Technical Guide

Top Games to Play in Autumn 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 4 Sep 2012 08:40:00 -0700

With our glorious tropical summer almost at an end, it's time to think about the games we'll be playing as the nights draw in. Here are the biggest titles of the autumn.

So, on the off-chance there are people out there more likely to be looking forward to Assassin's Creed III than Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Royal Opera house, here are the big titles of this autumn's release schedule.

I'm doing an indie and smartphone round-up too, but that takes longer because those crazy kids don't believe in release schedules. For now, though, get your Amazon wish lists ready, here are the mainstream treats of the autumn.

Borderlands 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

The maniacal 'looter shooter' returns with a new bunch of mercenaries raiding the planet Pandora for all its treasures while an evil corporation seeks to clear our all the undesirables. That's you by the way. Beautiful cell-shaded visuals mix with anarchic humour and a huge range of weapons to produce entertainingly eccentric carnage. Yes. Yes please. 21 September.

F1 2012 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Codemasters has reinvented the concept of the motorsports simulation with its enthusiastic, knowledgeable and exciting F1 titles and this year's instalment should continue the good work. Along with all the cars, drivers and circuits from the 2012 season, F1 2012 boasts a Young Driver Test which teaches newcomers the basics of F1 driving. Luckily, I don't think there's a theory test. 21 September.

Tokyo Jungle (PS3 – digital only)

Created by Sony's Japan studio with indie developer Crispy's this is easily the weirdest game on the list – and hopefully that won't put you off. Set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo the game gets you to choose an animal from a large selection (including dogs, kangaroos, birds and big cats) and then simply survive on the mean streets, finding food, battling other critters and looking for mates. It's an astonishing mix of genuinely grim sci-fi adventure and cutesy pet sim. 26 September.

Fifa 13 (3DS, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Xbox 360)

The behemoth of the sports sim calendar returns with some major mechanical tweaks including improved close-control and greater physicality. If you're connected to the web, it will also pull in real-world footie news and use it to colour your virtual experience. And of course, all the players, major teams and key world leagues are in place. 28 September.

Resident Evil 6 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Survival horror returns in this 'something for everyone' adventure, which provides three separate stories based around a worldwide zombie virus outbreak. Favourite characters such as Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield return, all of them showcasing different playstyles from Resi history. Could be an all-encompassing return to form, or a big pile of zombie droppings. We'll play it anyway. 2 October.

War of the Roses (PC)

A cult hit at several gaming events over the summer, War of the Roses is a squad-based medieval combat sim, in which players join either the House of York or their Lancastrian rivals and indulge in tactical melee combat. The visuals are astonishing and while the multiplayer is clearly going to be bloody awesome, the single-player campaign promises depth and variety too. 2 October.

Dishonored (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

We called this dark steampunk adventure a game-of-the-year contender when we previewed it last month, and we're sticking with that. Created by some of the key people behind Deus Ex and Half-Life, it's an open-world adventure in which a betrayed assassin seeks revenge in a sprawling quasi-Victorian city. And you can posses rats. 12 October.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Back in the early nineties, the XCOM turn-based strategy games gave players the chance to command a secret government agency against alien attacks. Now Firaxis, the developer behind the famed Civilization series, has re-invented this tense and engaging experience for the modern era. It looks and plays beautifully, and will see off plenty of those long sodden November evenings. 12 October.

Fable: The Journey (Xbox 360)

Peter Molyneux has now left Lionhead, but his final project at the studio was this much-debated Kinect-only fantasy road movie. Lead character Gabriel must travel across the dangerous land of Albion to rediscover his lost tribe and save a fair maiden. Along the way, he gets to look after his horse, using motion controls to ride and interact with it. Sort of a pet sim RPG then. What could possibly go wrong? 12 October.

Skylanders Giants (3DS, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)

Last year, Activision scored a massive hit with its ingenious Skylanders game, which combined collectible toy figures with an approachable family RPG. This time, they're adding a new bunch of – yes – giant figures, as well as a larger world and other extras. If you're the parent of a Skylanders fan, you're already being nagged about this. 19 October.

