Economic reports for the week ahead

Welcome to Edition 5.24 of the Rocket Report! I joined Ars more than seven years ago to write about space. It has been an amazing ride, and now I'm thrilled to say we're expanding our coverage. Come work with me as a space reporter! Pay is competitive, and you can work remotely. But you must be passionate about space and writing. At least some experience in space journalism is preferred. Here is the place to apply . Anyway, in a few months, I hope to have someone to help with the Rocket Report, so there will no longer be interruptions! As always, we welcome reader submissions , and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar. A deeper dive into the German launch industry . A German market research firm, Capitol Momentum, has published … [Read more...] about Rocket Report: Tearing down Ariane’s SUSIE concept; is ChatGPT a rocket scientist?

Less than a quarter of Americans are satisfied with the current state of the union, a Gallup survey released less than a week from President Biden’s scheduled State of the Union address found. According to the survey, 76 percent are dissatisfied with the state of the nation at this point in time. Of those, 48 percent identify themselves as “very” dissatisfied. Just 23 percent currently describe themselves as satisfied. Notably, a majority of Republicans, (94 percent), Democrats (64 percent), and independents (76 percent) describe themselves as dissatisfied. Three-quarters of Republicans describe themselves as “very” dissatisfied with the state of the nation, and 46 percent of independents and 28 percent of Democrats are also “very” dissatisfied. That particular survey was taken January 2022, 2023, among 1,011 U.S. adults, has a +/- 4 percent margin of error, and preceded another Gallup report released this week, which looked at U.S. satisfaction as it relates to … [Read more...] about Poll: Just 23 Percent Satisfied with the Current State of the Union

Audio player loading… BlizzCon 2021 Dates BlizzCon 2021 (or BlizzCononline) will be taking place from February 19 to February 20. TechRadar will be reporting all all the biggest news, announcements and reveals, so keep this page bookmarked for the the latest BlizzCon news. BlizzCon 2021 is over, having pulled off its first all-virtual event due to Covid-19 restrictions after having to cancel the event entirely last year. Whether this year's BlizzCon happen at all remained uncertain for a period of time. The publisher cancelled BlizzCon 2020 last May, citing health and safety concerns as the main reasons. But, instead of cancelling Blizzard 2021 event, the company opted to host the event online instead, promising fans an "all-digital celebration and exhibition of Blizzard games and universes". While it certainly didn't have the same punch as past events, all in all, Blizzard did a pretty good job of it? We got some major announcements like World of Warcraft: Burning … [Read more...] about BlizzCon 2021: Everything we saw at BlizzConline this year

Audio player loading… Amazon has revealed that by the end of January 2023, it had set a new corporate record for the most renewable energy purchased by a single company in one year. The company has long been investing in green energy, and according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance report, has been the single largest corporate buyer of renewable energy since 2020. Last year, it added 133 new projects to its portfolio, operating in 11 countries with a combined output of 8.3 gigawatts. That means that last year’s additions alone now account for 41.5% of its 20-gigawatt portfolio. TechRadar Pro needs you! (opens in new tab) our survey (opens in new tab) and telling us your opinions and views about the tech industry in 2023. It will only take a few minutes and all your answers will be anonymous and confidential. Thank you again for helping us make TechRadar Pro even better. D. Athow, Managing Editor Amazon renewable energy The tech giant reckons … [Read more...] about Amazon just bought the most renewable energy ever purchased by a single company

The global smartphone market declined by 18% on a year-over-year (YoY) basis to reach 304 million units in Q4 2022, even as it registered a 1% growth on quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis, as per a new report. Apple replaced Samsung as the top smartphone player in the quarter, driven by the launch of iPhone 14 series. Global smartphone shipment declines As per the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service, the 2022 global shipments declined by 12% to 1.2 billion units, which is the lowest since 2013, and the revenue declined by 9% to $409 billion, the lowest since 2017. The market research firm said that the global smartphone market remained under pressure in Q4 2022 with a total of 303.9 million units shipped. Furthermore, the shipments for the full year declined to 1.2 billion units. Read Also China's 2022 smartphone sales plunge to lowest level in a decade “The war in Ukraine, inflationary pressures, economic … [Read more...] about apple: How iPhone 14 helped Apple beat Samsung to emerge as number one

