Jerome Powell sent a stir through global markets Tuesday, paving the way for quicker-than-expected U.S. hikes, which would ripple through rate-sensitive Asian assets.
The Federal Reserve Chair
told Congress that policymakers will discuss whether to wrap up bond purchases a few months earlier and retired the word “transitory” from his commentary on inflation. Higher U.S. rates would have a significant impact on Asian assets if capital flows to America. A stronger greenback has implications for Asia’s export-heavy companies and economies and the dollar-denominated debt of the region’s sovereign and corporate borrowers.
An employee measures a newly manufactured ball mill machine at a factory in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China June 28, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer
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China's private PMI falls back into contraction
Japan, S. Korea factory activity expands in November
Supply bottlenecks easing but continues to weigh on activity
New Omicron variant, China's slowdown cloud Asia outlook
TOKYO, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Asian factory activity grew in November as crippling supply bottlenecks eased, but rising input costs and renewed weakness in China dampened the region's prospects for an early, sustained recovery from pandemic paralysis.
The newly detected Omicron coronavirus variant has emerged as a fresh worry for the region's policymakers, who are already grappling with the challenge of steering their economies out of the doldrums while trying to tame inflation amid rising commodity costs and parts shortages.
China's factory activity fell back into contraction in November, the private Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed on Wednesday, as soft demand and elevated prices hurt manufacturers.
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The findings from the private survey, which focuses more on small firms in coastal regions, stood in contrast with those in China's official PMI on Tuesday that showed manufacturing activity unexpectedly rose in November, albeit at a very modest pace.
"Relaxing constraints on the supply side, especially the easing of the power crunch, quickened the pace of production recovery," said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group, in a statement accompanying the data release.
"But demand was relatively weak, suppressed by the COVID-19 epidemic and rising product prices."
Beyond China, however, factory activity seemed to be on the mend with PMIs showing expansion in countries ranging from Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Japan's PMI rose to 54.5 in November, up from 53.2 in October, the fastest pace of expansion in nearly four years.
South Korea's PMI edged up to 50.9 from 50.2 in October, holding above the 50-mark threshold that indicates expansion in activity for a 14th straight month.
But output shrank in South Korea for a second straight month as Asia's fourth-largest economy struggles to fully regain momentum in the face of persistent supply chain disruptions.
"Overall, with new export orders flooding back to countries previously hamstrung by Delta outbreaks and the disruption further down the supply chain still working through, there is plenty of scope for a continued rebound in regional industry," said Alex Holmes, emerging Asia economist at Capital Economics.
Vietnam's PMI rose to 52.2 in November form 52.1 in October, while that of the Philippines increased to 51.7 from 51.0.
Taiwan's manufacturing activity continued to expand in November but at a slower pace, with the index hitting 54.9 compared with 55.2 in October. The picture was similar for Indonesia, which saw PMI ease to 53.9 from 57.2 in October.
The November surveys likely did not reflect the spread of the Omicron variant that could add further pressure on the pandemic-disrupted supply chains, with many countries imposing fresh border controls to seal themselves off.
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CHICAGO (WLS) -- With Chicago poised to make history by creating the first Asian American majority ward, some community groups are amping up the pressure to make sure it happens.
The battle for the majority-Asian American ward has been in the making for decades. The ward will be centered around the city's Chinatown community.
"And this time, this year, it must happen," said Paul Luu, CEO of the Chinese American Service League.
All three groups that have proposed maps - the Black caucus, the Latino Caucus and the group behind People's Map - have all carved out an Asian American majority ward. But despite that, and due to the nature of the back room dealings where the rules committee is hammering out a map to be voted on Wednesday, Asian American groups remain concerned.
"The redistricting process, as you may know is very chaotic at the moment. We're worried that if certain groups are not able to agree, and in that disagreement measurement Asian American Majority ward might get lost," said Justin Sia, redistricting counsel for Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
There is also a push to make sure to North Side neighborhoods are kept together in single wards: West Ridge, which has a significant Indian American population, and Albany Park, which has a large number of Asian American residents, are both currently split into multiple wards.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been pushing for a compromise between the Black and Latino caucuses' maps. Her allies said she has also been pressuring map makers to ensure indicted 14th Ward Alderman Ed Burke is not protected in the new maps. But in a letter from Change Illinois, the mayor came under fire for failing to follow through with campaign promises to support independent maps and meaningful public engagement in the process.
"Everything we've seen from the Rules Committee, which hasn't been much, it would indicate that this is absolutely about protecting incumbents and allowing incumbents to pick their voters instead of the way it's supposed to be in a democracy," said Madeleine Doubek, executive director of Change Illinois.