Forza Horizon (Xbox 360)

A fresh take on the leading Xbox driving game series, swapping circuit-based thrills for a more rangey, open structure. The action takes place in and around a fictitious racing event in Colorado, where AI drivers can be challenged to competitions on the spot. To underline the festival feel, the soundtrack has been curated by Rob da Bank, so expect plenty of dubstep with your exotic vehicles. 26 October.

Lego Lord of the Rings (3DS, DS, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Xbox 360)

Yep, another action adventure in the seemingly endless Lego series, but this one has a slightly darker feel and it cleverly uses dialogue from the movies to bring some authenticity to the setpiece-hopping narrative. We played it at E3 and enjoyed the ensemble feel with Frodo, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir all taking part on screen. 26 October.

Medal of Honor: Warfighter (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

This hyper-earnest military shooter has angered some by seeking to portray real-life combat zones and a range of authentic spec ops units. However, developer Danger Close is obsessed with respecting the lives and roles of the combatants it depicts and we're hoping that the game's apparent attempts to show the cost of warfare on the families of the soldiers is revealing and not mawkish. Expect top-end visuals and multiplayer, too. 26 October.

Assassin's Creed III (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

The time-spanning assassination adventure returns, this time bringing its blend of acrobatics and swordplay to the American revolution. The new lead character, Connor, is half British, half Native American, which puts him in an interesting position when the fight to control the continent begins. Expect lavish set-piece battles, beautiful visuals and some interesting multiplayer options. 31 October.

Need For Speed: Most Wanted (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

In 2010, Guildford-based developer Criterion revolutionalised the Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit series, adding gorgeous visuals, a sexy handling engine and the brilliant Autolog system, which let friends leave highscores for each other within the game world. Most Wanted is updating all the social elements, as well as providing a huge open city to explore and race in. And the multiplayer challenges are enormous fun. 2 November.

Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

Bungie has gone and now Halo development duties are with Microsoft's own 343 Industries studio – so can the spirit of Master Chief survive? The jury is out at the moment, but with an epic story featuring the long dormant Forerunners, and an interesting multiplayer structure that ties the action closely to the campaign missions, this is an interesting attempt to kickstart a whole new Halo trilogy. 6 November.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

Nintendo's cutesy handicraft role-playing series returns, this time in semi-glorious 3D, and with a fresh new gameplay element that challenges you to peel off and collect colourful stickers from the typically adorable environments. The 3DS needs some true must-have titles this Christmas and surely little Paper Mario can be posted in that pigeon hole. 11 November.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Okay, okay, so this series has some serious detractors – and Treyarch's decision to set a Black Ops sequel in a near-future America under attack from its own drone army, has been questioned. But, hey, there do seem to be some genuine attempts to update the multi-million dollar recipe with some strategic gameplay and refreshed multiplayer. And might this be the last major Call of Duty title for this console generation? 13 November.

Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Square Enix may have shot itself right in the foot with that controversial 'sexy nun' trailer, but a new instalment in the Hitman series of stealthy assassinate-'em-ups will always pique the interest of fans who remember the glory days of Agent 47. Can the bald killer overcome sexism to reinstate his murderous gaming regime? Don't bet against him. 20 November.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

While the first title had some interesting ideas, melding a platforming adventure with painting elements and Disney history, it was let down by a roving camera and some repetition. This time, developer Junction Point says it has fixed the broken stuff and added a co-op element that sees Mickey teaming up with his predecessor Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. One for the family to snuggle around this winter. 23 November.

Far Cry 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

On the face of it, this looks like yet another shooter sequel with a superhuman lead character and dozens of faceless, vaguely ethnic enemies. But Ubisoft Montreal is promising that its island-based adventure, mixing open-world exploration with bizarre characters and a strange colonial story, is something much more offbeat and interesting. Heart of Darkness: the video game? 30 November

New Little King's Story (Vita)

Released on the Wii in 2009, the original Little King's Story was a glorious combination of real-time strategy, RPG and life sim, with players controlling a new monarch in a rich fantasy kingdom. Its enduring cult success has led to the promising Vita remake, featuring a more naturalistic art style and a refreshed story. TBA November.

