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The HTC One X9 might end HTC’s smartphone business

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Inevitably, there was one big loser this year on the smartphone market: HTC. The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer became popular when it launched the original, HTC One M7. Before that, the number of people who had heard of the company was significantly smaller. The HTC One M7, followed by the HTC One M8 were and still are two of the best Android smartphones on the market – to this date. With great design, user-friendly Sense interface, great support and updates as well as excellent performance, Android fans were smitten with HTC. The change started at the HTC One M8 camera – when the company took its first major risk involving the flagship line-up. Now we’re at the HTC One M9s and an HTC One X9 might be coming by the end of the year. What’s going on?

The HTC One X9 is the latest rumored device from the company, after having launched the One M8s, One ME, One M9, One M9 Plus, One M9 Plus Supreme Camera, HTC One A9, One E9 and One E9 Plus, all in 2015. That’s 8 phones, just in the One flagship family, launched this year. The company seems to be going down the Samsung road when it comes to releases (without the funding,though), and making an iPhone 6S clone didn’t help sales whatsoever. With the rumors about yet another One X9 device coming along, we can’t help but wonder if it will be the last phone from the legendary company.

The HTC One X9 has already been leaked online thanks to its TENAA certification documents being posted. When such documents showcase smartphones, they usually end up being launched within two months from when the documents were published. That means that before the year ends, the HTC One X9 release date will be coming around. I, for one, am tired of what the company is doing and as a long-time fan, I feel they’ve lost their way. The One A9 is a failed device and it should not be followed up with the likes of the One X9.

In the leaked documents, One X9 specs showcase a 5.5-inch FHD resolution display, a Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, 13 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera and most interestingly: the One A9 design. So, what HTC is doing is launching their own set of iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus clones in the form of mid-range smartphones. Although HTC was first to use the antennae lines and chamfered edges design years ago, Apple made it popular and the judgment that people are passing on HTC for this is inevitable. It’s wrongful, but it’s HTC’s fault. They should have thought about the backlash and should have thought about their fanbase. HTC fans have repeatedly voiced their concerns about the company’s future, always making sure to emphasize how great the One M7 and One M8 are. The company didn’t listen.

Fans got a big blow with the HTC One M9 and its Plus counterpart with a fingerprint sensor being Asia-exclusive. The bigger blow was the HTC One A9 and its obviously iPhone design. We understood that they wanted to make a premium smartphone, but they should have focused on their own, perfectly acceptable and globally liked, design language. The One A9 would have been much more appreciated if it looked like the One M7 and still had BoomSound. The company seems to be making the worst possible choices, and there has to be a reason for it.

As you can probably tell, HTC is pretty aware of what people are saying and what response their devices are getting. They’re definitely aware of dropping stock values and revenues, so my guess is this: we can bid adieu to HTC in the Android smartphone market. A theory that surfaced is that HTC wants to spin-off its smartphone division and that seems like a good explanation for all this chaos with their recent launches. The One X9 kind of sounds like the last phone, you know, X marking the spot and everything. But why devalue the company if you want to spin it off or sell it? It’s something a financial analysts should get on explaining, but the change in HTC’s management had a very big impact on the company’s smartphone industry. The steep drop in popularity and sales couldn’t have been so unexpected. What do you guys think?

In my opinion, the One X9 might be the last smartphone from the company – on its own – but we might want to look for HTC in other industries: wearables and VR. That’s where the future of innovation seems to be, at least for the next couple of years and the Taiwanese company has already confirmed its intent of making more of an impact there rather than working to revive something that’s been dying for a while now. To sum up, HTC is probably going to keep its smartphone division focused on Asia and give international customers what they want: immersion.

As part of the editorial team here at Geekreply, John spends a lot of his time making sure each article is up to snuff. That said, he also occasionally pens articles on the latest in Geek culture. From Gaming to Science, expect the latest news fast from John and team.

Gadgets

Remake of Silent Hill 2 Dev is “Very Safe” with Any Changes

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The developer of the PS5 recreation of Silent Hill 2, Bloober Team, has said it will take a “very conservative approach” to whatever alterations it makes. Chief marketing officer Anna Jasiska claims that the Polish developer is being very cautious when making changes because they want to remain authentic to the PS2 masterpiece. However, we are making changes to some areas where time has passed and things need to be modernized.

While maintaining “the conventional tale canon,” the team is concentrating on “putting the distinct, visceral atmosphere back in the modernized Silent Hill 2” and modernizing the gameplay and graphics “from the ground up.” Hardcore fans shouldn’t worry that the developer “missed the point” of the original title, Bloober Team then emphasizes. We simply have some thoughts on how to make the odd fright components more accessible to the present audience. “We are not moving away from the original objective of making this cult masterpiece,” the statement continued.

