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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 shares top spot with iPhone 8 Plus in DxOMark

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It took a while, but DxOMark finally revealed their camera performance scores for the Galaxy Note 8. The results are interesting, to say the least.

The camera testing authority gave Samsung’s latest and greatest an overall score of 94, which ties it with Apple’s iPhone 8 Plus. DxOMark says the Galaxy Note 8 is an “outstanding choice for the smartphone photography enthusiast” and that the dual-camera setup implementation is “exceptional.”

More interesting, however, are the Galaxy Note 8’s separate scores for the photo and video categories.

The Samsung handset got 100 points for photo quality, which is the highest score ever given to a smartphone and a convincing lead over the iPhone 8 Plus’ 96. But in order for the two phones to have that matching overall score, the Galaxy Note 8 garnered only 84 points for video — significantly lower than the 89 of the Apple equivalent.

In direct comparisons, the Samsung entry offers better image quality than the iPhone 8 Plus when both optical and software zoom come into play. The Galaxy Note 8 also has a more favorable application of artificial background blur on portraits. Only the limited dynamic range and somewhat lackluster optical stabilization during video mode bring the overall score down.

With the Pixel 2 launching later today, Huawei set to reveal the Mate 10 on October 16, and the iPhone X rolling out in early November, the tides could easily shift in favor of a non-Samsung or Apple phone.

If you recall, the original Pixel held the top spot for a long time after its release this time last year — only to be topped by the HTC U11 more than half a year later.

SEE ALSO: OnePlus 5 fails to meet expectations on DxOMark

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St. Peter reunited people with their deceased loved ones through tech

The new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign generates letters from the imagined perspectives of loved ones.

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Grieving can take many forms. Sometimes, it manifests through a desire to hear a loved one again. We look at their old clothing, a gust of wind, or a butterfly, and imagine them talking to us one more time. This year, St. Peter, through the power of technology, gave 11,000 people that chance through its new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign.

During St. Peter Deathcare Week, which ran from October 27 through November 2, the deathcare provider started the “If Heaven Could Write” campaign, an interactive digital experience that offered participants a chance to reunite with their deceased loved ones. It was available in 37 St. Peter Chapels and 76 cemeteries nationwide.

Upon scanning a QR code which took them to a portal, participants answered questions about their loved ones. Then, the portal generates a personal letter from the imagined perspective of the participant’s loved one, giving them one more chance to converse.

Of course, an imagined letter can’t replace someone who passed away. Still, the experience affords us a way to grieve and process the loss. No, the letter isn’t really from your loved one, but you can imagine what they would have said while reading through it. And sometimes, that’s all we need.

Though St. Peter Deathcare Week has already come and gone for the year, those interested can still participate in the campaign through its link.

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Next iPhone might get rid of the Action Button

Both functions will be in one button instead.

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In a world with a love-hate relationship with extra buttons on a phone, Apple has gone to the deeper end and included two buttons in the latest iPhones: the Action Button and the Camera Control. Next year, Apple might consolidate the two buttons into one, ridding itself of the Action Button.

According to a Weibo leak from Instant Digital, Apple will merge the two buttons starting with next year’s iPhones. Though technically a new button in itself, the merged version will, based on the leak, retain more Camera Control than the Action Button.

Of course, both functions can coexist in the same button. The Camera Control activates with a single press, while the Action Button needs a longer press. In the merged button, a single press can still open the camera and a longer press can activate whatever the user sets it to.

Both buttons have had a storied past. The Action Button came in 2023, replacing the Ring/Silent Switch. Meanwhile, the Camera Control debuted a year later, offering control over the camera with a capacitive button. The current iterations retain both buttons on the same phone.

Personally, as someone used to creating content, the Camera Control button is ultimately a boon to get those shots quickly while in the moment. Retaining that functionality is definitely worthwhile.

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NVIDIA CEO admits to having an affair with alleged Chinese spy

The company is currently investigating the allegations.

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In one of the craziest headlines this year, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to having an affair with an alleged Chinese spy.

Over the weekend, a heavy allegation claimed that the NVIDIA CEO had a relationship with a person actively involved in Chinese intelligence. Since Huang is involved in business globally, the accusation isn’t a light one. In fact, it’s serious enough that Huang admitted to the affair late this past Sunday.

In an internal letter reported by Associated Press, the CEO acknowledged the existence of the affair with a business executive. Of note, Huang did not confirm the executive’s ties to Chinese intelligence. NVIDIA, however, will conduct its own investigations regarding the allegations. Despite the allegations, Huang will remain as the company’s CEO. The company is also confident that the alleged spy did not compromise NVIDIA’s secrets.

According to The New York Times, the executive, Alice Huang, was reportedly feeding information back to Beijing, despite being an executive of the Singapore-based Megaspeed, which is already a serious customer of NVIDIA.

Now, NVIDIA is currently in a prime position when it comes to the industry today. Formerly a huge proponent of gaming peripherals, the company is now one of the biggest names in AI hardware, allotting a lot of its products for data centers. Huang’s allegations come at an interesting time.

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