Football Manager 2013 (PC/Mac)

You know what to expect, of course. A huge database of players and teams as well as an intricate simulation of the manager's life, from training and tactics to coping with player meltdowns and media scandals. Expect the core engine and visuals to be overhauled at the very least, but I predict some more dramatic additions this time round. TBA November.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Valve Launches Greenlight For Steam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 1 Sep 2012 06:41:00 -0700

Valve has announced the launch of Steam Greenlight, a new platform feature that enlists the community’s help in selecting some of the next games to be released on Steam.

Announced earlier this summer, Steam Greenlight allows developers and publishers to post information and media about their game in an effort to convince the Community that the game should be released on Steam. Greenlight piggybacks on Steam Workshop’s flexible system that organizes content and lets customers rate and leave feedback.

“We’ve been working on this feature for the last few months with the input from a group of indie partners, and the response has been extremely positive,” said Valve’s Anna Sweet. “With the additional help of beta testers, we are able to launch with a solid line-up of titles for the community to start viewing and rating. And, as we’ve done with all Steam features, we intend to continually grow and modify Greenlight as more and more developers and community members have a chance to get involved.”

As well as serving as a clearing house for game submissions, Greenlight provides an new level of added exposure for new games and an opportunity to connect directly with potential customers and fans.

Source: http://gamingbolt.com

Samsung ATIV S & Galaxy Note 2 Windows 8 Powered Smartphone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:47:00 -0700

Samsung announced two new smartphones, the Galaxy Note 2 and the ATIV S, during its press conference at IFA in Berlin Wednesday. The Galaxy Note 2 is a second take on its massive phablet and the ATIV S bears the distinction of being the first Windows Phone 8 device announced.

The original Galaxy Note may have shipped more than 10 million units worldwide, but it was far from a success in the U.S. Perhaps the Galaxy Note 2 will change that. It's superior in just about every way.

The most important element of the Note 2 is that Samsung updated the design to match that of its sexy Galaxy S III. The GSIII is one of the best phones Samsung has produced, and the Note 2 looks like it may be as attractive. The original Note was a bit utilitarian in appearance.

Samsung chose to alter the screen dimensions in a positive way. The diagonal measurement has been bumped from 5.3 inches to 5.5, but the pixels have been changed to 1280 x 720, giving it a 16:9 aspect ratio. This let Samsung make the Note 2 a bit narrower than it otherwise might have been. Narrower phones are easier to hold.

Other speeds and feeds have been improved as well. The Note 2 has a quad-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, more storage options, and better radio configurations. Samsung also updated the S Pen software to make it more useful. The S Pen, after all, is the most unique feature of the device.

[ Trade-in sites see a spike in Samsung listings. Are Consumers Dumping Samsung Smartphones? ]

All these improvements make for a much better device. Samsung said the device will reach the U.S later this year (probably from AT&T or T-Mobile). Those looking for something altogether different from the iPhone 5 will have a good option with the Note 2.

Samsung surprised everyone by announcing the first Windows Phone 8 device. Nokia was expected to earn that distinction next week during a press conference it is holding with Microsoft. Samsung beat it to the punch, though it may not matter.

From a spec perspective, the ATIV S is a winner. It adds a number of features that previous generations of Windows Phones weren't able to offer. These include a dual-core processor, an HD display, removable memory, and so on. The design is gorgeous, it's made out of brushed aluminum. Metallic materials are something that many Samsung devices lack. Metal adds an element of quality and class that simply can't be achieved with plastics.

Samsung didn't say whether the ATIV S might reach the U.S., and more importantly, Samsung didn't say anything about what Windows Phone 8 can do.

Nokia and Microsoft will surely give us a very good look at everything Windows Phone 8 has to offer during their event scheduled for September 5. Without knowing how the ATIV S can put all those specs to use, it's somewhat of a hollow announcement. Nokia has already taken to the Web to call the ATIV S a "warm up" for next week's event.

Until then, the ATIV S is the only Windows Phone 8 device to talk about.

