readwrite-rss

Mt. Gox, the defunct cryptocurrency exchange, has transferred 37,477 Bitcoin (BTC), valued at approximately $2.5 billion, to an unidentified wallet… Continue reading Mt. Gox Moves Another $2.5B of Bitcoin
The post Mt. Gox Moves Another $2.5B of Bitcoin appeared first on ReadWrite.

Mt. Gox, the defunct cryptocurrency exchange, has transferred 37,477 Bitcoin (BTC), valued at approximately $2.5 billion, to an unidentified wallet address. The transaction follows a similar transaction moving $2.7 billion of Bitcoin.

Data from blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence shows that this transaction occurred on July 24 at 4:53 am UTC. Of the transferred amount, 5,106 BTC were subsequently moved to a separate cold storage wallet owned by Mt. Gox.

This transfer follows closely on the heels of another significant movement of funds by the exchange. On July 22, Mt. Gox shifted $2.8 billion in BTC to multiple wallets, with $340 million directed to four wallets linked to Bitstamp, one of five exchanges collaborating with the Mt. Gox trustee to reimburse creditors.

According to CryptoQuant data shared by Cointelegraph, approximately 40% of the Bitcoin owed to Mt. Gox creditors has been distributed so far. This leaves about 60%, or roughly $5.6 billion, yet to be returned.

The Mt. Gox saga stems from a major security breach in 2014, which led to the exchange’s collapse. Around 127,000 creditors have been waiting over a decade to recover their funds, totaling about $9 billion worth of Bitcoin.

Impact on the markets

While some fear these repayments could trigger a mass sell-off, several analysts suggest these concerns may be exaggerated. Alex Thorne, head of research at Galaxy Digital, noted in a recent tweet that much of those assets are unlikely to directly impact the spot market:

Creditors have been stuck in mt gox bankruptcy for 10+ yrs–finally trustee says in-kind distribution of #BTC #BCH will begin in July. we think fewer coins will be distributed than people think & that it will cause less #bitcoin sell pressure than market expects

Thorne also speculates that individual creditors might not immediately sell their recovered funds, suggesting many Mt. Gox creditors may have a “diamond-handed” approach to their assets.

Some market observers believe that much of Mt. Gox’s potential impact on Bitcoin prices has already been factored into the market. They argue that the worst of Bitcoin’s price fluctuations related to this event may have already passed.

The post Mt. Gox Moves Another $2.5B of Bitcoin appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

Most entrepreneurs who start new businesses understand that failure is a significant possibility, but optimistically hope that their startup will… Continue reading How to Recover From a Failed Startup
The post How to Recover From a Failed Startup appeared first on ReadWrite.

Most entrepreneurs who start new businesses understand that failure is a significant possibility, but optimistically hope that their startup will defy the odds and become massively successful. No matter how hopeful you are – or how skilled you are as an entrepreneur – a failed startup is never more than a few bad decisions away.

A startup failing isn’t necessarily a reflection of your abilities, but it can hurt both your ego and your wallet. How do you recover from a failed startup and maximize your chances of success the second time around?

Make the Final Decision

Before you get too far into the process, you’ll need to finalize your decision and take the actions necessary to dissolve your business and prepare for the consequences of losing it. Most businesses aren’t permanently closed because of financial difficulties or some threatening external event; rather, entrepreneurs make the decision to close a business once they realize there’s no way out.

If your business is failing, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will continue failing in the future. A struggling business can recover by means of revitalized marketing strategies, cost cutting measures, new product development, rebranding, and other strategies. But if you’ve already tried these and you’re out of options, or if you’re ready to throw in the towel, it may be time to make the final call.

This is a major decision that you can’t easily walk back, so make sure you’re in a clear-headed, unemotional state of mind when you make it – and make sure you have all the information necessary to ensure you make a logical call.

Audit Your Finances

As you prepare to close your business, closely audit your finances. Take inventory of your standing debts as well as outstanding accounts and speculate which of your assets can be easily liquidated. If your business is in a difficult financial position, closing the business can be complicated; in some situations, the right move may be to declare bankruptcy.

