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Nuclear Energy Stocks Soar as Prices Jump Ninefold on Largest US Power Grid
Constellation Energy's Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant on the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Maryland.Baltimore Sun / Contributor / Getty Images
Key Takeaways
Nuclear energy stocks soared Wednesday after the largest electrical grid operator in the U.S. said prices at its power market auction increased ninefold year-over-year.
Constellation Energy, which operates the largest collection of nuclear plants in the country, saw its shares jump more than 12%, while Vistra shares gained nearly 15%.
Both companies are expected to report second-quarter earnings next week.
Shares of nuclear energy stocks soared Wednesday after the largest electrical grid operator in the U.S. said prices at its power market auction increased ninefold year-over-year.1
PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization (RTO) that operates the electrical grid across 13 states in the Northeast, said Tuesday that 2025-2026 prices for power plants were at $262.92 per megawatt-day, compared to $28.92 a year ago. Just over a fifth of the energy mix will come from nuclear energy.
Constellation Energy ( CEG), which operates the largest collection of nuclear plants in the country, saw its shares jump more than 12% Wednesday following the news, while shares of rival Vistra ( VST) rose nearly 15%.
With Wednesday's gains, shares of Constellation have surged more than 62% since the start of the year, while Vistra shares have doubled over the same period. Both companies are expected to report second-quarter earnings results next week.23
Data Centers Help Drive Up Electricity Demand The rise in prices comes as plants retire and demand for electricity surges, in part thanks to data centers to support artificial intelligence (AI).4
Yesterday, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD) reported data center revenue more than doubled to a quarterly record high as demand surged for chips to power data centers supporting AI.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) projected earlier this year that electricity consumption from data centers, AI, and the cryptocurrency sector could double by 2026.
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Biden administration to invest $8.5 billion in Intel's computer chip plants in four states
The Biden administration has reached an agreement to provide Intel with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans for computer chip plants in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico and Oregon. Intel said the new funding, as well as additional investments, will create a combined 30,000 manufacturing and construction jobs.
President Joe Biden plans to talk up the investment on Wednesday as he visits Intel's campus in Chandler, Arizona, which could be a decisive swing state in November's election. He has often said that not enough voters know about his economic policies and suggested that more would support him if they did know.
The funding will come from the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, a law signed by Biden in 2022 to invest $200 billion in domestic production of semiconductor computer chips with the goal of reducing U.S. dependence on overseas chip manufacturers.
Intel Announces Dismal Financial Results, Will Lay Off 15,000 Workers
Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, has unveiled a sweeping $10 billion cost savings plan that includes cutting over 15,000 jobs, representing approximately 15 percent of its global workforce. Meanwhile, the administration is set to hand over $8.5 billion as part of the CHIPS act designed to create high tech jobs.
The Verge reports that Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced the significant restructuring in a memo to employees, acknowledging the “painful news” and the challenging road ahead for the company. The layoffs come as Intel grapples with disappointing financial performance, reporting a $1.6 billion loss in Q2 2024, a substantial increase from the $437 million loss in the previous quarter.
Despite hitting key product and process technology milestones, Intel’s revenues have not grown as expected, and the company has yet to fully capitalize on emerging trends like AI. Gelsinger admitted, “Our revenues have not grown as expected — and we’ve yet to fully benefit from powerful trends, like AI.”
As part of the cost-cutting measures, Intel plans to reduce its R&D and marketing spend by billions each year through 2026. Additionally, the company will slash capital expenditures by more than 20 percent this year and restructure to eliminate non-essential work. Intel will also review all active projects and equipment to ensure it is not overspending.
While Intel’s chipmaking Foundry business has been a major source of losses, with $7 billion in operating losses in 2023 and another $2.8 billion in the latest quarter, the company’s products themselves remain profitable. Almost all the recent losses can be attributed to the Foundry division, while sales remain relatively stable, and the PC and server businesses continue to be profitable.
