the return of the Power Mode settings in the Power and Battery page, as well as the ability to right-click on the volume icon in the taskbar to troubleshoot sound problems.

Microsoft fixes critical PrintNightmare bug | BBC News

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Microsoft has issued a fix for a critical bug dubbed PrintNightmare.

It says, hackers are using the bug, accidentally disclosed by researchers.

It can help them “install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights” remotely on all versions of Windows.

It affects the Windows Print Spooler, software that manages printing, controlling the order in which print jobs from computers in an office are put in a queue, for example.

Alien-Themed Businesses to Make Hay From the Government’s ‘Flying Objects’ Report | Inc.com

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Few phenomena excite the American public like aliens. And with last month’s publication of the U.S. government’s highly anticipated Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena document–referred colloquially the “flying objects” report–alien-themed businesses are predicting a surge in tourism, and with it, rocketing sales.

“People will start coming after they read the report,” says Cindy Campbell, the owner of the Atomic Inn, an alien-themed hotel located a few miles from Area 51, a United States Air Force facility, formally known as the Nevada Test and Training Range. The site was developed during the Cold War as a testing and aircraft development facility, and has since become the seat of popular UFO conspiracy theories. “Area 51 is extremely famous, and people will travel here just to be close to it,” she says.

SoftBank buys perpetual Yahoo trademark license for $1.6 billion | TechCrunch

July 6, 2021July 5, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As firework volleys launched out of New York City harbor last night, a very different celebration was likely taking place just a few blocks down the street at Verizon’s official headquarters in Midtown.

The telco, which owns TechCrunch for hopefully just a few more weeks pending the close of the Apollo acquisition of our parent company Verizon Media, announced overnight that it had signed an agreement with Z Holdings, a division of Japan’s SoftBank Group, to sell trademarks within the Japan market around the Yahoo brand and related tech infrastructure for approximately $1.6 billion.

These Are The Ten Most Profitable Companies In Texas | Entrepreneur

July 1, 2021June 28, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Texas is the world’s ninth-largest economy. As of 2019, the U.S., with a GDP size of $21.4 trillion, is the world’s largest economy, followed by China, Japan and Germany.

As per the IMF ranking of global economies, Texas, with a GDP of $1.9 trillion, is technically at ninth place with Italy being at eighth with a GDP of $2 trillion, and Brazil at tenth with a GDP of $1.8 trillion. Moreover, the state is ranked among the top in the U.S. when it comes to growth prospects, owing to robust employment and income growth forecasts. Texas is home to several world-class companies, and last year, many companies have either moved to or expanded their operations in the state. Let’s take a look at the ten most profitable companies in Texas.