According to attorney Rowdy G. Williams, “People sometimes see bankruptcy as a singular monolith, but the reality is that there are many types of bankruptcy. The type of bankruptcy you choose will impact how much debt will be discharged, and how long the process will take.”

Working with a lawyer, you can determine whether bankruptcy is the right move for closing your business, and if so, which type of bankruptcy would be most appropriate. Otherwise, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your assets, liabilities, and transactions as you begin to shut the startup down.

Facilitate an Organized, Orderly Shutdown

An organized, orderly shutdown is going to be quicker, less stressful, more legally sound, and easier on the people around you. Accordingly, you owe it to yourself and to everyone else in your business to remain as structured and professional as possible during the shutdown.

Work with decision makers.

Consult with major decision makers in your business if you haven’t already. Depending on the structure and nature of your business, you may need them on board with your decision before you begin to follow through.

Collect outstanding accounts.

At some point, you’ll need to collect on outstanding accounts. This can help you reconcile your final finances and receive some money to settle any outstanding debts.

Inform your staff.

Think carefully about how you want to inform your staff. In most cases, it pays to let them know as early as possible and as sympathetically as possible. Give people time, direction, and resources so they can properly process what’s happening and set a course for their futures. Make sure you explain your reasoning for shutting the business down as well.

Inform your customers.

You’ll also need to inform your customers. Give them full instructions on how they should handle this, and consider recommending alternative product and service providers who can fill their needs.

File the necessary documents.

Depending on your type of business and where it’s located, you’ll likely need to file some paperwork to formally dissolve or close your business.

Plan for taxes.

Even if your business is closed, you’ll likely still have some tax obligations. Consult with a tax advisor to ensure you’re planning for those taxes properly.

Cancel your licenses and permits.

If you have any licenses or permits for your business, now is the time to cancel them.

Distribute assets and close accounts.

Finally, you’ll be ready to make a final distribution of assets and close any of your active accounts.

Initiate a Postmortem

As you begin delving into the final closure of your startup, or after you’re all done, consider initiating a postmortem analysis. Essentially, your goal is to figure out what went wrong so that you can prevent something similar in your next venture.

What was the root cause of your business’s failure? And what were the intermediate causes? Don’t make any snap judgments. Dig deep into the details to see if there’s anything you might have missed.

These are some of the best places to find clues:

Financial documents.

A company’s finances can tell you nearly everything about how it operates. You can quickly identify any financial strategies that disrupted your business and pinpoint moments in time when momentum began to shift.

Interviews and discussions.

It’s also a good idea to conduct interviews and hold discussions with other people who were active in your business. Leaders and decision makers can give you a high-level perspective of what they think went wrong. Lower-level employees may have critical ground-level insights that leaders might lack.

Major decisions and resulting outcomes.

Focus on major decisions that you made throughout the course of your business and whether you could have made an alternative decision in each scenario that would have turned out differently. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but this exercise is valuable in helping you make better decisions in the future.

External threats.

Review any external threats that played a role in the demise of your business as well. New competitors, economic turmoil, and changes in market dynamics can all play a role in compromising the integrity of your startup.

Take Some Time (If You Can)

Losing a startup you loved and worked so hard on can be incredibly difficult. Just as you wouldn’t want to return to work after losing a loved one, you shouldn’t immediately dive into a new venture the day your first business closes. Even if you feel okay with the situation, it’s wise to take a few weeks, or even a few months to process what happened, relax, and reset your frame of mind so you can start your next venture on an even footing.

Take Accountability (But Go Easy on Yourself)

You’ll greatly increase your chances of success if you can take full accountability for all your decisions and actions that may have contributed to the failure of your business. Yes, there were variables and factors outside of your control, but focusing on them isn’t going to help you succeed. You can only control your own actions and behaviors, so this is where the locus of change needs to be.

At the same time, don’t beat yourself up. Even the best entrepreneurs in the world experience failure and make egregious mistakes. What separates them from other entrepreneurs is that they learn from them and move on.

Consider Your Future

You don’t have to start a new business. You could also transform your old business idea into something new, start a new career, or take your experience and find a position that complements your new skill set. Think critically about all your options before you decide to move forward.

Prepare

If you do plan on starting a new business, take some time to prepare.