Despite the challenges, Intel is set to receive up to $8.5 billion in US government funding through the CHIPS Act. However, investors have expressed discontent with the company’s performance, with Intel becoming the worst-performing tech stock in the S&P 500 this year, according to CNBC.
Intel's 15,000 layoffs, citing "margins are too low," comes five months after the Biden administration's CHIPS Act gave it an $8.5 billion gift, $11 billion in favorable loans, and $25 billion in tax cuts, on the promise to hire 10,000 people.https://t.co/qB4a2oapAl t.copic.twitter.com/5GVtY9M029
Intel faces stiff competition in the AI server chip market from companies like Nvidia and AMD, and its recent entry into graphics has yet to make a significant impact. The company has also had to overhaul its flagship laptop chips to address the threat of Arm chips from competitors like Qualcomm and Apple, which offer better battery life.
This Windows feature eliminates the need for a USB flash driveIf you have handfuls of smaller files to get from one PC to another, this method is very simple and quick.
By Alaina Yee Senior Editor, PCWorld Jul 12, 2024 6:00 am PDT
How-To
Image: PCWorld
Transferring files between PCs can feel laborious, especially when you have only just a few small ones to deal with. A lot of people still hunt for a USB drive to put the documents on—or upload them to the cloud to then download them on the second computer. If you’re a little fancier, you might have the two systems visible to each other on your local network.
Each method has some form of drag—either multiple steps that slow the process during each transfer (USB and cloud), or upfront when setting up the system (local network). But if you have only small files to copy over, there’s a better way built into Windows.
It’s called Nearby Sharing, and not only has it been around for years, but it’s super fast, easy to use, and available to both Windows 10 and 11 PCs.
How to use Nearby SharingStep 1: Enable Nearby SharingFrom the taskbar, open search or the Start Menu, then type nearby sharing. Choose Nearby Sharing settings from the search results that appear.
A window will appear for the Shared Experiences settings. Look for Nearby Sharing, then flip on the toggle for Share content with a nearby device using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
The Nearby Sharing settings in Windows 10 (left image) and Windows 11 (right image).While you’re in the settings, you can choose to stay open to everyone in the area, or limit sharing and receiving to your devices only. You can also change the location for where received files are saved. (Normally, they’ll go to your default downloads folder).
You must enable Nearby Sharing on all PCs that you want to share files between.
Step 2: Share the file(s) between computersRight-click on the file(s) you want to share, then choose Share from the context menu. If you’re in a File Explorer window, you can also choose Share > Share from the ribbon menu.
You should see the name of the receiving PC in the list of available devices. Click on it to send a sharing request, then accept the request via your Windows notifications. (If you don’t see the pop up, check the Notifications Center on the taskbar). You can transfer files between Windows 10 and 11 PCs freely—there are no operating system version restrictions between them.
The Sharing menu options when right-clicking on a file (Windows 11).PCWorld
When to use Nearby SharingNearby Sharing isn’t always the fastest method for transferring files—when the connection goes over Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi, it becomes much slower than uploading to the cloud and downloading, or using a USB drive. However, that lag isn’t as noticeable for small files (like smartphone photos or screenshots).
Using Nearby Sharing also keeps transferred files more private, since they’ll only be available locally on each PC. And in some cases, it can be less work, especially if you were uploading images to Slack and having to do it in batches of 10 each time. (Cough). You just fire and forget.
A 14-year veteran of technology and video games journalism, Alaina Yee covers a variety of topics for PCWorld. Since joining the team in 2016, she’s written about CPUs, Windows, PC building, Chrome, Raspberry Pi, and much more—while also serving as PCWorld’s resident bargain hunter (#slickdeals). Currently her focus is on security, helping people understand how best to protect themselves online. Her work has previously appeared in PC Gamer, IGN, Maximum PC, and Official Xbox Magazine.
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5 overkill PC building trends that aren't worth the trouble Tanveer SinghPublished 1 day ago
Custom PC by AK Mod
The history of PC building has seen many popular trends come and go that might seem bizarre to someone just getting into building PCs right now. These practices ranged from heavily modding common PC components to combining two or more of them to yield something greater. It's worth noting that these PC hardware trends required significant time and money, and were only really done by enthusiasts and high-end builders.