Source: http://www.informationweek.com

Nvidia Maxwell Gtx 780 Delayed till 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 08:25:00 -0700

Originally, Kepler GPU architecture was scheduled to debut in 2011, with the successor codenamed Maxwell coming in 2013. We were not surprised to hear that Maxwell, tied to a 20nm process node - is getting delayed as well.

"The battle with manufacturing nodes continues." - This would be a summary of what our sources told us over the past couple of weeks. No manufacturer is having an easy time, and even Intel - known for its manufacturing excellence - pulled its 22nm Low Power node deeply into 2013, debuting about half a year later.

When it comes to Nvidia, the company is heavily engaged on increasing the yields for its products. With Kepler, Nvidia shifted to a new die strategy, and even though we've heard more rumors about the GK106 chips, the fact of the matter is that Kepler will remain a three GPU line-up: GK104 for performance, GK107 for mobile and entry-level desktop and the GK110 for high-end computational and visualization parts.

Ultimately, GK104 served as the GTX 660/670/680/690, Quadro K5000 and Tesla K10, GK107 serves in numerous low-power mobile and desktop designs. GK110 will make a public appearance only in December as the Tesla K20, with a yet unannounced amount of video memory (according to our sources, NV is trying to secure different packaging to enable 12GB of GDDR5 memory, but realistically - prototype boards we saw utilized "just" 6GB).

Naturally, all of these movements don't hold much promise for the next generation GeForce cards. Given that the Maxwell, GM1xx parts won't be available until the first half of 2014, the GeForce and Quadro parts should continue to rely on refreshed/renamed GK104/107/110 parts. The GK110 is planned to expand and become available as the Quadro K6000 6GB, for those that require ultimate performance on a single piece of silicon.

In case you've doubted it, Maxwell is a 20nm part, capable of being manufactured in GlobalFoundries, IBM, Samsung and TSMC - 20nm Gate-Last HKMG will equalize between TSMC and Common Platform alliance - a move Nvidia and Qualcomm cannot wait to see come to frutition.

Availability of that part however, will not come sooner than the first half of next year. As far as the GeForce GTX 700 Series is concerned, the parts should repeat the same cadence as this year's lineup. However, the newer revised parts should offer further clock improvements, to the level where they can offer between 25-30% higher performance and power efficiency, while the company is working on parts based on the Maxwell GPU architecture, which should drive 2014 as one of key years in Nvidia's history.

Maxwell will be the first top-to-bottom GPU architecture, powering everything from Tegra to Tesla. Furthermore, Maxwell should be the first GPU part to integrate the 64-bit ARM core which carries the codename "Project Denver". Putting the typically-bandwidth starved ARM cores onto an internal bus which in GPUs goes beyond 1.5TB/s should significantly change the playing game - a GPU capable of booting an operating system, regardless of what lies currently in public documents.

All in all, 2013 will see AMD's Sea Islands fight first versus Nvidia's Kepler refresh, and only then against the Maxwell. Real battle will come only in 2014.

Source: http://vr-zone.com

Intel Haswell Fastest video chip for notebooks only?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 07:57:00 -0700

Haswell, Intel's upcoming x86 architecture, will be based on the same 22 nm transistors as the current Ivy Bridge chips. For now, it seems that the laptop and desktop processors, slated for Q2 of 2013, will only be available in dual or quad-core versions, making it likely that the Sandy Bridge-E platform will remain the fastest for now.

The most important improvement that the Haswell chips bring about is the video chip. Earlier reports mentioned that the new GPU is up to three times as fast as Intel's current HD 4000 top model. For the Haswell generation, three video chips will be available, the GT1, GT2 and GT3. Oddly enough, the leaked information shows that neither of the desktop processors will feature the fastest GT3 video chip. Two laptop models, however, will feature the chip. One of these processors is intended for Ultrabooks and tablets, while the other is meant for high-end 'regular' notebooks.

Whether this is a big disadvantage for desktop users depends mostly on user preference. Normally, parts of the graphics chip are disabled to create slower versions. Intel does things a little differently, as the GT2 chips are created out of a different wafer as its GT3 models. Furthermore, dual-core and quad-core processors are made using different wafers as well. The advantage is that the chip loses less space and energy to the GPU, leaving more for other components. Perhaps most importantly though is that it allows the chips to be sold at a lower price point.

