Technology News

Astrophysicists have discovered strange stars in the central region of the galaxy. Red giants at the end of their lives, emitting clouds of dust from time to time. However, these stars of a new breed, dubbed “old smokers,” still remain very mysterious.

This will also interest you

[EN VIDÉO] Incredibly realistic simulation produces stars To unlock the secrets of star formation, astronomers rely on simulations….

A few days ago, astrophysicists discovered a new type of star with very strange behavior. These old ladies lie at the heart of our galaxy and are affectionately known as “the old smokers.” And for good reason: they seem to breathe out clouds of dust on a regular basis. A behavior that has never before been observed in such red giants.

Old stars that disappear and then reappear

The observation was carried out thanks to the VistaVista telescope in the Chilean Andes. Researchers originally looked for young stars. In 10 years, 32 protostars were discovered until something surprising happened in the field of observation. Some old stars in the background, in a central region of the galaxy, have suddenly almost disappeared. They reappeared a few years later as if nothing had happened.

Clouds of dust

Scientists have only one possible explanation: These ancient stars produce a cloud of dust from time to time that temporarily obscures them. However, the cause of this mechanism remains unknown, as does the fact that such behavior has not yet been observed in another region of the galaxy. However, these sudden ejections of matter could play a role in the dispersal of heavy elements in the interstellar medium, which are present in large quantities in this central zone of the Milky Way.

So far, 21 “old smokers” have been discovered, but researchers suspect there are many more. These results were published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

“As professional organizations whose mission is to protect the public, we are concerned about the spread of this practice,” said the joint press release.

Noovo Info had investigated the issue in 2022, when a growing number of clinics in Montreal offered intravenous vitamin injections.

TO SEE | Paying $250 to inject vitamins intravenously: a scientifically controversial phenomenon

The four orders emphasize that the treatment involves some risk. “For example, a man unfortunately died from a blood infection (sepsis) after receiving intravenous vitamin treatment from a Montreal naturopath because one of the vials used was contaminated with deadly bacteria,” they illustrate.

There is no scientific evidence to justify the use of such treatment. “Be careful with advertising medicines and announcing 'miracle solutions'. If it seems too good to be true, ask yourself questions,” remind health experts.

It also emphasizes that “very few people need an excess of vitamins if they are healthy and maintain a balanced diet and lifestyle.” If you think you are deficient in vitamins, it is best to consult a doctor.

JVTech News Billions of passwords have been leaked online and yours is probably one of them. The best thing to do is change your PSN and Xbox passwords immediately

Published on January 29, 2024 at 7:15 p.m

Share:

A data collection dubbed the “mother of all security breaches” has surfaced online. Fortunately, this only seems to be data from old leaks.

Good news and bad news

A discovery is currently causing quite a stir on the Internet: a huge collection of passwords, addresses and the like was found and illegally obtained. It would contain 26 billion pieces of data. For this reason, it is also called the “mother of all violations.” But there is also good news in this context: This gigantic mass was apparently not acquired recently, but simply consists of a large number of data from previous hacks that exploited security gaps.

Every single data breach ever reported or sold was carefully collected and left in a misconfigured instance by an unknown actor. I'd say it's even bigger @troyhuntis HIBP. https://t.co/ZyMqT0nLO8

— Bob Diachenko 🇺🇦 (@MayhemDayOne) January 22, 2024

The person behind this discovery is a security researcher named Bob Diachenko. There are 26 million records, apparently including connection data from MySpace, Twitter, Deezer, LinkedIn, Telegram, Tencent QQ and many others. The massive gathering initially caused alarm, but a security expert from Have I Been Pwned later raised the alarm. According to Troy Hunt, this discovery is just a collection of old, already known leaks and hacks. It's just a lot of data, but not new.