Pyramid Head sexually rapes an enemy in a kitchen quite early in the game, and this is one particular scene Jasiska is questioned about. Jasiska effectively answered “no comment” when asked if the cutscene had been changed or not.

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Out of several other studios, Bloober Team was selected by Konami to oversee the production of the Silent Hill 2 remake. This decision was reportedly made because of Bloober Team’s “commitment and enthusiasm for horror.” The Layers of Fear series, Blair Witch, and The Medium are some of its earlier games. Because so many Bloober Team employees are ardent fans of the game, our business was astounded when we learned of this wonderful news.

The PS5 console exclusive Silent Hill 2 doesn’t yet have a release date, but given that it is in the last stages of development, this year’s release looks feasible.

 

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Artificial Intelligence

Using AI to develop arithmetic algorithms that are more effective

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Using AI, researchers at Google’s DeepMind in London have discovered that matrix multiplication issues can be solved more quickly. The team outlines enhancing math-based algorithms through reinforcement learning in their research that was published in the journal Nature. In the same journal issue, a Research Briefing detailing the work done by the London team was also released.

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In computer programming, math is frequently used to describe and then manipulate representations of real-world phenomena. It can be used to represent nodes in a synthetic network, meteorological conditions, or pixels on a computer screen. Calculations on matrices are one of the main ways that math is used in these situations. Matrixes can be used, for instance, to describe potential movement options in game programming. Matrices are frequently multiplied or added to in order to effectuate such movements; occasionally, both operations are required. This is labor-intensive, especially as the matrices get bigger, therefore computer scientists have devoted a lot of time and effort to creating ever-more-effective algorithms to do the task.

In this new endeavor, the DeepMind researchers questioned whether it may be feasible to deploy an AI system based on reinforcement learning to develop new algorithms with fewer steps than those already in use. They sought inspiration from gaming systems to learn the answer, observing that the majority of them are based on reinforcement learning. The team focused on tree searching after developing a few prototype systems, which is also used in game programming. It gives a system a way to consider multiple options in light of a specific condition. The researchers discovered that turning an AI system into a game allowed for searching for the most effective technique to arrive at a desired outcome—a mathematical result—when used to multiplying matrices.

The system was put to the test by the researchers by having it look for, evaluate, and employ pre-existing algorithms while utilizing incentives to select the most effective one. The system gained knowledge of the elements that affect the effectiveness of matrix multiplication. The researchers then gave the system the freedom to develop its own algorithm in an effort to increase efficiency. The researchers discovered that the algorithms selected by the system were frequently superior than those developed by their human forebears.

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Gadgets

Arriving with higher speeds and a new high-gloss look is Google’s Nest WiFi Pro.

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As is believed, a single pack Google’s Nest Wifi Pro costs $200, and three cost $400.

As anticipated, Google has announced the Nest WiFi Pro mesh router system, which features a sleeker appearance, WiFi 6E speeds that are quicker, and a straightforward setup. When Google’s new smart home protocol debuts, it will also function as a Matter hub, although it costs a little more than the existing Nest WiFi router.

The Nest WiFi Pro has a similar circular appearance to the previous version, but Google claims it utilizes a high-gloss material “inspired by ceramics” that is made of more than 60% recycled materials overall. In comparison to the WiFi Nest, which has a softer matte surface, it appears incredibly glossy in the promotional photographs. To fit nicely with most houses, it is available in four earth tone-inspired tones, “Snow,” “Linen,” “Fog,” and “Lemongrass.”

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A crucial component is the tri-band WiFi 6E protocol, which Google claims offers “a quicker and more direct path to the most dependable internet connection” and operates on the less congested 6Ghz frequency. The end result is speeds that can be up to twice as fast and support for the most recent smartphones and other WiFi 6E-compatible devices. It prioritizes high-bandwidth activity like video chats or streaming while analyzing network performance and optimizing connections to keep things moving swiftly.

The Nest WiFi Pro is compatible with the majority of smart home devices that are linked, and it has the speed to simultaneously handle video chats, 4K films, and security camera feeds. According to Google, a single router can span 2,200 square feet. It has a Thread border router built in to link smart home appliances via a low-power mesh. When Google’s new Matter smart home protocol debuts later this year, it will support it as well.

You’ll spend more than the existing Nest WiFi gadget for all of it. One unit costs $200 (as opposed to $169 for the existing Nest WiFi router), two units cost $300, and three units cost $400. Pre-orders are currently available, and shipment will begin on October 27.

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