Platform	Cores	Video chip	Memory controllers	Socket	Max RAM
Desktop	4	GT2	2	LGA	32 GB
Desktop	2	GT2	2	LGA	32 GB
Mobile (performance)	4	GT3	2	BGA	32 GB
Mobile (mainstream)	4	GT2	2	BGA / rPGA	32 GB
Mobile (mainstream)	2	GT2	2	BGA / rPGA	16 GB
Mobile (ULT)	2	GT3	2	BGA	16 GB
Mobile (ULT)	2	GT2	1	BGA	8 GB

Source: http://uk.hardware.info

New Logitech's Washable & Spillproof Keyboard

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 07:44:00 -0700

Logitech has unveiled a new keyboard designed to solve one of the oldest problems known to PC users everywhere: the dreaded soda splash. The PC accessory maker's new Logitech K310 washable keyboard is promising to alleviate your worries about dumping a cola, coffee, water or other beverage all over your precious typing space. With the K310, all you'll have to do is unplug the keyboard from your PC's USB port, wash it with mild soap and water, let it dry and resume typing -- assuming your PC or laptop didn't get splashed in the process.

The advantage of a washable keyboard is something I know about all too well. My heart sunk this year when a soda can slipped out of my hand and dumped its full contents all over my Lenovo X220. Thanks to the X220's spill resistant design, my computer came away unscathed, but I ended up spending $40 on eBay to replace the keyboard for my laptop.

ow for the same price as my keyboard replacement, Logitech is promising a keyboard you can soak without worrying about destroying it. The K310 is a full-size keyboard with number pad that features laser printed and UV coated keys that won't lose their lettering from repeated washings. The hand-wash only keyboard can be submerged in up to 11 inches of water and features drainage holes on the underside for faster drying times.

The K310 can stand up to water as hot as 120 degrees, but since you can't get the USB cable wet Logitech's new keyboard is definitely not dishwasher safe. You also don't want to wash the keyboard with anything other than a mild dish soap, Logitech warns.

The K310 is available for pre-order for $40 on Logitech.com.

Source: pcworld.com

Invisible Bike Helmet For Your Head

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 08:31:00 -0700

Two Swedish women have invented a bicycle helmet that remains invisible unless you need the headgear which is designed to inflate in a fraction of a second.

The Hovding has been invented by Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin to solve the issues we all have with helmets like giving bad hair. The Hovding looks like a collar at first, worn around the neck. Inside it is an air bag, similar to the ones in your car.

The helmet also has a “black box”, similar to ones on airplanes, to record the movements of the cyclist, and recognise the acceleration and angular velocity during an accident. “It became mandatory for children to wear a helmet in Sweden and many people didn’t use them,” ABC News quoted Haupt as saying.

“We wanted to see if there was a way to change today’s helmets and wanted people to wear them by free will, not by law.

“We found out people wanted something that was almost invisible that didn’t destroy their hair or annoy them, something with the possibility to change the looks of the helmet like they can with mobile phone shells and wigs,” she said.

According to the company’s website, shaped like a hood, the air bag is triggered when sensors – a combination of accelerometers and gyroscopes, pick up “abnormal movements of a bicyclist in an accident”.

The air bag can inflate and surround your head in 0.1 seconds. A small gas inflator fills it with helium. It needs to be powered on for which there is a power button and when it’s on, LEDs light up to tell you how much electricity you have to work the inflator.

There is also a sound to tell you it is powered on in case you cannot see it around your neck. That means you also have to charge the invisible helmet. It uses a microUSB port and the company says a charge lasts about a month during normal use.

The data is stored in the Hovding so the company can then see what sort of accident it was. As with any wearable gadget, the women put effort into the design.

It is obviously more invisible than current helmets, and there’s an added bit to make it blend in even more. The collar has a removable liner so you can change it to match your shirt.