Xbox, PSN and Nintendo Online accounts are not directly affected

The three major console manufacturers are not mentioned in the data, so it is very unlikely that your account will be stolen based on this collection alone. The situation only becomes complicated when you use the same email address and password for many accounts and this data is included in the collection. Then someone could steal your PSN, Xbox or Nintendo profile right under your nose. In general, your email address poses the greatest risk to you. If your email password is similar to that of a leaked account, a “hacked” electronic mailbox and the message “Forgot your password?” » Many websites can open the door to a stranger. A quick tour of the Have I Been Pwned website is recommended.

Photo credit: Erik Mclean (Unsplash)

To be 100% (or almost) sure that everything is OK for your respective accounts, It's best to enable two-factor authentication on services you have accounts with. In this case, confirmation must always be made via a second device (e.g. smartphone) when registering or making an online purchase. This is possible with Microsoft's Xbox accounts and Sony's PSN accounts, as well as Nintendo Online.. Although it can be annoying, you will live much more peacefully knowing that no one can take your expensive digital games or access your personal data.

(Vancouver) The lawyer for a group of Apple iPhone users whose devices allegedly became slower after software updates says consumers will receive between $17.50 and $150 as part of a class action lawsuit in Canada.

Posted at 4:58 p.m.

The lawyer leading the lawsuit, Michael Peerless, told a British Columbia Supreme Court judge in Vancouver that the amounts paid depend on the number of valid claims from people who can prove they own phones, including several iPhone 6s – and 7 models.

He argued before Judge Sharon Matthews that similar litigation in the United States provided a “valuable roadmap” to settlement negotiations that could result in Apple paying a maximum of around 14.4 million Canadian class members.

Even in court, Mr. Peerless mentioned that the lawsuit process would be very “simple.” People who have purchased devices with slow speeds and battery problems can file their complaint online or on paper.

Apple's lawyer Jill Yates said in court that the company had never admitted any wrongdoing.

The judge reserved her decision to approve the settlement until February 21, 2024.

You are browsing the Radio-Canada website

Go to main contentGo to footerNavigation aidStart of main content

Start of content

Duration 10 minutes10 minutes

This content may interest you

After a 13-year break, Ubisoft surprised at the Summer Game Fest on June 8, 2023 by announcing Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Available on all platforms since January 18, 2024, we discover the adventures of Sargon, the new character in this 2.5D game. Explore the mysterious Mount Qaf and immerse yourself in an adventure inspired by Persian mythology! We tested it, we tell you everything!

This is an announcement we didn't expect! Ubisoft surprised fans with the reveal on the occasion of Summer games festivalJune 8, 2023, a new game in the franchise Prince of Persia. Titled The lost crownIt has been available to you on PC and consoles since January 18, 2024. This is the very first game Prince of Persia after a break of more than 13 years in the series. Detailed software during the conference Ubisoft Forwardwhich took place on June 12, 2023, with two new trailers.

Trailer for Prince of Persia – The Lost Crown:

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown represents a turning point for the franchise and presents itself as a game in 2.5Dinspired by the genre Metroidvania. Players will embody Sargona young experienced warrior, member of the elite group The immortalswho will go to the rescue Prince Ghassan. The adventure takes place Mount Qaf, a once wonderful place but now cursed and hostile. The powers of time and the unique skills he combines in battle will help Sargon gradually discover the secrets of Mount Qaf.

Players have the opportunity to experience a variety of environments inspired by Persian mythology, from majestic Citadel of knowledge to the colorful landscapes of the Hyrcanian Forest. On their journey they will encounter mythical creatures and other beings “corrupted by time”.

The lost crown is developed by Ubisoft Montpellierknown for games like Rayman origins And ZombieU. Subscribers to Ubisoft+ will be able to get the game for free upon release. On the soundtrack side, it was composed by Gareth Cokerknown for his work on the saga OriAnd Mentrixa musician of Iranian origin who combines traditional instruments with modern sounds.

Our opinion on Prince of Persia – The Lost Crown:

Playing time: 25 hours, main story finished

After a 10-minute preview that left us half-hearted about the game's graphical quality (we had also played on the Switch, come on, what an idea…), what were we supposed to imagine? Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown…? Well, that's very positive! Graphically speaking, the art direction is particularly interesting, playing on the graphic/urban side, and it works. We would like to point out that we played the full version of the game on PS5. It is very pleasant to look at and the choice of DA is extremely relevant.