However, they still deserve to be looked back upon, if only to reminisce and wonder why they aren't as prevalent now. You don't need to worry about the latter, as that's what I'll be answering here — exactly why these trends aren't worth the effort anymore and deserve to be left in the past.
5 Custom watercooling loops High-end air coolers and AIOs are enough Custom loop cooling was orders of magnitude more common a decade ago than it is today. While it was always a niche within a niche — preferred more for esthetics than performance — you could at least see people considering it as a genuine alternative to air and liquid AIO coolers. It's now relegated to select workstations and style-statement PCs where the whole point is to craft something crazier than the craziest build before it.
In 2024, it's harder than ever to recommend a custom loop over an AIO to any builder, even someone with the time and money needed to make it happen.
The performance benefits of custom loops over AIOs were never huge to begin with — you could get slightly lower temps and noise, and better esthetics, but the trade-off wasn't worth it. You had to be equipped with enthusiast-grade skills, loads of patience, and a fair chunk of change over the cost of your PC. In 2024, it's harder than ever to recommend a custom loop over an AIO to any builder, even someone with the time and money needed to make it happen.
Custom loops haven't gone extinct yet, but the time isn't far away. Between the best liquid coolers and air coolers you can buy today, you can comfortably cool even an Intel Core i9-14900K, and keep any workstation cool enough without such elaborate loops. Creating a custom watercooling loop needs a lot of maintenance, and isn't worth the trouble, especially when you barely have to touch your air or liquid cooler after installation (save for the occasional dusting).
Modding your case to make more space for a specific component or making an unusual system fit inside it is a use case you'll seldom come across anymore. Case modding is again an enthusiast trend, which can range from painting your case a different color to cutting out whole chunks of it. I'm referring more to the latter, which requires absolute certainty in what you're about to do, and the skills and tools to successfully do it.
Modifying a perfectly usable modern PC case to make some PC building wish come true isn't worth the trouble, in my opinion.
I still come across people who want to install four graphics cards on a server motherboard, with one or two of them mounted vertically, and the other horizontally. Therefore, they need to take apart a case in order to make everything fit. I'm not saying someone shouldn't do what they want with their PC, but many a time, people jump to case mods just for the heck of it.
Of course, creating a "Minecraft PC" or building a PC inside a miniature truck isn't what I'd call modifying a standard PC case, because there's nothing standard about it when it comes to those passion projects. On the other hand, modifying a perfectly usable modern PC case to make some PC building wish come true isn't worth the trouble, in my opinion. I'd rather spend the extra time and money buying a unique PC case to make my PC stand out.
Related 3 Delidding CPUs The risks outweigh the benefits
Source: Flickr
If you're unaware, delidding a CPU refers to removing the integrated heat spreader (IHS) to expose the CPU die beneath it. The reason enthusiasts and extreme overclockers do it is to reduce the CPU temperature and increase the frequency by replacing the thermal interface material (TIM) between the die and the IHS, or leaving the IHS off in favor of direct-die cooling. Needless to say, this process is inherently risky and voids the warranty of your CPU.
The benefits of delidding can be huge, such as dropping 10ºC or even more off the overall CPU temps, but I believe the risk is just too much.
However, enthusiasts already know that, but they're chasing better thermals, and are ready to take on the risk. The benefits of delidding can be huge, such as dropping 10ºC or even more off the overall CPU temps, but I believe the risk is just too much. You can see countless people on Reddit who ended up removing the CPU die from the substrate itself (the green/blue layer with the pins or pads), or breaking the CPU die in the process.
Modern CPUs, such as Intel's 13th and 14th Gen chips and those from AMD's Ryzen 7000 series, are designed to be able to run hot, and delidding your CPU is far too intensive a process to get better thermals (at least for 99.9% of users). You're better off investing in a more expensive AIO cooler or undervolting your processor if you're that finicky about higher CPU temps.