Lightfoot's spokesperson responded, saying the mayor has repeatedly said the process requires transparency and public involvement. However, she's on her way to Washington, D.C., for a previously scheduled trip and will miss the city council meeting Wednesday where the yet unfinished map is scheduled to be voted on.
Asian student attacked on SEPTA train heads public safety rally
Hundreds attended a rally to protest Asian hate after an Asian student was attacked on a SEPTA train
CENTER CITY - Hundreds of people took to Center City on Tuesday to call for an end to Asian Hate and an increase in safety for young people. The rally comes in response to a viral video showing a group of Asian students from Central High School being attacked on a SEPTA train.
Christina Lu, the Central high school student who was attacked talked publicly for the first time.
"Everyone has been calling me a hero, but I really am not," Lu said. "I’m just an ordinary girl from an ordinary family who saw people in need of help and so I tried to help."
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Lu’s decision to step in while students from another high school bullied and berated a group of Asian students on a SEPTA train lead to a nationwide outcry.
John Chin, with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, organized the rally. "Today’s message is about demanding safety, justice and accountability," Chin commented.
The disturbing viral video shows Lu being thrown to the ground and hit several times.
"From the moment I stepped in, I didn’t care who either party were," Lu said. "I only cared to de-escalate the problem so that no one would get hurt. Many have said that I should have fought back or that the boys were cowards. First of all, violence against violence isn’t one of my values. Second, the double standards in our society where boys are to be strong and girls are to be obedient has pained me."
City Council Member-At-Large Daniel Oh spoke at the rally just a day after he led a five-hour hearing about safety on public transportation.
"I introduced a resolution on the lack of safety with SEPTA prior to this video coming out. It was actually immediately after the rape on the El," Oh explained.
Christina’s friends and classmates also came out in support.
"My girlfriend and I - I’m Black and she’s Asian and a lot of people would be like, ‘Oh no, mixing races,’ especially amongst the Black community," said Central High Student Parker McCall. "Whereas we feel like we gotta stick to ourselves but it shouldn’t be about race. Race is a human, man-made construct. We are all on,e we are all human."
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Following a two-game road trip to Texas this past week, the Western Oregon University women's basketball team returns home to host both Alaska schools this week to start Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. WOU will face Alaska Fairbanks first on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. and then #8 Alaska Anchorage on Saturday starting at 2 p.m.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be holding a food drive at the home games this week. All food and money donations will go directly to the Food Pantry here on campus. This organization not only supports students and faculty of WOU, but is open to anyone in the Monmouth/Independence community! Non-perishable food items and/or cash donations. Donate 5 cans or a $5 donation can get you a free popcorn.
WOU (3-3) came close against Texas A&M-Kingsville to open the trip last week coming back before falling just short (66-56). The Wolves then played Texas A&M-International as the Dustdevils started early on their way to claiming the 83-59 victory.
Prior to traveling to Texas, WOU picked up a pair of home wins against Chico State and Sonoma State.
So far this season, WOU is averaging 66.2 points per game, shooting 156-352 (44.3) from the field, 21-93 (22.6) from three and 64-98 (65.3) from the foul line. The Wolves also add 39.5 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.8 blocks per game. Opponents average 64.8 points, shooting 127-353 (36) from the field, 36-116 (31) from three and 99-141 (70.2) from the foul line. Opponents also average 32.8 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 8.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Meadow Aragon leads the team in points per game (13), rebounds per game (7.3), and blocks (19). She is shooting 62 percent from the field (31-50) and has made 15 free throws. Tresai McCarver leads the team in assists with 24, while averaging 9.5 points and seven steals. She is shooting over 45 percent from the field (21-46) so far this season. Cali McClave adds eight points per game, along with a team-high nine steals. Kaelin Williams-Kennedy, Ana McClave and Makenna Gambee all average over six points per game with Willliams-Kennedy at 6.8 points, Ana McClave at 6.7 points and Gambee at 6.2 points.
WOU ranks high nationally and in the top-three in the GNAC in several categories including sixth nationally in blocked shots and first in the GNAC (35), 77th nationally in assists (80), 76th nationally and third in the GNAC in defensive rebounds per game (28.2), 56th nationally and leading the GNAC in field goal percentage (44.3), 69th nationally and second in the GNAC in field goal percentage defense (36), 55th nationally and third in the GNAC in rebound margin (6.7), and 64th nationally in rebounds (237).