Page Play styleAs we explained in our preview, we find everything that makes the license successful – and also difficult – and that's everything we love! In this way we control Sargon in a rather impressive 2.5D universe and we have to move through this labyrinth that represents the proposed environment, with its numerous dead ends and even lose ourselves while we have to fight against enemies that have no mercy with had us. A Play style Interesting because this game goes further than the classic Prince of Persia, with more weapons: swords, bows and arrows, but also a little surprise that we will let you discover in due course.

We easily get annoyed when we fail to solve a puzzle that asks us to get from point A to point B by hitting the right key combination with perfect timing… And we love it! A real specialty of the Prince of Persia games that is perfectly implemented here, just like in the old games, but with an ultra-fresh and ultra-modern touch that sets it apart Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown a game that has its finger on the pulse of the times, completely anchored in market reality. In short, a hit!

The story is pretty classic from what the franchise has to offer, with the difference being that this one involves a prince who needs to be rescued. For its part, the map's versatility is truly a breath of fresh air, as it doesn't tie the player to a single type of environment for a single second Play style. A very good point, as we never get bored for a second. Although the difficulty of the game is still high (it is). Prince of Persia, this is normal), we appreciate the ability to select accessibility options in addition to changing the layer. Therefore, an accessible game for both experienced players and beginners. We also appreciate the teleportation zones that allow us to connect certain points on the map, although we still have to travel a long way from one point to another to get to the zones we want.

Lots of little details for all types of players Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown a game we didn't expect but really needed (and didn't know we needed). The best compliment you can give a video game… Go for it!

And for the other trailers click here:

Video games from Quebec will be featured on the Steam platform thanks to a special event that highlights the talent of the local industry.

The Quebec Video Game Guild and L'Indie Asylum present the Quebec Games Celebration 2024 on Steam from January 29th to February 5th to highlight more than 200 games developed or published in Quebec.

Independent studios, solo developers and AAA come together to offer exciting discounts, explosive demos and exclusive live streams of their hit games, not to mention their upcoming titles.

Among last year's big Quebec hits on sale, such as Sea of ​​​​Stars, Dead Space, Goodbye Volcano High and Meet Your Maker, a variety of games for all tastes and budgets also take part in this celebration part.

Here are some titles that are part of the Steam sale:

• Dead by Daylight (Behavior Interactive)
• Tribes of Midgard (Norsfell)
• Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey (Panache Digital Games)
• We Made This Bed (Lowbirth Games)
• Ghost Rider (Thunder Lotus)
• Star Wars: Squadrons (EA Motive)
• Dwarven Fortress (Kitfox Games)
• Outlast (Red Barrels)
• Borderlands 3 (Gear Software)
• Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos-Montreal)

“This is a unique opportunity to showcase projects from Quebec. In addition to being able to feature newly released local games, people can also benefit from significant discounts on previously released games. These days, with the amount of content available on Steam, it's harder than ever to be visible. The ability to be on the platform's main page provides tremendous visibility for games. “Here.” “In the past, this sale has generated hundreds of thousands of purchase intents (wish lists) and millions of dollars in sales,” explains Christopher Chancey, CEO of ManaVoid Entertainment Studio and President of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Video Game Guild.

That's not all: the DemoNights event is back during the event, with three entertaining evenings broadcast live on the Loto Québec Twitch channel from February 1st to 3rd. The broadcasts will feature 15 new games from Quebec and their developers. So don't miss it if you're on Twitch!

Quebec, a global hub for video game development

With its numerous studios and a ton of successful games, Quebec is a true global hub for video game development.

“Quebec's industry today represents 15,000 jobs and more than 300 studios and contributes more than $1.3 billion to Quebec's GDP,” explains Chancey.