Classes: Many classes can help you cultivate skills or new knowledge to become a better entrepreneur.

Research: You can also start researching new possibilities, and potentially drafting business plans for your new ideas.

Connections: Don’t forget to network! Ongoing networking habits can help you find new mentors, partners, investors, employees, and even customers.

It’s tempting to think of the failure of your startup as the end of a journey. But it’s also the beginning of a new one. If you can fully and properly recover from a failed startup, you can use your new knowledge and experience to start something even better.

The post How to Recover From a Failed Startup appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

In a quirky twist of corporate apology-gone-awry, cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike has left social media chortling after reportedly offering a meager… Continue reading CrowdStrike’s $10 peace offering brews more trouble than it’s worth
The post CrowdStrike’s $10 peace offering brews more trouble than it’s worth appeared first on ReadWrite.

In a quirky twist of corporate apology-gone-awry, cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike has left social media chortling after reportedly offering a meager $10 Uber Eats gift card to soothe the frazzled nerves of IT staff and partners bogged down by last Friday’s catastrophic IT outage.

Crowdstrike’s apology falls short

The saga began when several IT professionals and partners received a supposedly consoling email from CrowdStrike, penned with a dose of corporate empathy that may have missed its mark. The message stated, in part, that CrowdStrike knows that it knows that its botched update has caused “additional work” for those IT partners. It added, “And for that, we send our heartfelt thanks and apologies for the inconvenience.”

The message ended with CrowdStrike stating, “To express our gratitude, your next cup of coffee or late night snack is on us!” It included a code for the Uber Eats promotion, or users could access a QR code.

lol Crowdstrike crashed millions of computers with a glitch and then sent an apology to partners in the form of a $10 Uber Eats gift card pic.twitter.com/6ZaYdf1TS6

— Sheel Mohnot (@pitdesi) July 24, 2024

Some users have said the emails were signed by Daniel Bernard, the company’s chief business officer. In the UK, the amount was said to be around £7.75, which is around $10 at today’s (July 24) exchange rate.

One user quipped, “CrowdStrike sending out an UberEats credit to everyone as a ‘my bad yall’ is so Gen Z.”

While another said: “The Uber Eats voucher in the email to partners stating ‘your next cup of coffee or late night snack is on us’ fails with ‘We’re sorry, this voucher has been cancelled by the issuing party and is no longer valid’ (at least in Aus).”

Oddly enough some of the recipients tried to redeem their snack on CrowdStrike’s dime, only to find the Uber Eats voucher “has been canceled by the issuing party and is no longer valid.”

Some mocked the fact that the amount was barely “enough for a pizza party!”

Not even enough for a pizza party!

— $0.02timmy (@002timmyNFTs) July 24, 2024

In what may go down in the annals of corporate apologies as a classic “what not to do,” CrowdStrike’s $10 olive branch has certainly fed the social media frenzy if not the stomachs of its intended recipients.

Largest outage in IT history

Around 8.5 million devices were impacted in what was described as “the largest IT outage in history” with CrowdStrike stating a significant number are now back online.

An apology was issued as part of the response from the company in recent days.

“We understand the profound impact this has had on everyone. We know our customers, partners and their IT teams are working tirelessly and we’re profoundly grateful,” said CrowdStrike.

“We apologize for the disruption this has created.”

Featured image: Canva

The post CrowdStrike’s $10 peace offering brews more trouble than it’s worth appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

When Marvel’s superheroes made the jump from page to screen, incredible actors played their parts, really bringing the characters to… Continue reading Marvel Rivals voice actors: Who are the names behind the game’s heroes?
The post Marvel Rivals voice actors: Who are the names behind the game’s heroes? appeared first on ReadWrite.

When Marvel’s superheroes made the jump from page to screen, incredible actors played their parts, really bringing the characters to life.

This is similarly the case in Marvel Rivals with some really impressive voice talent lending their chords to the plethora of personalities.

Here, we’ll reveal what we know on the Marvel Rivals voice actors so you can put a face to the in-game quips.

All confirmed Marvel Rivals voice actors

Sadly, there has only been one officially confirmed Marvel Rivals voice actor even though there are a bunch of playable heroes in both the Alpha and Closed Beta Test.

