Technologies

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, 40-Series Mobile GPUs and Everything Else It Announced at CES

Your next laptop may have these components. And you’ll probably want them if you create stuff or play games.

Nvidia delivered the first of the notable CES livestreamed announcements Tuesday — a day ahead of the primary marathon day of launches — with expected news about its GeForce 40-series mobile GPUs and the long-rumored RTX 4070 Ti desktop GPU. One notable surprise was the new GeForce Now Ultimate tier, which AT&T has already staked out for a six-months-free promotion. The company also gave some updates on its commercial tools for robotics, collaborative design and cars.

RTX 40-series mobile graphics

Nvidia launched a complete line of mobile GPUs, from the RTX 4050 (for barely-there cheap discrete graphics) to the RTX 4060 and 4070 (for mainstream or thin-and-light gaming and graphics laptops) up through the top-end RTX 4080 and 4090.

Thanks to the Ada Lovelace architecture, the new mobile chips are a lot more power efficient, which means a new generation of Nvidia’s Max-Q power-management technology: It incorporates ultra-low voltage DLSS 3, «tri-speed memory control» to drop to lower power memory states on the fly and more. My experience with the 4080 and 4090 showed quite an improvement in DLSS over the last gen. And finally gaining traction is the adoption of Advanced Optimus, Nvidia’s design for allowing the GPU to live on the same bus as the CPU, which lets you use G-Sync on the built-in display and switch to the integrated graphics for lower power use without a system reboot. (Every time the phrase «MUX Switch» is used, my soul dies a little more.)

It highlighted nongaming 14-inch laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga Pro 14 and Asus ZenBook Pro 14 with RTX 4070, 4060 or 4050 mobile chips, shipping in late February starting at $999. Gaming laptops like the Alienware x16 with an RTX 4080 or RTX 4090 ship in early February, starting at $2,000.

Desktop GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

Nvidia first announced the 12GB card as a low-end RTX 4080, but people pointed out that its specs really didn’t match those expected of an xx80-class GPU, causing Nvidia to «unlaunch» the card. It’s subsequently been reborn as the RTX 4070 Ti, which starts shipping on Jan. 5, starting at $800.

What seems particularly interesting is that despite Nvidia’s generic renderings of the card, there doesn’t seem to be an Nvidia-branded Founders Edition version, which there usually is for this level of GPU. That means there’s no guarantee that there will be an actual card available at that entry-level price; we could always count on an Nvidia Founders Edition to be the one model that hewed to the announcement price. Even if it had a tendency to go out of stock and stayed that way.

Stay tuned for my review!

GeForce Now Ultimate

Nvidia has also upgraded its back-end cloud servers for its cloud-gaming service with RTX 4080-class GPUs from the RTX 3080-class models, which means its top-tier option for its cloud-gaming service gets an upgrade as well. By going with «Ultimate,» Nvidia doesn’t have to rebrand every time it upgrades, as it does from the previous «RTX 3080» membership.

For the same $20 per month, you get the same perks but the better performance afforded by the card. That can translate to effectively 240 frames per second up from 120fps (the details are unclear). Current RTX 3080 subscribers will automatically transition to the new plan when it becomes available. As usual, it will roll out incrementally across different regions.

You may also get GeForce Now as part of your car’s entertainment system if it uses Nvidia Drive technology. Now all you need is a way to create routes based on the quality of your cell signal to prevent interruptions.

Creator tools

Two notable software tools that run on RTX GPUs join the family. Nvidia Broadcast will get a beta Eye Contact effect — faking eye contact for videoconferences and presentations is the New Big Thing that I don’t like (Windows has it as well). I’ve never seen an implementation that’s not disturbing, and I think at least one of the presenters in the stream was using it because of the unblinking thousand-yard stare that didn’t so much look at you as through you. Maybe that’s just me, though.

The other potentially big feature is RTX Video Super Resolution, designed to improve video streaming on Chrome and Edge. It uses AI upscaling and artifact reduction to improve the look of 1080p video on higher-resolution screens. That will run on RTX 30- and 40-series GPUs.

And Nvidia’s Canvas generative-AI sketch tool, which can work on any RTX GPU, will go into beta this quarter.

