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Mass Effect: Andromeda update leaves pirates with rough facial animation

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

In announcing its first major patch for Mass Effect: Andromeda last week, BioWare highlighted fixes to the game’s much-maligned facial animations, as well as gameplay tweaks like larger inventories and skippable cutscenes. One thing BioWare forgot to mention in its patch notes, though, is an improved version of Denuvo DRM that is forcing pirates to use an outdated version of the game… at least for now.

The CPY collective released a crack for version 1.04 of Mass Effect: Andromeda just ten days after its release, making it the latest in a long string of games to see its previously unbreakable Denuvo anti-tamper technology quickly crumble. But after last week’s version 1.05 update to the game, Reddit user NTStatus noticed that the game’s executable now includes a new reference to an “InjectableGTPSteam.pdb” file.

That same file path can be found in games like Dead Rising 4, 2Dark, and Nier: Automata, recently released titles known to use a revamped version of Denuvo, which launched in February and has yet to be cracked. Games like For Honor and Sniper Elite 4 are now approaching two months on the market with this new and improved Denuvo protection intact, showing that Denuvo’s latest volley in the battle against piracy seems to be holding for now.

It’s unclear why Mass Effect: Andromeda didn’t feature the latest version of Denuvo in its initial release. In any case, the updated DRM leaves pirates stuck with a much less polished version of the game, and it could keep them away from months of further patches that are already in the works. It’s a situation that reminds us a bit of Game Dev Tycoon and other games that intentionally make pirated versions inferior to legitimately purchased copies.This post originated on Ars Technica

[“Source-arstechnica”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Internet

Mass Adoption of Wireline Internet Cannot be Expected Soon: Report

by Loknath Das September 7, 2019

written by Loknath Das

Image result for Mass Adoption of Wireline Internet Cannot be Expected Soon: Report With Reliance Jio introducing its JioFiber service, we are witnessing a similar trend in the industry that happened a couple of years ago with the arrival Jio mobile network services. Almost every player is introducing offers left right and center to counter JioFiber, which has become a major threat.

According to an HSBC global report the rapid increase in the usage of wireless internet directly implies a higher adoption and a greater need for wireline internet. To add and maintain its customer reach, players want to make sure that they are able to offer internet-based content on TV alongside linear TV content.

This is being done in three ways:

The easiest method is to provide it using direct wireline broadband internet with a smart set-top box that offers online content as well as linear TV content. This is what Airtel is offering under the Xstream brand, ACT with its ACT 4K Stream Box, and some cable operators like Den, Hathway, etc.

The second way is what Reliance Jio is doing by offering a wireline internet with a smart set top box offering access to internet content, but not linear TV content.

Adopted by some DTH operators like Tata Sky and Dish TV, the third way is to just offer streaming devices like Binge or the Xstream stick which in the end rely on an existing wireline internet connection at home.

But who’s going to benefit from these? Well, the research suggests that none of the wireline internet providers are offering cheap rates to attract customers. Currently, the penetration of wireline internet in India is considerably low at 21.7 million subscribers as of March 2019 which is a total compound annual growth rate of 3.2 percent in the last five years. Wireless internet subscribers, on the other hand, are 615 million. About 57.2 percent, 12.4 million out of 21.7 million, are BSNL customers, while Bharti Airtel is at second position with 2.4 million or 10.9 percent subscriber share.

Now wireless data usage per subscriber per month has increased 6.6 times from 1.1GB to 7.6GB from 2014 to 2016 and it is notable that more than 80 percent of OTT consumption at present is done on mobile phones. The ongoing growth of wireless internet usage along with the increase of internet-based economies, the hunger for more internet usage will keep on growing, which in turn will lead to a need for wired internet. But considering the price point of Rs 500 and above is much higher compared to what consumers can pay for the same service via other mediums. The monthly average revenue per user during the Q4FY19 for mobile usage was Rs 72. On the other hand, the monthly average linear TV bill is in the range of Rs 250-350.

Mass adoption of wireline internet is still far away and it is expected that subscribers will look for bargain offers at a minimal increase in cost and think about switching depending upon speed, data, OTT apps, and so on. The biggest loser will be the DTH

players that rely on wireline internet connection of other operators. For that matter, BSNL currently has the highest share of 57.2 percent in the existing wireline market will also lose the most from existing offerings. Cable operators offering wireline broadband connections will gain the most.

[“source=news18”]

September 7, 2019 0 comment

Gadgets News

Samsung Says Its 8nm FinFET Chip Fabrication Process Is Ready for Mass Production

by Loknath Das October 25, 2017

written by Loknath Das

Samsung Says Its 8nm FinFET Chip Fabrication Process Is Ready for Mass Production

Samsung said on Wednesday that its 8nm FinFET process (8nm Low Power Plus) technology is ready for production. The 8LPP node, the company said, will provide up to 10 percent lower power consumption even as it takes up to 10 percent less area compared to 10LPP.

Even as 8nm Low Power Plus will serve as a stop gap solution to Samsung before it moves to 7nm process next year, 8LPP offers a range of improvements. 8LPP will provide differentiated benefits for applications including mobile, cryptocurrency, and network and server, and is expected to be the “most attractive process node” for many other high performance applications, the company said.

Samsung said it expects 8LPP to rapidly ramp-up to the level of stable yield by using the tried and tested learnings from 10nm process technology. “With the qualification completed three months ahead of schedule, we have commenced 8LPP production,” said Ryan Lee, Vice President of Foundry Marketing at Samsung Electronics.

Lee added, “Samsung Foundry continues to expand its process portfolio in order to provide distinct competitive advantages and excellent manufacturability based on what our customers and the market require.”

For Samsung, which is increasingly competing against TSMC, getting to the industry-best 7nm is crucial. TSMC is already considered ahead in 7nm, but Samsung touts that its extreme ultraviolet lithography technology is more efficient.

Another thing going for the South Korean technology conglomerate is having Qualcomm, with which it has competed in the past, as one of its biggest clients. “8LPP will have a fast ramp since it uses proven 10nm process technology while providing better performance and scalability than current 10nm-based products” said RK Chunduru, Senior Vice President of Qualcomm.

The company says it will share more about its foundry roadmap, including the availability of 8LPP and 7nm EUV development at Samsung Foundry Forum Europe on October 2017.

[“source=gadgets.ndtv”]

October 25, 2017 0 comment