This is Yuri Lowenthal, who is playing Spider-Man. You may recognize both the voice and the name since he has also voiced Peter Parker/Spider-Man in both the Marvel’s Spider-Man games, as well as in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3.

He has been in a bunch of other games too such as the more recent Helldivers 2 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, so if you haven’t played the Spidey titles, this is where you may be familiar with his work.

Rumored Marvel Rivals voice actors

Even though there is only one official revealed name on the voice cast, it’s always fun to speculate on the other talent in the roster.

Here are some rumored voice actors, and their associated heroes in the game, that we’ve managed to compile based on the keen ears of players around the world and our own guesses:

Star-Lord – Scott Porter
Doctor Strange – Liam O’Brien
Iron Man – Josh Keaton
Loki – Troy Baker
Rocket Racoon – Nolan North
Peni Parker – Kimiko Glenn
Galacta – Cassandra Lee Morris
Scarlet Witch – Kate Higgins
Magneto – James Arnold Taylor

Once NetEase confirms more voice actors we’ll be sure to fill up that confirmed list and hopefully, some of our educated picks will make it on.

Either way, it’s just fantastic to see that the devs haven’t gone in half baked on the talent and we get to hear great embodiments of truly beloved characters.

The post Marvel Rivals voice actors: Who are the names behind the game’s heroes? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

Marvel Rivals is back after the pretty impressive Alpha, bringing with it more characters for the roster and those same… Continue reading Marvel Rivals system requirements: Can your PC run the Closed Beta Test?
The post Marvel Rivals system requirements: Can your PC run the Closed Beta Test? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Marvel Rivals is back after the pretty impressive Alpha, bringing with it more characters for the roster and those same intense battles to see who comes out on top.

If you didn’t get in the first time around, or simply want to jog your memory on if your PC can run it, we’re going to go through the full Marvel Rivals system requirements right here.

We’ll take a look at both minimum and recommended specs so if you have a more budget setup, you’ll be able to see if it can scrape by.

Marvel Rivals system requirements

As promised, if you read on you’ll be able to see both the minimum and recommended Marvel Rivals system requirements.

We think you’ll likely be shocked by how low the minimum requirements are and you’ll likely be able to play the game on a pretty ancient machine compared to that of today’s high-powered components.

Marvel Rivals minimum system requirements

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
RAM: 12 GB
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 70 GB available space

Marvel Rivals recommended system requirements

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
CPU: Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
RAM: 16 GB
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Super) or AMD RX 5700-XT
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 70 GB available space

Is Marvel Rivals on Steam Deck?

If you were looking to get in on the Marvel Rivals Closed Beta via Steam Deck, you’re likely going to be left wanting.

There’s no ‘official’ way of getting it to run via Steam so unfortunately, you’ll have to be tethered to that PC instead.

However, if you’ve done a little tinkering and are dual booting Windows, you can install it that way.

It does run quite nicely on really low settings but you will be missing out on those pretty character designs and maps.

The post Marvel Rivals system requirements: Can your PC run the Closed Beta Test? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

The bull market might be coming back with meme coins making a big impact, and one token grabbing a lot… Continue reading SOLYMPICS Crashes After Price Rally – Should Investors Consider This New Olympic-Themed Crypto Presale?
The post SOLYMPICS Crashes After Price Rally – Should Investors Consider This New Olympic-Themed Crypto Presale? appeared first on ReadWrite.

The bull market might be coming back with meme coins making a big impact, and one token grabbing a lot of attention is Solympics, a Solana-based meme coin that has been soaring recently.

But the recent price rally that leads to hit its all-time high did not sustain and now it dropped over 40% in the past 24 hours.

The drop happened for a few reasons. One is that a quick rise often leads to a sharp correction. Another reason is that the rest of the crypto market is currently seeing losses.

Let’s look at why Solympics’ price is dropping and see why experts are now focusing on the new crypto presale called The Meme Games.

Solympics: Next 100x SOL-based meme coin

Solympics is bringing the Olympic spirit to the Solana blockchain right as Paris prepares for the actual Games. The timing is spot-on. The project is diving deep into the sports theme, blending meme culture with Olympic excitement.