“While the industry originally emerged with major international studios developing their games here, over the last decade the industry has evolved into an economy of local producers. More than 85% of studios listed in Quebec are now majority owned by Quebecers and we develop and control hundreds of intellectual properties here. While we've proven that we're among the best in the world at game development, we're now slowly developing our expertise in game publishing and marketing. Initiatives like the Celebration of Quebec Games help a lot in this sense.”

The Quebec Games 2024 celebration on Steam begins on January 29th at 1 p.m. and ends on February 5th.

Local businesses that provide applications and online services could be affected by Apple's new regulations. (Photo: 123RF)

TECHNO SANS ANGLES MORTS analyzes current technologies, meets the minds behind these innovations and examines the digital tools offered to Quebec businesses. This section will help you understand today's trends so you can be prepared for tomorrow's trends.

TECHNO WITHOUT blind spots. A series of new measures, imposed in particular by the entry into force of a European regulation, force Apple to review several functions and policies related to the iPhone, such as the possibility of installing a third-party app store. Although these changes are currently reserved for Europe, developers should take note here.

Third-party app stores, new payment methods and more

In total, dozens of changes were announced by Apple last week, some of which are intended to help improve competition between Apple and other companies, at least in Europe.

Importantly, note that for the first time, developers will have the right to distribute their applications outside of the App Store through new third-party app stores (so-called app marketplaces). Epic Games, which produces the Fortnite game and has a games store for Mac and PC, has already announced its intention launches its Epic Games Store on iOS.

The iPhone's NFC chip, currently reserved for the Apple Pay service for paying in stores, will also be open to other payment solutions and developers will be able to use non-Safari web browsers for the first time.

Application developers can also use a payment service other than Apple for their in-app purchases or invite users to complete the transaction on the web.

Apple will also allow game streaming services (like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Nvidia's GeForce NOW) to have their own mobile apps for the first time. Previously, these games, which run on servers rather than the devices themselves, had to be launched via a web browser.

Only for Europe

Apple's changes were announced in anticipation of the entry into force in March of the Digital Markets Acts (DMA), a European Commission regulation aimed at restricting anti-competitive practices by large technology companies that force the opening of certain digital services.

We can expect other companies to announce similar changes in the coming weeks. For example, messaging providers such as WhatsApp must enable their subscribers to communicate with users of other messaging services.

Note that, with the exception of the global opening for game streaming services, the other new features Apple announced last week are reserved for European users.

Considerations for local businesses

Local businesses that provide applications and online services could be affected by Apple's new regulations.

In fact, developers have two options available to their European users: they cannot change anything in their agreement with Apple or they can adopt the company's new terms for the European market.

If you don't change anything, your monthly bill to Apple will stay the same. If you adopt the new measures, your payments will change, regardless of whether you list your app in the App Store or an App Marketplace.

Basically, Apple's new offer reduces App Store commissions to 10 or 17% depending on the application (compared to the current 15 to 30%), or to 0% if you sell it through an App Marketplace instead. You could also save even more by using another payment service.

However, there is an important disadvantage: developers have to pay 0.50 euros to Apple for every application downloaded over 1 million, regardless of whether it is distributed in the App Store or not and whether it is distributed in the App Store or not. whether it is paid or not.

Apple estimates that 99% of developers should benefit from the new formula, but 1% of them will have to pay more. If you have an application and it is used in Europe, Apple has put a calculator online that allows you to estimate the amount of your payments based on the chosen formula.

A file that is just beginning

It is not yet clear whether the changes announced by Apple will be enough in the eyes of Brussels. Of course, the company is opening its platforms a little wider, but with significant restrictions.

“Apple’s proposal forces developers to choose between two anti-competitive and illegal options. “Either they choose the status quo or they choose a new set of complicated terms that are harmful to both developers and consumers,” said Rick VanMeter, director of the Coalition for App Fairness, a lobby that includes Epic and Belong to Spotify.

The European Commission must examine proposals from companies like Apple from March 7th. It remains to be seen whether the announced measures will be viewed as sufficient. If not, Apple will have to go back to the drawing board.