### Issue 2136 - Tuesday 23rd July, 2024

## In Today's Issue

- Google cancels plan to block 3rd party cookies in Chrome
- Intel confirms stability issues with desktop Raptor Lake (13th/14th-gen) CPUs
- Optus introduces 7-day free trial, xAI powers up largest GPU cluster ever, FTC cracks it with Microsoft over Game Pass price bump
- Settings to disable or tweak that'll make your TV way nicer to look at
- Cheap EA Sports FC 24, Kayo/Binge gift cards, Zyron 100W USB charger, Vodafone 365-day SIM, refurb Dell laptop

## The News

### Google cancels plan to block 3rd party cookies in Chrome

Safari and Firefox already block third party cookies by default - because they're incredibly invasive and allow tracking across the web - but Chrome has backtracked on plans to join the rest of the browser industry in blocking them. Google decided that "instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they'd be able to adjust that choice at any time. We're discussing this new path with regulators, and will engage with the industry as we roll this out". The data Google and its advertisers can glean via a 3rd party cookie is just too juicy to let go of.

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### Intel confirms stability issues with desktop Raptor Lake (13th/14th-gen) CPUs

Anecdotes of Intel's 13th and 14th-gen desktop CPUs being unreliable have bubbled around the internet for a few months, but today Intel's confirmed it - "based on extensive analysis of Intel Core 13th/14th Gen desktop processors returned to us due to instability issues, we have determined that elevated operating voltage is causing instability issues in some 13th/14th Gen desktop processors. Our analysis of returned processors confirms that the elevated operating voltage is stemming from a microcode algorithm resulting in incorrect voltage requests to the processor". So yeah, if your Raptor Lake CPU has been giving you the shits, this is probably why. A microcode update is coming mid-August.

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### Optus introduces 7-day free trial, xAI powers up largest GPU cluster ever, FTC cracks it with Microsoft over Game Pass price bump

- Optus is hoping that by letting people try out its network free for a week, it'll get over its bad reputation regarding cyber security and perceived lack of network quality. Get the My Optus app for your eSIM capable phone and off you go. 30GB of data, 1000 SMS and unlimited calls for a week.
- xAI's 100,000+ Nvidia H100 GPUs are now powered up over in Memphis, Tennessee. That's a lot of GPUs, way more than anything in the Top500 list of supercomputers. All that compute power will be used to train the Grok 3 LLM, which Elon Musk reckons will be finished by the end of the year.
- The USA's FTC is pissed off that Microsoft is increasing the price of Xbox Game Pass because Microsoft promised this wouldn't happen if the courts allowed them to buy Activision Blizzard. The FTC is now telling the court Microsoft lied to the court, so lets see what the court does.

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## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Settings to disable or tweak that'll make your TV way nicer to look at

Wirecutter (remember them?? The NYT sure did fuck that up) has a useful post with 5 simple things you can do to make your new TV suck less. Change the picture mode to Movie/Cinema, or Filmmaker Mode if you're in a dark room. Disable motion smoothing, which could also be referred to as Trumotion, Auto Motion Plus, CineMotion, Motion Enhancement, Picture Clarity or a dozen other bullshit names for this bullshit feature. Disable ambient light detection, adjust the brightness properly and pick a proper sound mode.

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## Bargains

- EA Sports FC 24 for Xbox - $14.95 from Amazon
- 10% off Hubbl (Kayo/Binge) and Timezone gift cards from Giftz.com.au
- Zyron PowaStone USB-C 100W PD3.0 charger with bonus 2M 100W USB-C cable & case - $48 from Zyron
- Vodafone 365-day SIM with 240GB data, unlimited calls & SMS, 2000 EDR points - $150 at Woolworths
- Refurb Dell Latitude 5300 laptop (i5-8365U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 13.3" 1080p touch screen) - $239 from Metrocom

## Image Of The Day

The work below was coded in p5.js and plotted using an AxiDraw V3/A3 — using Winsor & Newton fineliner pens. The act of turning digital art into something tangible has felt really rewarding. (Adam Fuhrer)

## The End

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