Solympics also offers 1,100 unique NFTs that feature ten countries and 100 different sports events. NFT holders can win extra prizes if their NFT’s country or sport wins gold. Solympics is also joining the social media scene with a custom meme creator tool.

Crypto fans can use this tool to make their own Olympic-themed memes and share them on Twitter and Reddit. It’s like the creators are letting holders be the project’s unofficial marketing team.

Given how well themed meme coins usually do, Solympics might be onto something big. By tapping into the Olympic buzz, the creators have caught the attention of retail traders. Early success suggests Solympics could keep making news throughout the Games.

SOLYMPICS price analysis and price prediction

Solympics (SOLYMPICS), a Solana-based Olympics-themed meme coin, soared over 400% in the last 24 hours, reaching $0.0041 per token. This sharp increase boosted the token’s market cap to $3.3 million and its spot trading volume to $5.2 million, even landing it in the second spot on CoinMarketCap’s trending list.

However, the excitement didn’t last long. SOLYMPICS has since faced over 40% price drop, now trading at $0.0016 with a 24-hour trading volume of $1.75 million. Despite the decline, the token maintains a high volume-to-market cap ratio of 140%, showing continued interest and activity.

With SOLYMPICS being a recent launch, historical data for accurate predictions is scarce. The token has found potential support at $0.0018 and resistance at $0.0040, but technical indicators are mixed.

Bollinger bands have narrowed, suggesting a bearish trend, but the RSI has moved from overbought to a neutral zone, indicating balanced buying and selling pressure.

The upcoming Olympics might spark another rally, but current technical indicators don’t support this expectation. A shift in overall crypto market sentiment could also affect SOLYMPICS.

Are Olympics-themed tokens the next big thing?

Most meme coins don’t have much utility, so their success relies heavily on their themes, marketing, and branding. For instance, cat-themed meme coins like Cat in Dogs World (MEW) saw a big rise recently because their cat theme stood out in the usually dog-themed meme coin space.

The Olympic Games are one of the world’s biggest regular events, attracting over 3 billion viewers in 2020. This, combined with the recent trend of NationFi tokens, which let holders express national pride, creates a great opportunity for high-quality meme coins.

NationFi and current events make a strong foundation for meme coin marketing. If an Olympics-themed coin goes viral during the Games, it could see a huge increase in value. The Olympics naturally promote organic growth, with national pride motivating holders to share their experiences.

While these coins may not have long-term potential since the Olympics only happen every four years, they can offer significant short-term gains. Investors are eyeing a promising new ICO to capitalize on this opportunity.

The Meme Games gains traction as investors favor it over Solympics

The upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics are generating excitement in the crypto market. Investors are eyeing sports-themed tokens for potential big gains. Solympics has been volatile lately, so investors might want to consider a new crypto presale called The Meme Games, another Olympic-themed meme coin.

The Meme Games (MGMES) is currently in presale, and many retail investors are eager to get in on the action. The presale began few days ago and has already raised over $230,000.

Early investors can buy $MGMES tokens for just $0.00905, a price that has attracted over 18,000 followers to the project’s X page. Potential investors can visit our guide on how to buy The Meme Games tokens here.

What makes The Meme Games unique is its blend of meme culture and fun gameplay. It features a racing game with popular meme characters like Doge, Brett, dogWifHat, and Turbo.

Source – The Meme Games Twitter

Investors in $MGMES can choose a meme athlete and earn bonus tokens if their athlete wins the race. The bonus is set at 25%, so buying 10,000 $MGMES tokens could earn an additional 2,500 tokens if their athlete wins.

Additionally, the project offers staking, with a current APY of 1,045%, though this will decrease as more people join the staking pool.

The presale will end with the Paralympics closing ceremony, and $MGMES will launch on exchanges two days later, on September 10th. See what the future holds for The Meme Games with our $MGMES price predictions here.

Overall, The Meme Games’ clever Olympic theme and humorous vibe could make it a standout project this year. To participate in the $MGMES token presale, visit memegamestoken.com.

