Meta positioned the Quest Pro as a vital component of its metaverse plan just a year ago. Presently, it has revealed Quest 3 while acting as though 2022 never happened. Better screens, a quicker CPU, and revamped controllers are features of the new Meta virtual reality headgear, which is targeted at gamers. Additionally, it retails at $499.99, which is one-third of the Quest Pro’s debut price.

Early in the summer, Meta teased the Quest 3 in an attempt to set itself apart from Apple. In June, the latter revealed the Vision Pro, which has an astounding $3,500 price tag. For users of the Quest 2, the Quest 3 represents a significant upgrade even though it does not include all of the cutting-edge capabilities of Apple’s headsets. Equipped with Qualcomm’s most recent XR2 Gen 2 CPU, the smartphone boasts double the graphics performance of Quest 2. All of the current Quest games are compatible with it, but some new ones that call for more powerful hardware are in the pipeline.

Comparing the displays to the Quest 2, they are a major improvement. Each eye has a 2,064 by 2,208 LCD, and the pancake lenses—which are akin to the Quest Pro—take up less room while improving the quality of the image. Although the headset’s footprint is less now than it was with the Quest 2, it weighs 12 grams more at 515 grams. As more individuals wear the Quest 3 for longer lengths of time, that might become an issue. The Quest 3 boasts a much-improved passthrough mode that can spare you from continuously taking it off to see what’s going on in the real world, thanks to new full-color cameras. However, Meta claims that battery life is still a little over two hours, which is on the short side.

There was also an update of the controllers. The sensor ring that encircled the Quest 2 controller buttons is no longer present. The Quest 3 tracks the sophisticated controllers in space using infrared. Meta adds that for more immersion, the haptics have been improved. Additionally, hand tracking is supported, although most games need a controller.

The Quest 3 is more stable than the Quest Pro thanks to its more compact design than the Quest 2, which it replaces. While Meta originally intended the Quest Pro to be used for those who were sedentary, it is now marketing the Quest 3 as a gaming and fitness device. Meta is including a copy of Asgard’s Wrath 2, a premium VR game that releases this winter, with every purchase of the Quest 3. The Quest 3 still grants you access to Horizon Worlds, but these days the metaverse is probably quite empty.

The Quest 3 is available for pre-order from Meta for $500 with 128GB of storage. For an extra $150, you can get an upgrade to 512GB. On October 10, the device will start shipping.

With gigabit wireless data connections and CPUs that rival those of the best workstations from the past, the current smartphone is a remarkable technological marvel. And the newest computers are no exception. The battery is the one item that isn’t keeping up. Although improvements in lithium-ion battery capacity have been gradual, recent studies have shown a straightforward method by which we may be able to extend the operating life of these cells. A little tape will do the trick.

A research team from Dalhousie University in Canada has revealed that over time, the tape that is frequently used to build lithium-ion batteries may cause damage to the component parts. Anu Adamson, a PhD candidate and project coordinator, claims that PET tape is not chemically stable when batteries are operating. Dimethyl terephthalate is the monomer form of PET that depolymerizes in the absence of any additional treatment. This material is referred to as a “redox shuttle,” which lowers lithium-ion cell performance. This influences how long the battery lasts between charges as well as how quickly it discharges while the battery is not in use.

The good news is that it can be easy to remedy. A comparable substance does not break down inside batteries, but PET tape does. According to the study, polypropylene (PP) tape may perform the same function as PET tape in terms of maintaining stability and holding components together over the course of a battery’s life. According to the experts, PP tape can extend the battery life of your laptop or phone by roughly 10%.

The significant decrease in self-discharge would be the bigger advantage. A lithium-ion battery experiences self-discharge and loses some of its power when left idle. The dissolution of PET tape can result in a substantial loss. You set your phone down on a table, and when you go to pick it up later, even though it was turned off, the battery is dead. According to the research, PP tape may be able to reduce self-discharge by as much as 70%.

The study is only the beginning; it was published in Nature Materials. This finding will undoubtedly be investigated further, and electronics producers will undoubtedly carry out their own internal technical testing. It won’t be an expensive adjustment, though. When the data is confirmed, the researchers point out that PP tape is around the same cost as PET, thus the shift would be obvious. But, nothing will be done to improve the short battery life of the phone you currently own, and it might take some time until a more battery-friendly glue is developed.

Intel surprised the computer community a few days ago when it casually revealed that its future Meteor Lake mobile CPUs will be available as desktop models starting in 2024. This came as a major surprise because all leaks up to this point had pointed to the architecture being designed as a mobile platform. Intel has now clarified these comments, saying that while Meteor Lake will be present in desktop PCs, it will not be available as a processor that can be purchased separately for do-it-yourself upgrades. Rather, they will be offered in tiny PCs and all-in-one computers and soldered to the motherboard. Our day is destroyed, and we are incredibly disappointed.