2 Dual power supplies Unlimited power? I think not
You might not know this, but it's possible to run more than one power supply on a single computer. The reasons for doing it can range from redundancy, where you can't afford a power failure under any circumstances, to increased power, where a single power supply just isn't enough. Consequently, you'll find such setups only in professional workstations, servers, or mining rigs.
The number of people who need anything more than a 1200W Gold-rated power supply is quite small.
For most users, including high-end gamers and content creators, there's hardly any need to install more than one power supply. You can buy power supplies with up to 1800W capacity that work on common household circuits. Beyond that, you'll need special circuits to run the power supply. However, the number of people who need anything more than a 1200W Gold-rated power supply is quite small.
Even an RTX 4090 and Core i9-14900K system can run comfortably on a 1200W PSU (also on a 1000W PSU at stock settings). The best power supplies will seldom have any unit at higher capacities than this, as it's simply not needed for the vast majority of PCs.
1 Dual graphics cards Once desirable, now obsolete The era of multi-GPU PCs was a short one, helped by technologies like Nvidia's SLI and AMD's CrossFire, and later superseded by modern graphics cards. While it's still possible to use two graphics cards in a PC, it's not without its technical difficulties and drawbacks that make it highly undesirable. Unless you're running professional applications that can make use of different graphics cards simultaneously, this is certainly not worth it.
Multi-GPU setups don't really offer any benefits that can justify their cost and complexity.
Besides mining rigs, servers, and other specialized setups, multi-GPU setups don't really offer any benefits that can justify their cost and complexity. Gaming is better served by the best gaming GPUs, and workstations typically have professional graphics cards such as the Nvidia RTX A6000 and Radeon Pro W7900 for the most optimized performance.
Related PC building has gotten way more standardized The last few decades saw people doing some wacky stuff with their PCs. It was a time of unbridled creativity and much less uniformity. Today, PC builders end up overusing the same components, making every PC look the same as every other one. The overkill trends have decreased in popularity, and that's a good thing for many reasons, but the streamlined approach has also ended up making PC building a lot more sanitary.
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Maker and designer Scott Yu-Jan has developed a portable Macintosh Mini system, that combines the power of a Mac Mini with the convenience of an iPad Mini and a power bank. The Apple Macintosh Studio design serves as the primary inspiration for this portable Mac Mini setup. By drawing from the sleek and compact design of the Studio, the project seeks to develop a portable solution that maintains the aesthetic appeal of Apple products. Previous attempts at creating portable Mac Mini accessories provide a solid foundation for this project, offering insights into potential design challenges and solutions.
Essential Design ModificationsTo ensure optimal usability, several design modifications are implemented in the portable Mac Mini setup:
Adjusting the iPad Mini’s angle: By modifying the angle of the iPad Mini, the setup provides a more comfortable and ergonomic viewing experience for the user.
Removing the chin and adding a hole: These modifications allow for easy removal of the iPad Mini when necessary, enhancing the overall practicality of the setup.
Increasing the drawer size: By accommodating the battery and ensuring a secure fit for the Mac Mini, the increased drawer size prevents sliding and improves the stability of the setup.
These modifications are crucial in creating a practical and user-friendly portable setup that seamlessly integrates the Macintosh Mini, iPad Mini, and power bank.
Portable Macintosh MiniLearn more about this interesting project from its creator Scott Yu-Jan in the video below. Which provides more insight into the design and construction process offering inspiration for those of you that would like to create your very own portable Mac Mini system.
Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of Apple Mac Mini computers :
Power and Portability ConsiderationsChoosing a power bank with a side power outlet is essential for maintaining the portability of the setup. Extensive testing of battery life and performance in real-world settings ensures the reliability of the portable Macintosh Mini setup. However, observations on weight and practicality reveal that while the setup is indeed portable, it may not be ideal for extended use due to its weight. This highlights the importance of considering the trade-offs between portability and long-term usability when designing such a setup.