Source: firstpost.com

iPhone 5 approach leads to offloading & prices

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 08:45:00 -0700

The Apple iPhone 5 is keenly anticipated as is every new iPhone and the closer we get to a release the more the hype builds up. If you’re planning to purchase the new iPhone though, rather than just concentrate on what the next iPhone will bring it might be time to focus instead on offloading your current iPhone 4S while you can still get some decent money for it. The longer you wait and the closer we get to an iPhone 5 launch, the less money you are likely to make.

Among our many iPhone 5 posts we’ve recently told how it is billed to be the biggest electronics product upgrade in history as far as one expert is concerned. As well as this we’ve recently given news about possible hologram technology being used as well as a look at some of the concept designs that pop up. However, it’s easy to spend so much time sifting through the developments and speculation about the next iPhone that you may leave it too late to get the best price for your current version.

Recently we told how some retailers and carriers were already cutting the prices of the iPhone 4 and 4S to get rid of as much stock as possible before the iPhone 5 arrives and if you want to get rid of your current iPhone then you should already be thinking of selling it soon. A September 12th event is expected to be when we shall see the iPhone 5 unveiled and a release date of September 21st has been widely rumored. As with any major Apple product launch though none of this is yet confirmed and we cannot be sure of an actual release date.

A useful article on Gizmodo has come up with some of the places you’ll get the best money for your iPhone 4S. For example on eBay you could get between $350 and $400. An instant sale will make you around $330 but if you want to let it go to bidding, for some of those sales the price reaches around $400. Deciding which option to choose may depend on the condition of your phone as people are more likely to bid on a phone in good condition.

Moving on to Amazon shows the giant company is offering gift certificates for the iPhone 4S with a top price of around $415 and lowest at around $120. Only a top-notch iPhone 4S with charger will get you that $415 though and most in a good state will get you a gift certificate to the value of around $350. Another alternative is RadioShack with current iPhone 4S prices given of between $73 and $250. Once again that top price will only be given for a mint condition 4S but $73 isn’t bad for one that’s really taken some battering. Sell your iPhone 4S to RadioShack by either visiting in-store or by mailing off.

Craigslist is another possibility and currently $200 or more is the going rate for an iPhone 4S here. It’s not the easiest place to sell your items because of having to sift through the spammers etc. but you’re likely to find someone who wants your iPhone 4S whatever condition it may be in. However Gizmodo does make the good point that you should preferably meet with the purchaser in a public place, which sounds wise to us.

Apart from these alternatives there are also buying sites such as Gazelle, InstantSale, Buy My Tronics and NextWorth where you simply enter your phone details and condition for an estimate and then mail it to them. Offers vary considerably but Gizmodo gives a guideline of between $90 and $365.

Ultimately the thing you need to consider most if you want to offload your iPhone 4S is to sell it as soon as possible. The later you leave it the less you’ll be offered and very soon there will be a glut of iPhone 4S’s available and the prices will dip much lower. We’d like to know if you’ve considered selling your iPhone 4S before the release of the iPhone 5.

Source: phonesreview.co.uk

Most Powerful Graphics Technology NVIDIA Keplar Just Got Much More Affordable

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:20:00 -0700

When NVIDIA debuted video cards featuring its powerful Kepler architecture earlier this year, PC gamers around the world stood up and cheered. Then they got quiet when they realised their only options were the $US500+ GTX 680 card or the GTX 690, packing dual-Kepler graphics processing units for around $US1000.

PC players drooled over these pricey pieces of hardware. Many bit the bullet and bought one or two or three of each. Still others patiently waited for a more affordable option. Well, their wait is over now. The GeForce GTX 660 Ti is now available for an incredibly reasonable $US299.

That relatively modest amount of cash will secure gamers a card featuring all the bells and whistles that make the Kepler tech so damn impressive. It’s power efficient, its lightning fast. and it’s fully capable of doing amazing things to a game like The Secret World, which utilises the card’s TXAA anti-aliasing process to smooth jagged edges to CGI-film quality.

The GeForce GTX 660 Ti is NVIDIA’s new flagship graphics card, the one the company expects will become the standard for years to come, offering nearly twice the power of 2010′s GTX 470 and 3.3 times that of 2008′s GTX 260, both of which are still in heavy rotation in PC gaming circles.

