It’s not often that Intel releases an unscheduled patch that applies to nearly every modern processor. But that’s exactly what’s happening this Friday.
As spotted by PCWorld, chips ranging from 2017 to the present 13th generation are listed in the code for the patch, which was posted on the Intel GitHub page. In other words, if you own a relatively new PC powered by Intel, the company thinks you need your system patched.
Nothing is listed that explains the purpose of the microcode, which was originally posted on May 12. Obviously, this has made some people suspicious that Intel was addressing a widespread security concern with the patch.
The good news? Intel responded to the outreach from PCWorld, reportedly providing the following statement over email:
“Microcode 20230512 update released on May 12, 2023, does not contain any security updates and the note, [INTEL-SA-NA], is meant to convey that there are no applicable (Not Applicable) security updates in the package. The microcode update includes functional updates only (also documented in product erratum).”
As you’ll notice, the statement from Intel doesn’t actually explain the nature of the patch — but does clarify that it’s not security-related.
That should, however, reassure us that we don’t have another Spectre and Meltdown vulnerability on our hands, which affected nearly every PC currently in use. Whew.
Still, we can’t help be curious about what this patch might be addressing. Either way, we may not know the nature of the patch until it gets rolled into a future Windows or motherboard BIOS update, which is typically where these patches from Intel end up.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.