Usability and Practical ConsiderationsBattery life during resource-intensive tasks, such as 4K video editing, is a key consideration in evaluating the usability of the portable Mac Mini setup. While the setup demonstrates its capability to handle high-resolution video processing, the weight of the unit may make it less practical for prolonged use in such scenarios. Additionally, potential overheating concerns in warmer climates are noted, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring and temperature management during extended use.
While the portable Macintosh Mini project acknowledges its limitations, such as weight and potential overheating, it serves as an encouragement and inspiration for those interested in creating their own DIY portable Mac Mini setups. The project demonstrates the feasibility of combining the power of a Mac Mini with the portability of an iPad Mini and a power bank, opening up new possibilities for mobile computing.
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Hackers can wirelessly watch your display via HDMI radiation
Story by PC World • 5d
Covertly intercepting video signals is a very old-fashioned way to go about electronic spying, but a new method discovered by researchers puts a frightening spin on it.
A research team out of Uruguay has found that it’s possible to intercept the wireless electromagnetic radiation coming from an HDMI cable and interpret the video by processing it with AI. Three scientists from the University of the Republic in Montevideo published their findings on Cornell’s ArXiv service, spotted by Techspot.
According to the paper, it’s possible to train an AI model to interpret the tiny fluctuations in electromagnetic energy from the wired HDMI signal. Even though it’s a wired standard and it’s usually encrypted digitally, there’s enough electromagnetic signal coming off of these cables to detect without direct access.
Detecting and decoding are two different things, of course. But the researchers also found that using an AI model paired to text recognition software, it’s possible to “read” the wirelessly recorded EM radiation with up to 70 percent accuracy.
Though that’s a long way from a conventional recording, it’s still a 60 percent improvement over previous methods—and it’s more than enough to steal passwords and other sensitive information. It’s even possible to do wirelessly without physical access to a target computer, even from the outside of a building under ideal conditions.
Skimming off wireless electromagnetic signals for surveillance isn’t a new idea. It’s a vulnerability referred to as TEMPEST) (Transient ElectroMagnetic Pulse Emanation STandard, a very awkward backronym) with roots in espionage going all the way back to World War II. But as a digital transmission with at least some level of encryption using the HDCP system, HDMI cables weren’t thought to be particularly susceptible to it. The researcher’s AI algorithm-assisted method of attack (which they’re calling “Deep-TEMPEST”) opens up some very disturbing possibilities.
The researchers claim that this system, or functionally identical alternatives, are already being used by state-level spies and industrial espionage agents. The sophisticated nature of the technique and the need to be at least somewhere in the vicinity of the target system means that it’s unlikely to affect regular users. But any government agency or large company with sensitive data should be wary and might want to look into EM-shielding measures—and that goes double for any of their employees who work from home.
Some car companies started doing that a couple of years ago, like BMW charging a subscription fee for heated seats, or GM requiring a $1,500 3-year subscription to OnStar with a new car purchase.
I hope people find ways to hack these hardware subscriptions, or companies realize how dumb it is to piss of your customers with such nonsense.
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dg>> Boeing has certainly torched their reputation
Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
The two astronauts whose weeklong mission aboard the International Space Station has stretched into its second month could be left in orbit until February, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports.
????? Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams left Earth on June 5, flying the first crewed mission for Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. They've been in limbo ever since.
Technical issues prevented them from coming home as scheduled aboard Starliner, and some NASA officials aren't sure the craft could make a safe return trip.
??? NASA is now readying plans to send the astronauts home aboard a SpaceX spacecraft next February, agency officials said on a press call today.
That would be a tremendous black eye for Boeing, which is already reeling from multiple crises, and it could spell the end of the Starliner program.
??? The big picture: The pair are not in any immediate danger aboard the space station. They're living and working alongside the existing crew.
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Image: PCWorld
The Sharing menu options when right-clicking on a file (Windows 11).PCWorld
Custom PC by AK Mod