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently announced that the company would cut 12,000 jobs or 6% of its global workforce as it braces to face “difficult economic cycles.” As a result of this, a number of departments, including FuchsiaOS, and Area 120, among others, will see a thinner workforce. Now a report has claimed a group of employees staged protests in the US this week at the company’s headquarters in California and New York. As per a report by Bloomberg, a group of employees protested outside the company’s offices in Mountain View, California, on Wednesday in a bid to attract attention to labour conditions for sub-contracted workers and to support thousands of their recently laid-off co-workers. The second rally took place near Google's corporate offices in New York City on Thursday. In this demonstration, nearly 50 Google employees protested shortly after its parent company Alphabet announced fourth-quarter profits of $13.6 billion. Read Also Google … [Read more...] about google: Google may have an employee ‘problem’ in the US

Amid economic volatility, war and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have caused the tablet market to fall by 8% in Q4 2022, compared to last year. According to a report by TechInsights, Delayed purchases from Q3 have paid off for consumers looking for holiday deals. This caused the tablet market to decline at a slower pace than the last five quarters to 44.2 million units in Q4 2022. This closed off the year at 162.1 million units shipped for a 12% YoY decline as the world dealt with war, economic instability and the pandemic. However, Apple and Samsung have stood out among the top brands as these two companies have posted growth during the holiday season. While the competitive landscape changes to meet post-pandemic demand patterns, Apple and Samsung took a combined 58% share of the global tablet market. How tablet-makers different have performed in Q4 2022 As per the report, Apple and Samsung accounted for 3 out of 5 global tablets shipped during Q4 … [Read more...] about samsung: Apple, Samsung shipped 3 out of 5 tablets in Q4 2022

Facebook-parent company Meta has reportedly received a go-ahead from a court to complete its purchase of virtual reality startup Within Unlimited, after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to block the deal saying the purchase could end the competition in the market. A report by Bloomberg cited people familiar with the ruling as saying that a US judge denied the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction to block the proposed transaction. The judge also issued a temporary restraining order that will essentially block Meta from closing the transaction for a week. This gives time to the FTC to appeal the ruling. What’s the case? In July 2022, the FTC filed a complaint to block Meta from acquiring virtual reality studio Within, which makes the popular VR app Supernatural. FTC said that the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company bought Within to end competition in the fitness market. Meta already owns Beat Saber which is a lot similar to Supernatural. Read … [Read more...] about Meta’s plans to expand metaverse are up and running again: Here’s how

Audio player loading… Update: Paramount has responded to TechRadar's request for comment about its Paramount Plus and Showtime merger. In the US, Paramount Plus ' premium tier will be rebranded to "Paramount Plus with Showtime". The merger will take place later this year – Paramount declined to provide an exact date – and will give customers "a more compelling offering" of content. Paramount says the move "is a natural next step" in its revamped strategy to become a singular, multiplatform, IP-driven company. As for UK and Australian audiences, Paramount confirmed no changes will be made to its current Paramount Plus subscription plans. Showtime is already integrated into Paramount Plus (as an extra channel) in non-US territories. On the topic of show cancellations and removals from its streaming platform, Paramount president and CEO Chris McCarthy explained – in an employee memo seen by TechRadar – the reasons behind these decisions. "As a part of Paramount … [Read more...] about HBO Max, Paramount Plus join Netflix in frustrating 2023 TV show cancellation spree

Table of Contents What to Look For in a Gaming Microphone in 2023 Best Gaming Microphone Overall: Blue Yeti X Best Budget Gaming Microphone Under $100: Razer Seiren X Best Cheap Gaming Microphone Under $40: FIFINE Metal Condenser Microphone Best Gaming Microphone For Streaming: Shure MV7 Podcast Microphone Best Gaming Headset: HyperX Cloud Alpha S Update, 01/25/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best gaming microphones you can buy. What to Look For in a Gaming Microphone in 2023 While gaming headsets are the most mainstream option for capturing audio while gaming, dedicated microphones are quickly becoming a popular alternative. These standalone products are typically much more powerful than the small mics built into headsets, allowing you to send crystal clear commands to your teammates. They’re also wildly popular in the world of streaming, giving broadcasts a premium sense of production and improving the … [Read more...] about The Best Gaming Microphones of 2023