Individually, Aragon is second in the nation and second in the GNAC in blocked shots (19), fifth nationally and second in the GNAC in blocked shots per game (3.17), 19th nationally and leads the GNAC in field goal percentage (62), fourth in the GNAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.3), fifth in the GNAC in free throws made (15) and fifth in the GNAC in rebounds (44). McCarver is 54th nationally and third in the GNAC in assists (24), 78th nationally and fifth in the GNAC in assists per game (4) and fourth in the GNAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.41).
WOU will open the week hosting Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday. The Nanooks are 1-4 overall and have lost their past four games after winning their season opener against UT Permian Basin. This past week, UAF played three tough games against Tampa, Northwood and Southern Nazarene dropping all three at home. The teams have split the past 10 meetings going 5-5. During the 2019-20 season, each team won on their home floors. The Nanooks won the meeting in Fairbanks in overtime (81-76) and then WOU came back with a dominating win in Monmouth to end the season (89-52). The Wolves have won the past four meetings in Monmouth.
The Nanooks average 66.4 points, shooting 130-330 (39.4) from the field, 28-114 (24.6) from three and 44-66 (66.7) from the foul line. UAF averages 35 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 10 steals and three blocks per game. Opponents average 78 points, shooting 141-343 (41.1) from the field, 35-120 (29.2) from three and 73-106 (68.9) from the foul line. Opponents also average 43.2 rebounds, 21 assists, 11.8 steals and three blocks per game.
Pearle Green leads the Nanooks averaging 15 points per game, along with 15 assists and nine steals. Destiny Reimers adds 14.6 points per game, along with 6.2 rebounds, 16 assists and nine steals. Claudia Diez Marti is just short of averaging in double-figures at 9.2 points per game.
WOU will close the week on Saturday against #8 Alaska Anchorage. The Seawolves are 5-0 on the season having picked up two wins this past week against Winston-Salem State. UAA has won the past 33 games in the series against the Wolves. During the 2019-20 season, UAA claimed a 76-48 win in Monmouth and a 73-41 win in Anchorage.
On the season, the Seawolves average 75.4 points, shooting 139-329 (42.2) from the field, 43-135 (31.9) from three and 56-94 (59.6) from the foul line. UAA also averages 37.8 rebounds, 19.4 assists, 11.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Opponents average 51.2 points, shooting 84-261 (32.2) from the field, 12-76 (15.8) from three and 76-97 (78.4) from the foul line. Opponents also average 35.2 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 4.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
Johnna Hajdukovich leads the team averaging 10.8 points per game, along with 4.4 rebounds and six steals. Nicole Pinckney adds 10 points per game, along with 24 assists. Tennae Voliva is just short of averaging in double-figures at nine points per game, along with 12 steals.
Jack Hughes returned to the New Jersey Devils lineup on Tuesday night -- and will be with them much longer thanks to a new contract extension.
The Devils on Tuesday rewarded their 2019 No. 1 draft pick with an eight-year, $64 million deal, announcing the move hours before the young center was to return to the ice against the Sharks after being out since Oct. 19 with a separated shoulder.
"This is a strong commitment from Jack to the organization's future and the New Jersey Devils to Jack," managing partner David Blitzer said in a statement. "We all know what Jack means to the team on and off the ice -- he's an unbelievable player and a fantastic person. His future is incredibly bright and he will be a pillar for our franchise for years to come."
His new deal begins in the 2022-23 season. The 20-year-old had been scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this campaign.
"I'm so excited to sign this deal for myself and for my family," Hughes said. "I love being in New Jersey, and I love playing in New Jersey. I wouldn't want to play anywhere else, and we are really building something special. I believe in what we are doing here, and we have a great chance to be successful for a long time. This contract shows that this team is extremely invested in me and I'm also really dedicated to this organization."
Hughes has two goals and one assist in two games this year. In his first two seasons, along with the two games played this year, he has 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 119 NHL games.
Hughes earned 31 of those points in 56 games played in 2020-21, where he scored 11 goals and had 20 assists. He finished tied for second in the league with 56 takeaways.
Hughes finished second on the Devils in points last season, and led the club with 142 shots on goal. He was the only forward who played in all 56 games.
"It's a fantastic day for the organization and for our team, and for Jack and his family,'' GM Tom Fitzgerald said shortly before Tuesday night's game. ''It's a win-win.``
Hughes represented the United States twice at the world juniors in 2018 and 2019. His younger brother, Luke, was New Jersey's first-round selection, and the fourth overall in the 2021 NHL draft. The defenseman is currently playing at Michigan. His older brother, Quinn, is a defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
The Central High student says she’s just an “ordinary girl from an ordinary family” who did the right thing: stand up for her friends when they were being attacked on the subway, targeted because they were Asian.