Related

New Crypto Launch The Meme Games Merges Pepe Coin, Brett And Other Viral Memes
Top 4 GameFi Tokens to Watch in 2024 – The Meme Games, Notcoin, Floki, and Sandbox

The post SOLYMPICS Crashes After Price Rally – Should Investors Consider This New Olympic-Themed Crypto Presale? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

The Marvel universe has a seemingly infinite number of superheroes in it coupled with so many crossovers for you to… Continue reading Marvel Rivals hero list: Who are the playable characters in the Closed Beta?
The post Marvel Rivals hero list: Who are the playable characters in the Closed Beta? appeared first on ReadWrite.

The Marvel universe has a seemingly infinite number of superheroes in it coupled with so many crossovers for you to count.

With Marvel Rivals, it attempts to further this and really pit them against each other to see which combination comes out on top.

With this, the Marvel Rivals roster is something that you’ll want to know straight away to see if your favorite hero has made the cut.

Here is all we know on the playable characters in Marvel Rivals so you can call shotgun on your choices ahead of diving into the game.

Complete Marvel Rivals roster: All currently available heroes

The Marvel Rivals Alpha had a pretty impressive selection of heroes available with many being happy that such a wide variety of franchises within the universe have been catered for.

With the Closed Beta Test, there have been even more characters added, allowing you to get a feel for additional abilities and the balancing that NetEase has put in play.

Here is the full currently available and announced Marvel Rivals hero list so you can see if your favorite is playable:

Adam Warlock (Added in the Closed Beta)
Black Panther
Bruce Banner/Hulk
Dr. Strange
Groot
Hela
Iron Man
Loki
Luna Snow
Magik
Magneto
Mantis
Namor
Peni Parker
Rocket Raccoon
Scarlet Witch
Spider-Man
Storm
Star-Lord
The Punisher
Venom (Added in the Closed Beta)

Naturally, we expect more heroes to be added in the main game once the full release comes around.

There are some leaks out there suggesting that we could see the likes of Captain America and Black Widow from The Avengers, coupled with Wolverine and Storm from the X-Men.

In the latest Closed Beta, along with those new characters in the above list, there are references to both Deadpool and Spider-Gwen, which some are suggesting could be the next additions to the game.

The post Marvel Rivals hero list: Who are the playable characters in the Closed Beta? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

Speculation about Spotify HiFi has been swirling for years, and it appears that an upgrade, potentially named Spotify Supremium, may… Continue reading What is Spotify Supremium? New lossless tier may be rolled out soon
The post What is Spotify Supremium? New lossless tier may be rolled out soon appeared first on ReadWrite.

Speculation about Spotify HiFi has been swirling for years, and it appears that an upgrade, potentially named Spotify Supremium, may finally be launching.

Recently, screenshots surfaced online showing what might be the user interface for this new ‘enhanced listening’ tier. These images, posted on Reddit by a user named OhItsTom, suggest what the subscription could look like across desktop and mobile platforms.

The leaked screenshots are particularly interesting as they display a range of tools and text windows that might feature in the official release of the service.

What is Spotify Supremium?

At the moment, Spotify streams music using compressed formats like Vorbis and AAC to make the best of its bandwidth. These methods involve ‘lossy’ compression, where parts of the music files are discarded to reduce data transfer size. In contrast, Spotify HiFi or Supremium would introduce CD-quality or lossless streaming, providing a richer audio experience.

The upcoming service, potentially named Spotify Lossless, will include features such as advanced mixing tools, detailed listening history statistics, select free audiobooks, and 24-bit lossless audio. Leaked smartphone screenshots reveal an introductory guide to Spotify Lossless, explaining that users can stream music files “in up to 24-bit” through Spotify Connect on compatible devices. A special ‘Lossless’ label will signal when music is streamed at this high quality. Other features include “pro tips” and a troubleshooting guide for optimizing lossless audio reception, along with settings adjustments for song quality and downloads.

The smartphone images points out that it may be called Spotify Lossless

The desktop interface gives further insights, including a compatibility checker that evaluates whether a user’s computer setup can support high-resolution music streaming. An audio frequency monitor is also platformed, though its exact purpose remains unclear. It appears to allow users to check out signal strength across frequencies ranging from 60Hz to 15kHz.

