Microsoft is holding a technical alpha later this month for the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 release. The technical alpha will be held over an unspecified weekend in October to test the game’s core services ahead of its debut on November 19th. Participants in the test phase will need a capable PC gaming rig to try out Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 before its release, as this alpha test won’t be available to Xbox players.

Free flight and a limited amount of career, challenges, and discovery will be accessible during the technical alpha, alongside a limited number of aircraft. “The technical alpha has been designed to gather feedback on specific areas and features, and the scope of what is available is limited,” says the Microsoft Flight Simulator team. You can sign up for the alpha test here.

The current version of Microsoft Flight Simulator is already a demanding game on PC, and this 2024 edition looks set to raise the PC requirements even further. The recommended specs include 32GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7-10700K, and an RTX 2080. Ideally though, Microsoft says you’ll want up to 64GB of RAM, an RTX 4080, and an Intel Core i7-14700K if you want to play at max settings.

Once Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 releases next month, you’ll be able to fly an air ambulance, be part of a mountain rescue team, or act as search and rescue. There’s even VIP charter services, skydive aviation, air racing, and hot air balloon trips.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is also getting smaller, with the install size reduced to around 30GB. Microsoft is using its latest cloud streaming technology to stream high detailed areas on a flight path, reducing the amount that needs to be preinstalled. Testing this cloud streaming technology is a big part of the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 technical alpha later this month.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 debuts on PC and Xbox Series S / X on November 19th.

MediaTek has formally announced its new flagship mobile chipset, the Dimensity 9400. It has the year-over-year spec bumps we’d expect to see, along with a few future-looking features just to cover all the bases.

The 9400 is built on a 3nm process and is “up to 40 percent more power-efficient” than its predecessor, the 9300. It comprises one Arm Cortex-X925 core running at 3.62GHz, along with three Arm Cortex-X4 and four Cortex-A720 cores, both of which were announced at last year’s Computex. MediaTek says that this combination results in 35 percent faster single-core performance and 28 percent faster multi-core performance compared to the 9300. The chipset also includes Arm’s new 12-core Immortalis-G925 GPU with 40 percent faster ray tracing.

That’s the basic stuff. On the more futuristic side, there’s MediaTek’s own eighth-generation NPU with support for training certain kinds of lightweight AI models on-device, with “80 percent faster large language model prompt performance.” It also supports AI video generation and provides a developer framework for creating agentic applications, which is AI that can actually do things for you. In theory, that’s the next big turn in AI, with everyone from Apple to Rabbit working out how to make it a reality.

In all likelihood, the Dimensity 9400 will be ready long before the most futuristic features it supports; MediaTek says that the 9400 will be available in the market in Q4 of this year. The company’s high-end chips tend to appear in flagship phones from Chinese OEMs like Vivo and Oppo. As such, the 9400 may not make it to the US, where Qualcomm chipsets dominate the popular Android flagships.

Remember those ancient clay structures from history class? Well, clay is making a grand re-entrance into the world of construction, and it’s undergone a high-tech makeover. Thanks to a cutting-edge process called impact printing, clay might just be the building material of the future.

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Move over, concrete: There’s a new building material in town

By now, you’ve probably heard about 3D-printed concrete houses. They’re quick, cheap and produce less waste than traditional building methods. But let’s face it, concrete has its downsides. It needs time to harden, and the cement industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Enter clay, stage left.

Impact printing with clay (ETH Zurich) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Introducing impact printing with clay

A team of clever scientists at ETH Zurich, led by Dr. Lauren Vasey, has developed a new way to build with clay. They’ve created a special mix of clay, silt and a secret ingredient (a “common waste product” from their industry partner). But here’s where it gets exciting: instead of slowly extruding the material, they shoot it at high speeds using a machine that could one day be brought right to the construction site.

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Impact printing with clay (ETH Zurich) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The art of blob building

Picture this: Blobs of clay mixture flying through the air at speeds up to 32.8 feet per second. When these blobs hit their target, they stick together, gradually forming walls, columns or whatever structure you fancy. It’s like watching a high-speed game of clay Tetris.

Impact printing with clay (ETH Zurich) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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A robotic arm provides the finishing touches

If you’re not into the “bunch-of-blobs” aesthetic (though it could be the next big thing in interior design), don’t worry. The researchers have thought of that, too. A robotic arm with a rotary tool can smooth out the surfaces, giving you that sleek, modern look.

Impact printing with clay (ETH Zurich) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What’s next for impact printing?

The team at ETH Zurich isn’t stopping at simple structures. They’re working on ways to integrate supportive elements into the clay as it’s being deposited and developing fancy software to guide the construction of more complex buildings. They’re even thinking about mounting the printing rig on an autonomous excavator. Imagine a robot building your house while you sip lemonade and watch.

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Impact printing with clay (ETH Zurich) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Impact printing with clay is still in its early stages, but it’s showing incredible promise. It’s fast, doesn’t require cement and uses readily available materials. Plus, it’s a sustainable alternative to concrete construction. As we face increasing pressure to reduce our carbon footprint, technologies like this could play a crucial role in the future of construction. Who knows? In a few years, you might be telling your real estate agent, “I’m looking for a nice three-bedroom, two-bath impact-printed clay home.”

After reading about impact printing technology, would you feel comfortable living in a clay house? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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