Intel’s clarification follows three days after its first comments, which, given their lack of specifics at the time, now appear a little reckless. When PCWorld questioned an Intel executive last week on the fringes of its Innovation event about the potential release of Meteor Lake desktop chips, the executive replied, “Desktop will come in 2024.” After questioning Intel and motherboard makers about this unexpected disclosure, the German website Computerbase.de found out an important disclaimer that should have been included: they would only be BGA, not socketed.

“Meteor Lake is a power-efficient architecture that will power innovative mobile and desktop designs, including desktop form factors such as All-in-One (AIO),” reads the official release from Intel. In the future, we will be able to provide more product details.” According to the website, this will also apply to small form factor PCs like the NUC series, which it recently gave to Asus. Since the statement is inherently too general and vague, Intel is free to modify its mind. It does, however, affirm that Meteor Lake is efficiency-focused, meaning that only mobile chips—not fire-breathing desktop CPUs—will be available.

Rather, as anticipated, its Raptor Lake update chips will assume the lead on desktops, with Intel’s mobile lineup consisting on Meteor Lake CPUs through 2024. Nevertheless, the Intel official added in the PCWorld interview that there will be “one processor family top to bottom,” which isn’t the case for all of the company’s desktop and laptop models.

Consequently, we can declare with confidence that Meteor Lake will always be a mobile platform. The real Alder/Raptor Lake replacement will come in the form of Arrow Lake later in the following year. Built on the Intel 20A technology, it will be the first socketed desktop CPU with a disaggregated design with several tiles.

It might be difficult to keep your devices charged for a variety of reasons. First of all, it gets harder to keep all of your cords and plug-ins accessible and useful without piling up a chaotic mess at your desk or backpack the more gadgets you have. Secondly, it’s very simple to misplace, misjudge, or tangle any of your numerous charges.

Consolidate to make things simpler and more organized. This InCharge® X Max 100W 6-in-1 Charging Cable is on sale for only $16.97 (reg. $39) through September 30. This fast, convenient, and user-friendly cable is made to assist prevent low battery situations. With its five-foot length, you can easily reach your phone, tablet, or laptop from a nearby outlet without having to bend over or do anything similar.

Additionally, this charging cable has a 100W ultra-fast power-up capability. Additionally, practically any gadget may be charged using its six-in-one keychain cable. These are its connections:

Lightning to USB

USB to USB-C

Micro-USB to USB

USB-C to USB-C

Lightning to USB-C

Micro-USB to USB-C

The cable can provide fast charging for iPhones with a power of up to 18W, and it can provide 100W of charging power from USB-C to USB-C. Additionally, it supports data transfer at up to 480Mbps.

In addition, the robust construction of this cable with aramid fiber and braided copper wires is something to be grateful for individuals who frequently travel or abuse their gadgets.

Before September 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, get this InCharge® X Max 100W 6-in-1 charging cable for just $16.97 (reg. $39).

Though houseplants have been very popular lately, Light Bio’s glow-in-the-dark petunias are going to make them look a little more basic. The Department of Agriculture has formally approved the Idaho-based biotechnology startup’s sale of genetically altered, bioluminescent flowers in the United States. The beginning of shipments is anticipated for early 2024.

The bioluminescent insects, marine life, mushrooms, and other naturally occurring creatures that Light Bio draws inspiration from for its fantastic products. These light up in response to oxygen’s interaction with luciferin, an enzyme produced by the luciferase enzyme. It is believed that this contact generates light, or energy, which gives firefly and jellyfish their beloved “lit-from-within” appearance.

Before starting Light Bio, Karen Sarkisyan, a synthetic biologist, and Keith Wood, a chemist, had dedicated significant amounts of their careers to the research of bioluminescence. Sarkisyan had previously collaborated with a group of scientists to give tobacco plants glow-inducing enzymes. In the meantime, Wood and his colleagues had worked with firefly DNA to create the first genetically modified glow-in-the-dark plant in the 1980s, though it required a specific chemical to be sprayed on it in order to function.

Since then, Wood and Sarkisyan have discovered a way to cause plants to glow on their own. The caffeic acid molecule is the center of their procedure. Caffeic acid is a building block of plant cell walls and is transformed into luciferin by fungus. Light Bio is mostly concerned with this latter step. The neomycin phosphotransferase II, or NPTII, gene that transforms caffeic acid into luciferin was taken and inserted into the petunia plant by the firm. The outcome is a typical home flower that, at night or when the lights are off, emits its own neon green light.

On September 6, the US Department of Agriculture approved the sale of these glow-in-the-dark flowers after researching whether Light Bio’s petunias will draw more bugs than standard petunias. For the 10,000 people on Light Bio’s waiting list, this is wonderful news; nevertheless, it is bad news for others who worry that bioluminescent plants could damage their local ecosystems. Still, Light Bio is a step ahead of its detractors.

In their application to the Department of Agriculture, the company stated that “petunias are normally grown in human-created environments where people live and work daily, such as homes, businesses, or botanical gardens.” “In these settings, artificial lighting generally illuminates the night much more than the auto-luminescent petunias.”