Lu, who addressed a crowd of hundreds at a rally Tuesday against Asian hate outside the Municipal Services Building in Center City, said she hoped the mid-November attacks against her and her friends served to galvanize the community.
“Our message is loud and clear — we must all come together, regardless of race, religion, or socio-economic status, because we all want the same thing for our community: public safety in the City of Brotherly Love,” said Lu, 18.
Christina Lu speaks at a rally to stop Asian hate in Philadelphia. Hundreds gathered Tuesday, galvanized by a Nov. 17 attack on Lu and classmates from Central High. . ... Read moreTHOMAS HENGGE / Staff Photographer
Lu intervened Nov. 17 when a group of four Black teenage girls began yelling slurs at three Asian boys, Lu’s Central classmates. In a video that has gone viral, Lu can be seen defending the boys.
The attackers — who have been charged as juveniles with ethnic intimidation and aggravated assault — threw Lu to the floor, banged her head against the subway door, and punched and kicked her.
Lu, who spoke briefly and in a quiet voice, said she wanted to clarify misconceptions about the video. Lu said it did not show other classmates using their bodies to physically shield her from further harm, and she railed against “double standards” she has been hearing that suggest boys must be strong and girls obedient.
The boys who were attacked, she said, “were just scared kids,” and Lu herself “only wanted to de-escalate the problem so that nobody would get hurt.”
Lu called for unity; others at the rally and march to Philadelphia School District headquarters on North Broad Street demanded better from the School District and from SEPTA. Bundled against the late-autumn chill, hundreds waved signs that read “SEPTA Clean Up Or Shut Up” and “Justice for Christina Lu.”
People march up Broad Street at a rally to stop Asian hate in Philadelphia.. ... Read moreTHOMAS HENGGE / Staff Photographer
John Chin, executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, called the attacks against Lu and her classmates “a watershed moment” for the city.
“There is demand that the Philadelphia School District address their failures. There is a demand that SEPTA address their failures. We hold them accountable to provide our students safety in our schools, in the buses, subways, and trains,” said Chin, who added that “the attackers must be held accountable for their crimes.”
SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said the transit agency has stationed a police officer on the Broad Street Line leaving from the Olney station near Central dismissal time, and said more officers may be added at other locations. SEPTA also is strategizing with the district and with city police, Busch said.
Monica Lewis, the school district spokesperson, noted that the incident happened off school grounds, after dismissal, and that the attackers were not district students — they attended a charter school.
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But, she said, Central principal Timothy McKenna has said, in conversations with parents and in messages to the school community, that “he’s willing to do what is necessary to make sure that students feel safe and welcome in their schools. I know that is a sentiment that is shared by principals throughout the district.”
Michael Zhang, a Central parent, told the crowd he and others fear for their children’s safety going to and from school.
“There is a dark cloud that hangs over our city right now, the plague of violence,” said Zhang. “Change must come from the courage of strangers to stand up for their neighbors in the face of any injustice.”
Zhang said there was a “failure of the system — that failed to protect a young girl and her friends.”
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Stephanie Sun, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission on Asian Pacific Affairs, said it was incumbent on members of the community to continue to speak out.
“For too many years, we have been too quiet,” said Sun. “This is the time for us to wake up, step up.”
Some at the rally traveled from other cities to lend support to Philadelphia’s Asian community.
Many of those at the rally, or their family members, came to America because they believed it to be the best country in the world, but the attack against Lu and her friends shows a darker side that has been too evident in recent years, said Haipei Shue, president of the United Chinese Americans, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.
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“How do we call ourselves and our country the best in the world?” Shue asked.
The crowd ranged from babies held in their parents’ arms to elderly people and included a large contingent of students. Among them was Megan Chan, 18, a senior at Masterman, who spends an hour on various forms of public transit to get to school from her home in the Northeast.
As she stood listening to the speakers, Chan was thinking of her parents.
“They are worried for me and my well-being,” she said. “This made them worry more.”
Members of the South Korean pop group BTS spoke out Sunday against anti-Asian racism after their first in-person concert since the pandemic.
“When we talk about Asian hate, our path, all the awards and our music, we just hope that this can truly help every Asian in the world, especially who live in the countries abroad,” Kim Nam-Joon, known as RM, said at a news conference at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. “If there is something that we can help ... we’re always open. We’ll try to expand the variety and stop the discrimination and racism.”
BTS performed two sold-out shows in Los Angeles over the weekend as part of its “Permission to Dance on Stage” concert series.