To illustrate this point, NVIDIA taps on of the most eagerly-anticipated PC games of the year, Borderlands 2.

If a simple FPS comparison chart featuring Borderlands 2 is enough to send you shopping, get this — purchasing the GTX 660 Ti from NVIDIA’s online retail partners will score buyers a free copy of the game, giving them something shiny to show off their brand new video card with.

The specs aren’t as impressive as its more expensive big brothers, of course, but it’s more than enough to generate a chart that compares it favourably to the AMD Radeon HD7870.
As well as the Radeon HD7950, a card slightly above its pay grade.
But these are just slides from a PowerPoint presentation. If you want a true measure of the GTX 660 Ti, slap one in your machine. They should be available all over the damn place today.

Source: kotaku.com

Now Watch 3D films without glasses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:07:00 -0700

A new technology has been developed that will make it possible for viewers to enjoy three-dimensional programmes without those bothersome 3D glasses.

Though prototypes of these TV screens already exist, consumers will not have to wait much longer for the market introduction of these autostereoscopic displays.

Nevertheless, the content might be a bit problematic - the 3D movies currently available on Blu-ray are based on two different perspectives, i.e. two images, one for each eye.

However, autostereoscopic displays need five to ten views of the same scene (depending on the type). In the future, the number will probably be even more.

This is because these displays have to present a three-dimensional image in such a manner that it can be seen from different angles – indeed, there is more than one place to sit on a sofa, and you should be able to get the same three dimensional impressions from any position

Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz Institute, HHI in Berlin recently developed a technology that converts a Blu-ray’s existing 3D content in a manner that enables them to be shown on autostereoscopic displays.

“We take the existing two images and generate a depth map – that is to say, a map that assigns a specific distance from the camera to each object,” Christian Riechert, research fellow at HHI said.

“From there we compute any of several intermediate views by applying depth image-based rendering techniques. And here’s the really neat thing: The process operates on a fully automated basis, and in real time,” he said

Previous systems were only capable of generating such depth maps at a dramatically slower pace; sometimes they even required manual adaption. Real-time conversion, by contrast, is like simultaneous interpretation: The viewer inserts a 3D Blu-ray disc, gets comfortable in front of the TV screen and enjoys the movie – without the glasses.

Meanwhile, a hardware component estimates the depth map in the background and generates the requisite views. The viewer is aware of nothing: He or she can fast forward or rewind the movie, start it, stop it – and all with the same outstanding quality.

The flickering that could appear on the edges of objects – something that happens due to imprecise estimations – is imperceptible here

The researchers have already finished the software that converts these data.

In the next step, the scientists, working in collaboration with industry partners, intend to port it onto a hardware product so that it can be integrated into televisions.

Nevertheless, it will still take at least another calendar year before the technology hits department store shelves.

The technology will be unveiled at the IFA trade show in Berlin from August 31 to September 5.

Motion F5t And C5t Ivy Bridge Tablet PCs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 08:33:00 -0700

If you are looking for a tablet with a little bit more power, you might be interested in the new line of rugged Tablet PCs unveiled by Motion this week.

The new Motion PC Tablets come in the form of the F5t and C5t, which can be equipped with a range of processing power from the Ivy Bridge i3, i5 or i7 third-gen Intel processor ranges.

Both tablets have been designed and built to run Windows operating system, and also feature Motion’s hot-swap battery technology for extended, uninterrupted productivity in the field, with each battery offering up to 6 hours to use.

“Motion’s latest tablets with the 3rd generation Intel Core vPro processors are designed to meet the needs of mobile workforces by offering optimized battery life and the high performance these workers demand to enhance productivity anytime anywhere,” said Dan Russell, director of business client platforms and solutions marketing at Intel. “Further, the F5t and C5t Tablet PCs enable both the business user and IT managers to compute with confidence through a combination of Intel based security paired with exciting designs and easy automation.”

The new Motion F5t and C5t PC tablets start at $2,236 and rise depending on the configuration you require, more details are available over on the Motion website F5t and C5t.

