AMD's FSR 4 Open Source Oopsie and Other Tech News

Windows Gaming Enhancements

• 🚀 Microsoft is improving Windows for gamers, particularly for the upcoming Xbox RG Ally handheld console.
• 💡 A new handheld compatibility program, similar to Valve's Steam Deck verification, will help users identify games that run well on the device.
• 🎮 The Xbox app is being updated to act as a unified hub, integrating other game launchers like Gog Galaxy, Ubisoft, and Steam.
• ⚡ A significant shader fix is being implemented in Windows to reduce stuttering and loading times by preloading game shaders during downloads, potentially cutting load times by up to 85%.

Intel and US Government Partnership

• 🤝 The US government has taken a 10% shareholder stake in Intel through an $8.9 billion investment, partly funded by the Chips Act.
• 💰 This partnership aims to position Intel as the preeminent chip manufacturer in the United States.
• 🗣️ Former President Trump's comments regarding Intel's CEO are mentioned as a factor in the deal's progression.

Apple Watch Lawsuit and Other Tech

• ⌚ Apple is facing a lawsuit from Maximo over the reintroduction of blood pressure monitoring on Apple Watches, after the feature was removed due to a previous lawsuit.
• 🍎 Apple is also involved in a lawsuit against a former employee accused of stealing information for OPPO's watch products.
• 💻 The Minis Forum MSS1 Max mini desktop was announced, featuring a higher TDP (160 watts), a full-length PCI Express 16 slot, and USB4 v2 ports for high transfer speeds.

AMD's FSR 4 Accidental Release

• ⚠️ AMD accidentally published the entire source code for FSR 4 on GitHub under an MIT license, which is irrevocable and permissive.
• 🧐 While AMD stated it was an error and has taken the code down, speculation suggests that those who forked or cloned the repository may still be able to use it under the MIT license.
• 📉 This incident could potentially lead to lower generation GPU support for FSR 4 and more community-driven developments, though it was not AMD's intended plan for FSR 4's release.
• 🔄 Unlike FSR 1, 2, and 3, AMD had not intended for FSR 4 to be open-source at this stage.