The seven members of BTS — RM, Jin, V, J-Hope, Suga, Park Ji-min and Jungkook — also expressed gratitude for their fans’ support and the awards they have received, including artist of the year at the American Music Awards and their second Grammy nomination.
Nov. 29, 202101:28
The concerts, which were sold out for months, were the band’s first shows since 2019. “Seeing the stadium filled with all the fans yesterday got me really emotional beyond words,” RM said.
It’s not the first time BTS has spoken about the racism many Asians faced during the coronavirus pandemic. Band members this year addressed the discrimination they faced, saying in a statement on Twitter that some experiences made them feel “powerless.” “We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason,” the post said.
BTS has also supported other social movements, including Black Lives Matter, to which it donated $1 million in June 2020. “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. #BlackLivesMatter,” the group tweeted. Within 24 hours of the donation, BTS fans had matched it.
The BTS tour continues with concerts Wednesday and Thursday in Los Angeles.
Qualcomm has a new flagship smartphone processor: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, announced at the company’s annual Snapdragon Tech Summit, giving an early preview at the brains behind the most powerful smartphones of 2022.
The successor to last year’s Snapdragon 888, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the first chipset to bear Qualcomm’s new naming scheme (which the company had previously teased last week), ditching the triple-digit numbering system that Qualcomm has previously used for new, generation-based monikers.
As is the case every year, Qualcomm is promising some major improvements in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, with better performance, camera technology, AI capabilities, security, and 5G.
Let’s start with the hard specs. As expected, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the first chip from Qualcomm to use the latest Armv9 architecture from Arm. Specifically, the new eight-core Kryo CPU will feature a single prime core based on the Cortex-X2 at 3.0GHz, along with three performance cores based on Cortex-A710 at 2.5GHz, and a quartet of efficiency cores based on the Cortex-A510 design at 1.8GHz. Additionally, the new chip jumps to a 4nm process, from the 5nm process on which the Snapdragon 888 was built.
All told, Qualcomm promises that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will offer up to 20 percent better performance and up to 30 percent more power efficiency over last year’s model.
Meanwhile, the new Adreno GPU (much like the Gen 1’s Kryo CPU, Qualcomm didn’t give a specific number for the updated hardware here) promises to offer 30 percent faster graphics rendering, in addition to 25 percent better power efficiency compared to the Snapdragon 888. It’ll also offer a new GPU control panel for fine-tuning how games are running on your phone.
Making its debut on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X65 modem, which promises a whole suite of 5G features and firsts. As Qualcomm’s fourth-generation 5G modem, it builds on the existing mmWave and sub-6GHz compatibility that came before, adding support for up to 10Gbps speeds and the latest 3GPP Release 16 specification. As is always the case, you almost certainly won’t actually see that kind of speed in the real world.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth LE Audio (a first for Qualcomm), and the company’s Snapdragon Sound technology for enabling AptX Lossless wireless audio.
As is traditional for Qualcomm’s top-tier processor, the company is putting a big emphasis on its beefed-up camera capabilities, which the company is bundling together for the first time under a new “Snapdragon Sight” brand.
While the Spectra ISP is once again a triple ISP system, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 upgrades things up to an 18-bit system (up from 14 bits on the 888). That translates to 4,096 times more camera data and up to four additional stops of dynamic range for very bright or very dark scenarios. The triple ISP (image signal processor) also allows for things like shooting 240 12-megapixel photos in a single second or simultaneously shooting in 8K with HDR while snapping 64-megapixel stills thanks to an increased 3.2-gigapixel per second throughput.
Qualcomm is also offering more high-end camera features out of the box, including support for shooting in 8K video with HDR 10 Plus and shooting in 18-bit RAW (assuming your phone has the camera hardware to actually pull it off).
The 8 Gen 1 also features a variety of other imaging improvements, including better dark mode pictures that can use data from up to 30 images in a single shot (up from six images on the 888). There’s also a host of better AI processing techniques, with improved auto-exposure, auto-focus, and auto-face detection technology, a dedicated “bokeh engine” for adding portrait effects to 4K video, and an “ultrawide engine” that can de-warp and remove chromatic aberrations from shots.
Qualcomm is also adding a fourth ISP, located in the dedicated sensing hub on the SoC: unlike the triple ISP for the primary camera, the new ISP is designed specifically to power an always-on camera that’s active at all times. Qualcomm has some big ambitions for what developers can do with the always-on camera, like automatically shutting off your screen when you put your phone down or if it detects someone trying to read over your shoulder.
