Windows 11 Forced Microsoft Accounts & Qualcomm Buys Arduino

AMD's Strategic Partnerships and Supply Chain

• 💡 AMD CEO Lisa Su addressed rumors of a partnership with Intel, responding non-committally but not ruling out future collaboration.
• 🎯 AMD is prioritizing chip manufacturing in the United States to support the US AI initiative, deepening its partnership with TSMC.

GPU Accessories and Luxury Tech

• 🖼️ The GPU mirror, a decorative accessory reflecting the bottom of a graphics card shroud, is being re-released by Japanese company Naga.
• 💰 Asus unveiled a $500,000 gold-infused RTX 4090 GPU commissioned by a private collector, with proceeds going to charity.

Tech Deals and Prime Day Highlights

• 🔊 A Bose SoundLink Flex portable Bluetooth speaker is available for $99 ($50 off).
• 💾 The Samsung 990 Evo Plus 4TB NVMe M.2 SSD is priced at $199.99 ($128 off).
• 🚀 An AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D desktop CPU is available for $338.
• ⚡ An EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station is 50% off at $349.
• 🖥️ An Alienware 27-inch 1440p 280Hz QD-OLED monitor is available for $449.99 with an additional $50 off for Dell account sign-ups.

Google vs. Epic Games and App Payments

• ⚖️ The Supreme Court denied Google's request to temporarily block a third-party app payment system ruling, following the lawsuit with Epic Games.
• ⚠️ Google argues the ruling jeopardizes user safety, while Epic Games views it as a victory, allowing third-party payments on Android without Google's cut.

Qualcomm Acquires Arduino & Windows 11 Developments

• 🤝 Qualcomm announced its acquisition of Arduino, aiming to retain its open-source ethos and brand identity.
• 💻 A new Arduino Uno Q board featuring a Qualcomm-based Dragon Ball processor is set to be released.
• 🌑 Windows 11 is introducing dark mode to File Explorer in its latest insider preview.
• 🔒 Microsoft is increasingly forcing users to use Microsoft accounts for Windows 11 setup, disabling local account bypass methods for security and user-friendliness, which is met with criticism.