Someone Turned the Lights On in Pripyat, 31 Years After Chernobyl; Why Smartphone Speed Tests Are Deceptive; Google Unveils 17-Camera VR Video Rig; and More

[Logo]( [Someone Turned the Lights On in Pripyat, 31 Years After Chernobyl]( Polish adventurers took a trip to Pripyat just ahead of the 31st anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, to see if any of that ancient Soviet tech still worked. It did. TECH DEAL OF THE DAY   [Electronic Essentials up to 50% off for Home, Work and Life]( [See Deals](   TODAY'S TOP NEWS [Why Smartphone Speed Tests Don't Tell You What You Think They Do]( You can learn some things from "speed test" videos, but not as much as you'd expect. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Intel's Next-Generation Optane Memory Earns Lukewarm Reception]( Intel's new Optane drives, based on 3DXPoint memory, are finally available, but the consumer performance may not be quite what enthusiasts had hoped. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Verizon Doesn't Know How Much its $70 Gigabit FiOS Actually Costs]( Verizon gave itself a hearty pat on the back earlier this week as it rolled out a new gigabit tier of its FiOS internet service. The new option, Verizon said in the press release, would only cost $70 per month. This isn't exactly a lie, but it doesn't get the whole truth across. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Google Unveils Stunning 17-Camera VR Video Rig]( Google announced a new and improved VR video rig called the Yi Halo. It can film multiple 4K video streams simultaneously, then feed it all into Google's special video processor to create a VR experience. --------------------------------------------------------------- [SK Hynix Will Launch GDDR6 in 2018, But What About HBM2?]( SK Hynix has announced production on GDDR6 with launches expected in early 2018 -- but wasn't HBM2 supposed to obviate the need for higher-speed conventional memory? --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Graphics Comps Highlight Project Scorpio's 1080p, 4K Prowess]( Microsoft's new Project Scorpio is being shown off behind the scenes -- and the console's increased firepower can meaningfully improve visual fidelity as well as rendering at higher resolutions. --------------------------------------------------------------- TOP TECH DEALS Get more deals like this delivered to your inbox [GET ON PCMag deals LIST](   [You've seen the news, now discover the story. 12 Weeks for $12]( [Get Deal](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [Samsung Chromebook Plus Convertible Touch Laptop with Pen]( $449.99   $419.00 [Get Deal](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [HP 23-in IPS LED Backlit Monitor]( $179.99   $114.99 + Free Shipping [Get Deal](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [Best Selling NETGEAR Smart Dual Band WiFi Router]( $129.99   $109.99 + Free Shipping [Get Deal](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [Dell Deals: Laptops, Desktops & Electronics: $50 off most PCs over $699 using code: 50OFF699]( [See Deals](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [Solar Hand Crank Self Powered Radio w/ LED & 1000mAh Power Bank]( $59.99   $18.99 [Get Deal](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [Suaoki 220Wh/20,000mAh Portable Generator Power Source Power Supply]( $358.99   $229.99 + Free Shipping [Get Deal](   ---------------------------------------------------------------   [Top Computer & Accessory Deals in Past 24hrs Expiring Soon]( [See Deals](   SHARE & FOLLOW US You are subscribed to Extreme Tech as {EMAIL} [Manage Subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( Ziff Davis | 28 East 28th Street, 11th Fl., NY, NY, 10016 Disclaimer: All product and deal information such as discount, price and availability are believed to be accurate as of the time of publication. Please verify these details with the merchant site and check the merchant's terms and conditions before you buy. Publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.