And while the idea of an always-on camera raises some obvious security concerns, Qualcomm argues that the feature is intended to help make using your device more secure, with any camera data for the always-on camera staying locally on-device in the chip’s secure enclave. Additionally, customers will be able to opt in to using the always-on camera, much in the same way that they can choose whether to use an always-listening microphone feature for voice assistants.
Still, though, the added capability — and how manufacturers implement it into their devices, if they do at all — will be something to watch when the first chips with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 roll out.
On the AI side of things, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 features Qualcomm’s latest Hexagon processor, with its seventh-generation AI engine, which the company says is four times faster than its predecessor and up to 1.7 times more power efficient.
The company showed off a variety of use cases that the boosted AI performance can enable, including the aforementioned camera functionality, a “Leica Leitz Look mode” that emulates Leica lens effects, and improved detection of where you’re holding your phone for optimizing antenna performance. Additionally, Qualcomm is adding AI-powered sampling to offer a DLSS-style effect for improving mobile games, something that it says will happen automatically when gaming on the 8 Gen 1.
Lastly, there are security improvements. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 adds a new hardware-level layer of security with a “dedicated Trust Management Engine,” in addition to offering support for the Android Ready SE standard, enabling support for digital car keys, driver’s licenses, IDs, and e-money wallets. There’s also built-in iSIM support for directly connecting to cellular networks.
Despite the new branding, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 doesn’t appear to break the mold for Qualcomm’s chips, offering the usual generational upgrades we’ve come to expect from the company’s annual flagships. Still, in a world where bespoke chips like Google’s Tensor or Apple’s A-series processors are becoming increasingly popular, it’s good to see that Qualcomm has no intention of slowing the pace on its own top chips, even as the competition heats up.
And with the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphones expected before the end of 2021, it won’t be long before we’ll be able to see just how powerful Qualcomm’s latest chip is for ourselves.
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Join gaming leaders, alongside GamesBeat and Facebook Gaming, for their 2nd Annual GamesBeat & Facebook Gaming Summit | GamesBeat: Into the Metaverse 2 this upcoming January 25-27, 2022. Learn more about the event.
Call of Duty: Warzone is getting its first really new map on December 8 in the form of Caldera, the Warzone Pacific map set in Call of Duty: Vanguard.
It’s the first major map change since the debut of Warzone in March 2020, when the pandemic-driven lockdowns drove audience levels for the free-to-play battle royale to more than 100 million. Of course, this is the second map change if you count the redo of the Verdansk map in April 2021 to an earlier time period (it was still pretty similar to the original map).
The map will figure a new dedicated playlist (of new scenario types) with new vehicles and weapons from Call of Duty: Vanguard. The huge map has 15 distinct areas to explore and fight across. In order for Vanguard players to access Warzone Pacific 24 hours early, they need to have played at least one Vanguard multiplayer game.
Above: Warzone’s Caldera map has 15 sections.
Image Credit: Activision
As part of the Season One update, Ricochet Anti-Cheat will deploy a new, internally developed kernel-level driver on PC to assist in identifying cheaters in Warzone. This kernel-level driver is coming first to Warzone and will be required for all PC players as of this update.
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Caldera and Warzone Pacific are just the start of the free content to be offered in Season One of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone. More info is coming on two free functional weapons, new Operators, Zombies content, multiplayer modes, and two new multiplayer maps all launching on December 8.
Above: Caldera’s views of the ocean.
Image Credit: Activision
Later in the seasons, fans can expect two more Operators, an additional core Multiplayer map and returning small-team tactical mode, additional Zombies info, another free weapon unlocked via challenges, and a festive celebration across both games.
The map has a series of locations including arsenal, docks, runway, ruins, mines, peak, beachhead, village, power plant, capital, resort, sub pen, lagoon, airfield, and fields. The map has hundreds of lesser points of interest as well. In terms of competition, Battlefield 2042 is already out, and Halo: Infinite debuts on December 8.
Activision said there are a few differences between Vanguard Royale and traditional battle royale. Players can fly fighter planes that rain down fire on foes or head for the anti-aircraft guns or trucks to shoot them out of the skies. There are also other ground-based vehicles, including a squad transport all-terrain car that will help your squad cut through and around the island.
One of the big changes is that it will focus on World War II weapons, not modern weapons. Loadouts can only contain Vanguard weaponry, streamlining the meta for more accessibility and room for experimentation. Expect all weapons around the island to also be from Vanguard. Operator selection is also limited to Vanguard soldiers. So that gets rid of anachronistic gameplay anomalies.
The radii and times for circle collapses will be altered to offer a different pace of play, especially with dogfighting overhead. Also, expect an in-game event at each circle collapse, bombing runs, and different items both within Caldera’s overworld and contract rewards.