Nvidia also provided some updates on its robotics and automotive development technologies. They include new features in its Isaac Sim environment, such as the ability to model multiple humans and arrays of robots (for AI training) and more. CES isn’t a big show for these back-end technologies — that’s more the purview of Nvidia’s designer- and developer-focused GTC and GDC conferences — so most of the news was about partnerships and updates on capabilities entering early access. If that’s what floats your boat, you can get all the details on Nvidia’s site rather than have me de-weed them for you.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, April 8

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 8.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hint: It uses a lot of the letter Z for some reason. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___-Carlton (hotel chain)
Answer: RITZ

5A clue: Span of the alphabet
Answer: ATOZ

6A clue: Cable channel with an out-of-this-world name
Answer: STARZ

7A clue: Takes care of, as a squeaky wheel
Answer: OILS

8A clue: Toy on a string
Answer: YOYO

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: When a post receives far more negative comments than likes, in social media slang
Answer: RATIO

2D clue: World’s leading wine producer
Answer: ITALY

3D clue: Middle of the human body
Answer: TORSO

4D clue: Sleeping sound
Answer: ZZZ

6D clue: Tofu base
Answer: SOY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 8, #562

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 8 No. 562.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Working out.

Green group hint: Cover your face.

Blue group hint: NFL players.

Purple group hint: Leap.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Exercises in singular form.

Green group: Sporting jobs that require masks.

Blue group: Hall of Fame defensive ends.

Purple group: ____ jump.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exercises in singular form. The four answers are crunch, plank, situp and squat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is sporting jobs that require masks. The four answers are catcher, fencer, football player and goaltender.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Hall of Fame defensive ends. The four answers are Dent, Peppers, Strahan and Youngblood.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ jump. The four answers are broad, high, long and triple.

Technologies

The $135M Google Data Settlement Site Is Live — See If You’re Eligible

Use the settlement website to select your preferred payment method, and you may end up $100 richer.

You can now file a claim in the $135 million Google data settlement. The case centers on claims that Android devices transmitted user data without consent. Specifically, the class action lawsuit Taylor v. Google LLC contends that Google’s Android devices passively transferred cellular data to Google without user permission, even when the devices were idle. While not admitting fault, Google reached a preliminary settlement in January, agreeing to pay $135 million to about 100 million US Android phone users.

The official settlement website for the lawsuit is now live. The final approval hearing won’t occur until June 23, when the court will consider whether Google’s settlement is fair and listen to objections. After that, the court will decide whether to approve the $135 million settlement.

In the meantime, if you qualify and want to be paid as part of the settlement, you can select your preferred payment method on the official website. There, you can find information on speaking at the June 23 court hearing and on how to exclude yourself or write to the court to object by May 29.

As part of the settlement, Google will update its Google Play terms of service to clarify that certain data transfers do occur passively even when you’re not using your Android device, and that cellular data may be relied upon when not connected to Wi-Fi. This can’t always be disabled, but users will be asked to consent to it when setting up their device.

Google will also fully stop collecting data when its «allow background data usage» option is toggled off.

Who can be part of the settlement?

In order to join the Taylor v. Google LLC settlement, you must meet four qualifications:

Be a living, individual human being in the US.
Have used an Android mobile device with a cellular data plan.
Have used the aforementioned device at any time from Nov. 12, 2017, to the date when the settlement receives final approval.
You’re not a class member in the Csupo v. Google LLC lawsuit, which is similar but specifically for California residents.

The final approval hearing is on June 23, so you can add your payment method until then. The hearing’s date and time may change, and any updates will be posted on the settlement website.

If you choose to do nothing, you will still be issued a settlement payment, but you may not receive it if you don’t select a payment method.

How much will I get paid?

It’s not currently known exactly how much each settlement class member will receive, but the cap is $100. Payments will be distributed after final court approval and after any appeals are resolved.

After all administrative, tax and attorney costs are paid, the settlement administrator will attempt to pay each member an equal amount. If any funds remain after payments are sent, and it’s economically feasible, they will be redistributed to members who were previously and successfully paid. If it’s not economically feasible, the funds will go to an organization approved by the court.