The desktop app has an audio frequency monitor

Another key aspect is the ‘Enhanced Listening’ options on the desktop version. When connecting, Spotify will assess whether the user’s device supports HiFi streaming, evaluate the internet connection, and provide a performance score that ranges from Low to Lossless, with Lossless being the best rating.

Although Spotify Lossless supports a bitrate of up to 1,411 kbps,  lower than Tidal’s maximum of 192kHz, this might still be adequate for most users, as the perceptible difference may be minuscule. According to 9To5Google, Spotify plans to allow users to increase the bitrate limit to 2,117 kbps. It also mentions that 24-bit lossless music in the FLAC format will be accessible, albeit only for specific tracks.

When is Spotify HiFi or Supremium coming?

Despite expectations, Spotify HiFi has not been launched, following its initial announcement in 2021.

After a 2023 presentation, Spotify co-president Gustav Söderström disclosed to The Verge that Spotify is committed to introducing HiFi, stating that the company “are going to do it [HiFi], but we’re going to do it in a way where it makes sense for us and our listeners. The industry changed and we had to adapt.”

He also mentioned that the high-resolution service “is coming at some point.” However, Spotify’s annual Stream On event on March 8, 2023, sidestepped HiFi, focusing instead on new creator tools, user features, and programming.

The event introduced a TikTok-style scrollable layout, additional Spotify exclusive podcasts, and the AI DJ app, which has a personalized playlist upgrade and music recommendations voiced by Spotify’s cultural partnerships head, Xavier ‘X’ Jernigan.

The high-quality streams would, the company said, be “rolling out in select markets later this year”.

What will I need to listen to Spotify Supremium?

The improved service is expected to integrate into the existing Spotify app, using lossless audio compression algorithms like Sony’s ATRAC, FLAC, HD-AAC (already used in Spotify’s Premium tier), and Dolby True-HD.

For the best quality with the Supremium tier, wired speakers or headphones are recommended due to their compatibility with high-quality analog connections.

However, if you prefer wireless headphones, make sure they and your player support high-bitrate Bluetooth codecs like aptX HD Lossless or LDAC to prevent compression of the audio at the final transmission stage.

How much will the new tier be?

The new service is likely to cost $18 per month, nearly double the current $10.99 monthly fee for Spotify Premium in the U.S., the price for its additional features.

“We’re seeing less churn in this round of increases, than we did in our prior one, which was already very low, by any measure,” Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said on the earnings call.

Ek revealed plans for a more premium Spotify tier, possibly costing about $5 or so above the current premium tier pricing, with additional enhancements. He stated that the idea is still in its “early days,” but it’s a response to consumer demand and could significantly impact the music industry.

“It’s probably around a $17 or $18 price point, but sort of a deluxe version of Spotify that has all of the benefits that this normal Spotify version has, but a lot more control, a lot higher quality across the board,” Ek said.

“It’s an exciting time at Spotify. We keep on innovating and showing that we aren’t just a great product, but increasingly also a great business,” said CEO Daniel Ek. “We are doing so on a timeline that has exceeded even our own expectations. This all bodes very well for the future.”

Featured image: Canva

The post What is Spotify Supremium? New lossless tier may be rolled out soon appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

Epic Games has released the details for Fortnite update 30.30 which includes a Deadpool and Wolverine collab ahead of the… Continue reading Fortnite update v30.30: New Tracks, Fall Guys, and Deadpool skins
The post Fortnite update v30.30: New Tracks, Fall Guys, and Deadpool skins appeared first on ReadWrite.

Epic Games has released the details for Fortnite update 30.30 which includes a Deadpool and Wolverine collab ahead of the film being debuted later this week.

As well as the superhero duo, there’s also the random addition of a Tesla and new Fall Guys mini-games.

It’s a fairly chaotic update, but one that brings some exciting changes and early access to features currently under development.

Fall Guys obstacle courses can now be created in Fortnite

Update 30.30 has brought about a new large selection of Fall Guy’s assets straight from the Blunderstone.

A varied array of prefabs and galleries are available, along with pieces that make building custom Fall Guys-style obstacle courses possible. These all come in various sizes so you can personalize it to your island’s needs.