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AUSTIN, Texas — Senior Marcus Carr registered a game high and season-best 19 points to pace No. 7/8 Texas (5-1) to a 73-57 victory against Sam Houston (2-5) on Monday night at historic Gregory Gymnasium on the UT campus. The game, which featured a UT student-only attendance of 2,834 fans, marked the first men's basketball contest played in Gregory Gym since the Longhorns hosted Baylor on Feb. 26, 1977 in the first round of the Southwest Conference Tournament.
Texas converted 54.5-percent (24-44) from the floor, including an 11-of-22 mark (.500) from three-point range, in the win. Carr hit 6-of-12 field goals, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, and 3-of-4 free throws while adding four assists in 35 minutes.
Senior Courtney Ramey posted 14 points while hitting 6-of-10 field goals, including 2-of-4 threes, in 35 minutes, and senior Andrew Jones tallied 14 points on 6-of-9 field goals and three steals in 31 minutes. Senior Timmy Allen registered 12 points while converting 8-of-10 free throws and added a season-best six assists and four rebounds in 33 minutes.
After Ramey opened the game with a three-pointer, the Bearkats used an 8-0 run to grab an 8-3 advantage following a Javion May three-pointer with 17:50 remaining. The Longhorns responded with a 9-2 spurt to take a 12-10 lead after a Christian Bishop three-pointer at the 14:25 mark.
UT built a 28-20 cushion following an Allen free throw with 5:56 remaining, but Sam Houston answered with an 8-0 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes to tie the game at 28-28 after a Damon Nicholas Jr. layup at the 3:13 mark. Texas closed the half by scoring 10-straight points, with eight of the 10 coming from Carr, to take a 38-28 advantage into the break. The Longhorns converted 54.2-percent (13-24) from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the first half.
The Bearkats scored the opening seven points of the second half to close the gap to 38-35 after a Savion Flagg three-pointer with 17:33 remaining. Texas responded with a 5-0 run over the next minute to increase its cushion to 43-35 following a Jones layup at the 16:23 mark.
Leading 52-44 with 10:57 left, the Longhorns used a 9-0 spurt over a span of two-and-a-half minutes to build a 61-44 advantage following a Carr three-pointer at the 8:27 mark. The margin did not dip below 14 points for the remainder of the contest. Texas hit 55-percent (11-20) from the floor, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, in the second half.
Texas returns to action when it hosts UTRGV on Friday, Dec. 3. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. Central at the Frank Erwin Center, and the game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Throwback Game
#7/8 Texas 73, Sam Houston 57
November 29, 2021
Gregory Gym (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 2,834 (capacity 3,234)
Team Notes
Tonight's game marked the first actual men's basketball contest inside Gregory Gymnasium since the Longhorns played Baylor on Feb. 26, 1977 in the first round of the Southwest Conference Tournament (72-70 loss).
Texas improved to 384-160 all-time in games played inside Gregory Gym.
UT improved to 16-2 all-time in the series against Sam Houston. The Longhorns have won eight straight against the Bearkats. Texas improved to 8-1 against Sam Houston in games played in Gregory Gym.
Texas converted 54.5-percent (24-44) from the floor, including an 11-of-22 (.500) mark from three-point range, during the victory.
The Longhorns set a season high in blocked shots (six), previous: five vs. HBU (Nov. 9)
UT hit 55.0-percent (11-20) from the floor, including a 6-of-9 (.667) mark from three-point range, in the second half.
The Longhorns converted 54.2-percent (13-24) from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the first half.
Texas closed the first half with a 10-0 run over the last 2:51 and held Sam Houston scoreless in the final 3:13 of the period.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is refined, but it's also familiar. What about a few more changes?
Scott Stein/CNET
Apple has announced a new version of its popular Apple Watch every year since the launch of the original. So there's a good chance the company is already working on a follow-up to the Apple Watch Series 7 even though we're months away from a launch. This year's Apple-made digital timepiece didn't receive many significant changes apart from an enlarged screen, faster charging and improved durability. That means the company might be paving the way for a more pronounced revamp in the next-gen Apple Watch, especially in the health department -- and especially in light of the prolonged reality of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health: Watch Series 8 may debut thermometer and blood pressure monitoring
Years before the pandemic, Apple already held long-term health ambitions for its popular wrist accessory, with CEO Tim Cook describing health as Apple's "greatest contribution to mankind." But according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, there are a number of health features in the pipeline, and some of them could make their way to the Watch Series 8 (or whatever Apple chooses to call it) as early as next year. Those features include a thermometer to help with fertility planning (though in the future it might help with detecting fevers) as well as a blood-pressure monitoring. The latter would work by measuring the speed of the wave a heartbeat sends through a person's arteries using sensors, according to the WSJ.
