Longtime Verge readers may remember that the music video for Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” could crash certain Windows laptops due to specific audio frequencies affecting hard drives. Microsoft employee Raymond Chen revealed that a custom filter to mitigate this issue persisted until at least Windows 7, as a hardware vendor sought an exception to a rule requiring users to disable audio processing, fearing it could lead to computer damage. Although it’s unclear if this rule remains today, modern computers have largely transitioned away from spinning disk hard drives, making it generally safe to play “Rhythm Nation” without concern.
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Nvidia and MediaTek’s Arm chip could mean cheaper AI laptops
Nvidia and MediaTek are reportedly collaborating to develop a new Arm-based system-on-chip (SoC) designed for AI-capable Windows PCs, set to debut at Computex 2025. This partnership aims to introduce a new competitor in the AI PC market, potentially providing an alternative to current offerings such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series and Intel’s Core Ultra lineup. The development of this chip signifies a strategic move to enhance AI integration in personal computing. Full Article
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