Day: April 16, 2020

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Virgin Orbit is ready to test its plane-launched space rockets

https://www.engadget.com/virgin-orbit-cosmic-girl-end-to-end-test-100136513.html

Virgin Orbit is ready for its first launch after successfully completing an end-to-end test proving that its carrier aircraft, Cosmic Girl, can ferry rockets to the skies for takeoff. The Virgin Group company, which aims to provide launch services for small satellites, sent Cosmic Girl over California with a LauncherOne rocket strapped under its wing. Virgin Orbit loaded the rocket’s tanks with water in previous tests, but this time, it filled those tanks with liquid nitrogen.

The water in previous tests was over 300 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the liquid oxygen those tanks would carry for actual launches. Cryogenic liquids like liquid oxygen and nitrogen interact differently with hardware than water and are also handled differently.

By using liquid nitrogen, which poses less of a risk than liquid oxygen despite having very similar temperatures, the company was able to conduct what it describes as a “complete, end-to-end launch rehearsal that exercises all of [its] ground operations; [its] mission control; all of [its] communications systems and protocols; all of [its] range assets; and [its] carrier aircraft’s takeoff, flyout, pull-up maneuver, and return-to-base operations.”

This was the final test Virgin needed to complete before its launch demo, and it promised more details about it in the future. During an actual launch, Cosmic Girl will drop LauncherOne from 35,000 feet in the air. The rocket will then head up to space to deliver small satellites to Low Earth Orbit.

via Engadget http://www.engadget.com

April 15, 2020 at 05:06AM

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Netflix Is Now Worth More Than Disney

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/netflix-is-now-worth-more-than-disney/1100-6476101/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f

At least for the time being, Netflix is worth more than Disney when it comes to stock price and overall value based on shares. Thanks to surging stock prices for Netflix as people stay home, the streaming company’s total market capitalization reached $187.3 billion.

This is just ahead of Disney’s $186.6 billion valuation, according to numbers crunched by Variety. Unlike Netflix, Disney’s share price has tumbled in recent weeks as the company has closed its theme parks and shut down its cruise lines. Disney’s ESPN has also struggled as live sports are no longer taking place due to COVID-19 concerns

With more people at home, Netflix is expected to post subscriber gains when it reports earnings next on April 21. Netflix predicted 7 million new subscribers during the period, but this forecast came before the coronavirus outbreak, so the actual number might be higher.

As for Disney, analyst Hal Vogel told The New York Times that the company is losing $30 million or more per day. In March, Disney borrowed $6 billion in debt offering in response to the crisis.

Disney chairman Bob Iger–who recently took back control of the company to see it through the crisis–told Barron’s that the company has the necessary capital to “keep us more than solvent through a prolonged period.” Iger went on to say that Disney will never return to how it was before.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to see a return to business as usual,” he said. Looking to the future, when the coronavirus has settled, Iger said Disney will “look for ways to run our businesses more efficiently.”

Iger has given up his salary, while other Disney executives have taken paycuts to help employees through this difficult time. Disney also recently furloughed some 43,000 employees at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, recently crossed 50 million subscribers much faster than the company expected. Like Netflix, people are spending more time consuming content at home these days, and this includes a variety of subscription services.

Now Playing: Best Shows And Movies To Stream For April 2020 – Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

via GameSpot’s PC Reviews https://ift.tt/2mVXxXH

April 15, 2020 at 08:57PM

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The Nintendo Switch Is Sold Out Everywhere, So Someone Built One From Scratch

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-nintendo-switch-is-sold-out-everywhere-so-some/1100-6476109/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f

While the Nintendo Switch is also going through a major national shortage right now, it seems that one individual took matters into their own hands and built their very own Switch.

Recently, scalpers have taken to buying up all the Switches in stores and selling them for upwards of $600 each, almost 200% the retail price. In response to both the scalpers and difficulty in finding a Switch in-store, Reddit user Sarbaaz37 has not only built their own Switch out of parts, but has also written a complete guide on how you can too.

The total cost for the build comes in just short of $200, not including assembly costs if you plan to try it yourself. As it turns out a Switch can be made with just 22 parts, all of which are fairly cheap, aside from the logic motherboard.

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Of course not everyone has the technical skills to put together such a complicated mechanism, thankfully there are actually some places you can purchase a Switch for a reasonable amount. If you can’t make heads or tails out of this guide, then you are probably better off just buying one in-store.

Now Playing: Nintendo Switch – Indie World Showcase March 2020

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

via GameSpot’s PC Reviews https://ift.tt/2mVXxXH

April 15, 2020 at 11:25PM

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Xbox PC App for Windows 10 Preview

https://www.bluesnews.com/s/210074/xbox-pc-app-for-windows-10-preview

Xbox Wire announces

the release of the Xbox PC App for Windows 10 to those who join the Windows Gaming Flight. The app is available to the public as a beta, but this will give access to a preview of the full version. Here are the details:

We’re excited to announce the Xbox PC App (Preview) has been added to the Windows Gaming Flight. The Xbox PC App is currently available to the general public in a beta version. But the Xbox Insider Program is offering access to a preview version full of additional improvements!

The Xbox PC App allows you to discover and download new games with Xbox Game Pass, see what your friends are playing, and chat with them across Xbox devices (mobile, PC, and console).

We’re asking Xbox Insiders in the Windows Gaming Flight to check out the Xbox PC App (Preview). Your participation helps us improve the experience for future releases!

Our goals for this preview are to:

  • Provide an optimized experience on Windows 10 with enhanced performance

  • Decrease memory usage

  • Shrink installation packages significantly

If you want to preview the app, you can join the Windows Gaming Flight in the Xbox Insider Hub. From there, you are also eligible for early preview versions of the Windows 10 Game Bar and early versions of the Windows 10 Gaming install services.

Are you currently a member of the Windows Gaming Flight, but you’re not seeing the Xbox PC App (Preview)? Click the Show in store button from within the preview page, and you will be taken straight to the app on the Windows Store page!

via Blue’s News https://ift.tt/28L6I6h

April 15, 2020 at 08:55AM