Unlike traditional blood pressure monitoring cuffs, which are usually strapped around the upper arm, it will not provide baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements. Instead, it will tell you how your blood pressure is trending, the report says. Samsung has previously incorporated a similar blood pressure feature in this year's Galaxy Watch 4, which is available in some countries and regions like South Korea and Europe, where it has received regulatory approval. Apart from the thermometer and blood pressure monitoring, there have also been credible rumors suggesting Apple is secretly toiling away on features such as non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, sleep apnea detection and car crash detection.
Apple Watch Series 7 comes in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm, up from the Series 6's 40mm and 44mm variants.
Apple
Design: Watch Series 8 could go bigger
By and large, the overall aesthetic of the Apple Watch has remained virtually unchanged since the original one made waves back in 2015. While the chances of a redesign to a flat-edged timepiece for next year appear to be slim, rumors suggest that Apple may go bigger yet again after enlarging the display of the Watch Series 7. According to posts on Twitter by display analyst Ross Young, a third size of the Apple Watch may come to fruition next year, sitting alongside the existing 41mm and 45mm variants, which were introduced with the Watch Series 7.
A new model: The rugged Apple Watch
According to Bloomberg's seasoned tech reporter Mark Gurman, Apple is mulling launching "with a rugged casing" and a rubberized exterior designed for use in more extreme conditions than day-to-day wear. According to the report, Apple is targeting athletes, hikers and people who'd generally use it in extreme environments. According to the report, it will have the same functionality as a standard Apple Watch but better protection and impact-resistance. Apple is expected to launch the rugged Apple Watch in 2022.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is refined, but it's also familiar. What about a few more changes?
Scott Stein/CNET
Apple has announced a new version of its popular Apple Watch every year since the launch of the original. So there's a good chance the company is already working on a follow-up to the Apple Watch Series 7 even though we're months away from a launch. This year's Apple-made digital timepiece didn't receive many significant changes apart from an enlarged screen, faster charging and improved durability. That means the company might be paving the way for a more pronounced revamp in the next-gen Apple Watch, especially in the health department -- and especially in light of the prolonged reality of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health: Watch Series 8 may debut thermometer and blood pressure monitoring
Years before the pandemic, Apple already held long-term health ambitions for its popular wrist accessory, with CEO Tim Cook describing health as Apple's "greatest contribution to mankind." But according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, there are a number of health features in the pipeline, and some of them could make their way to the Watch Series 8 (or whatever Apple chooses to call it) as early as next year. Those features include a thermometer to help with fertility planning (though in the future it might help with detecting fevers) as well as a blood-pressure monitoring. The latter would work by measuring the speed of the wave a heartbeat sends through a person's arteries using sensors, according to the WSJ.
Unlike traditional blood pressure monitoring cuffs, which are usually strapped around the upper arm, it will not provide baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements. Instead, it will tell you how your blood pressure is trending, the report says. Samsung has previously incorporated a similar blood pressure feature in this year's Galaxy Watch 4, which is available in some countries and regions like South Korea and Europe, where it has received regulatory approval. Apart from the thermometer and blood pressure monitoring, there have also been credible rumors suggesting Apple is secretly toiling away on features such as non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, sleep apnea detection and car crash detection.
Apple Watch Series 7 comes in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm, up from the Series 6's 40mm and 44mm variants.
Apple
Design: Watch Series 8 could go bigger
By and large, the overall aesthetic of the Apple Watch has remained virtually unchanged since the original one made waves back in 2015. While the chances of a redesign to a flat-edged timepiece for next year appear to be slim, rumors suggest that Apple may go bigger yet again after enlarging the display of the Watch Series 7. According to posts on Twitter by display analyst Ross Young, a third size of the Apple Watch may come to fruition next year, sitting alongside the existing 41mm and 45mm variants, which were introduced with the Watch Series 7.
A new model: The rugged Apple Watch
According to Bloomberg's seasoned tech reporter Mark Gurman, Apple is mulling launching "with a rugged casing" and a rubberized exterior designed for use in more extreme conditions than day-to-day wear. According to the report, Apple is targeting athletes, hikers and people who'd generally use it in extreme environments. According to the report, it will have the same functionality as a standard Apple Watch but better protection and impact-resistance. Apple is expected to launch the rugged Apple Watch in 2022.
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