These islands can be published in the Creator Portal from August 6 and must be done so manually as they don’t auto-publish. Those created with the Fall Guys starter islands could qualify for placement in a limited-time Fall Guys row in Discover.

The prefabs and galleries include:

Fall Guys Large Checkpoint
Fall Guys Medium Checkpoint
Fall Guys Small Checkpoint
Fall Guys Finish Funnel
Fall Guys Large Finish Platform
Fall Guys Medium Finish Platform
Fall Guys Small Finish Platform
Fall Guys Large Starting Platform
Fall Guys Medium Starting Platform
Fall Guys Small Starting Platform
Fall Guys Components Gallery
Fall Guys Obstacles Gallery
Fall Guys Elemental Gallery A

Deadpool and Wolverine arrive on the scene

The duo is coming to the in-game shop, alongside several Adidas skins to choose from.

Better Look at Deadpool & Wolverine Fortnite Skins pic.twitter.com/jLgpy1anfV

— HYPEX (@HYPEX) July 23, 2024

The Wolverine and Deadpool bundles should be able to be claimed this week which goes nicely with the release of the Hollywood movie.

Rocket Racing has new tracks

While it’s not always the most loved mode on Fortnite, Epic Games has given Rocket Racing some TLC as they debut new tracks.

There are seven to choose from, all with varying difficulty levels from novice to expert.

These include:

Obsidian: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Bronze 1)
Seafoam Cave: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Bronze 1)
Skull Rock Isle: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Silver 1)
Lavish Lagoon: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Silver 1)
Twin Flame Island: Advanced difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Gold 1)
Azure Grotto: Advanced difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Gold 1)
Basalt Burrow: Expert difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Platinum 1)

Tesla EV

A Tesla Cybertruck bundle will be coming to the shop in the next update on August 6 and will include five decals and Cyber Wheels.

In the meantime, Epic Games released the Tesla EV which can be secured for free after completing all nine sub-quests in the Summer Road Trip Quest by the time the next update rolls around.

Fixes and updates in Fortnite update 30.30

It can’t all be fun and games! There’s a handful of updates to documentation and learning within 30.30 and these include upgraded tutorials for using the creator portal, converting a static mesh into a skeletal mesh, and more.

In terms of community bug fixes, driven by information submitted through forums, there has been improved launch session reliability added when connecting to the server.

Featured Image: Via HypeX user on X

The post Fortnite update v30.30: New Tracks, Fall Guys, and Deadpool skins appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

In a constant race against competitors, the Meta Quest 3 will be the first to bring an AI assistant to… Continue reading Meta Quest 3 will include AI personal assistant soon
The post Meta Quest 3 will include AI personal assistant soon appeared first on ReadWrite.

In a constant race against competitors, the Meta Quest 3 will be the first to bring an AI assistant to the device.

Mark Zuckerberg’s company announced the news on Tuesday (July 23) through a press release, writing that Meta Quest is “gearing up to join the [AI] party this summer.”

This announcement comes after Bloomberg reported that Apple had plans to bring Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro headsets in the near future.

Journalist Mark Gurman said the iPhone maker is “actively working” on bringing the Apple Intelligence features to the Vision Pro headset. But this isn’t expected to be available this year.

Beating them to it, the smart MR assistant on the Quest 3 will mean instant access to real-time information and answers to burning questions while wearing the headset.

The AI element will begin rolling out in the US and Canada in an experimental mode next month and then the experience will be improved over time.

This is the same artificial intelligence already integrated into services like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and the company’s Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

Users will be able to ask the AI any questions through voice prompts and can include the visual surroundings as part of the conversation.

Meta Quest 3 to be integrated with AI support

While Meta describes it as being ‘early days,’ with ‘more functionality to come,’ they explain how the experience will be made better over time due to regular software updates.

“More than a decade ago, we recognized AI and the metaverse as two foundational technologies for the next computing platform, and we’ve been investing in fundamental research into both ever since…

“Large language models are enabling powerful virtual assistants that become even more useful when embedded within wearable devices like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and, soon, Quest.”

The AI assistant will not be available on the older version of the headset though, only on the most current version.

Featured Image: Via Wikimedia Commons

The post Meta Quest 3 will include AI personal assistant soon appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More