Borderlands 2 Introduces Tediore Firearms Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 08:27:00 -0700

By now you're likely aware that Borderlands 2, just like its predecessor, will feature about a kabillion and one different guns to put holes in, fry, electrocute or explode your enemies. Also like the first game, Borderlands 2 will feature firepower from various manufacturers, like Tediore. Speaking of Tediore, Gearbox has now launched a commercial to familiarize consumers with the benefits of their particular brand of boom-stick.

In the original Borderlands the various gun manufacturers did little more than give the firearms a slightly different look or color scheme. Which company's guns you were using didn't really make much of a difference to the end result of bad guys losing the ability to breathe.

In Borderlands 2, each manufacturer's guns will become known for various advantages and weaknesses, as well as offer the player some loyalty boosts for sticking with a particular company. Here's the animated commercial for Tediore, highlighting the reload speed for this particular line of guns.

Yeah, this is a fantastic idea. What's the point in having different gun makers tied to the countless firearms if it doesn't actually have an impact on the weapons themselves? Now you'll know that sticking with a certain manufacturer will grant you less kick, greater distance or, I don't know, more explosive rounds? Since Tediore is only one of the many gun makers in Borderlands 2, it's probably a safe bet we'll see similar commercials for the other companies leading up to the game's Sept. 18 launch.

Source: cinemablend.com

Sony announces new PlayStation Vita games & Mobile gaming service

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:06:00 -0700

The service, previously known as the PlayStation Suite, will provide apps for a range of devices including the PlayStation Vita, Sony's smartphone and tablet range and some Android devices.

The service was one of several announcements made by Sony at the Gamescon video game trade show in Cologne.

As part of a range of measures aimed at boosting the PlayStation Vita, Sony announced that PlayStation 3 owners would be able to use the Vita as a controller from later this month, following a firmware update.

The company also previewed a service called Cross Buy, which would allow gamers to pay once for PS3 and Vita versions of the same title. Sony will also add the PlayStation Plus service to the Vita, as well as bringing the PlayStation One game catalogue to the portable console.

Two new PlayStation Vita games were announced at the German games show. Killzone Mercenary is a first-person shooter that utilises the Vita's touch controls, while Tearaway is a game from the makers of LittleBigPlanet and is set in a world made of paper.

In a recent interview a senior Sony executive said that the company was struggling to get third-party developers to support the PlayStation Vita. Shuhei Yoshida told PlayStation: The Official Magazine that he was having "a more difficult time than I anticipated".

He said: "We will continue to talk to development communities and publishing partners and tell them why Vita can provide a great experience for the IPs they have and I hope the Assassin’s Creed game will prove that."

Sony has not provided sales data for the PlayStation Vita, which was released in Britain in February, but last week said it had sold "an acceptable number".

Today's Gamescom announcements are likely to be seen as an attempt to sell more Vitas to PS3 owners.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Maximus workstation platform launch by NVIDIA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:08:00 -0700

The technology deployed in the Maximus will automatically assign visualisation and simulation or rendering work to the accurate processor

NVIDIA has launched a new Kepler GPU architecture featured Maximus workstation platform, which is offered with Quadro K5000 or with Tesla K20 GPUs.

The new Kepler architecture supported GPU platform is expected to enhance performance and efficiency of the workstation used by manufacturing, visual effects and oil exploration professionals.

The company has earlier launched a Maximus platform, which allows the workstation users to simultaneously perform complex analysis and visualisation on a single machine.

Initially, Maximus was a single system which would manage interactive graphics and the compute-intensive number crunching required to simulate or render them, further resulting in accelerated workflows.

In the new Maximus, compute work is allocated for running the new NVIDIA Tesla K20 GPU computing accelerator, which will free up the new NVIDIA Quadro K5000 GPU to handle graphics functions, the company said.

The technology deployed in the Maximus will automatically assign visualisation and simulation or rendering work to the accurate processor.
Features of NVIDIA's new Quadro K5000 GPU include bindless textures, which allow the users to access over 1 million textures directly in memory while reducing CPU overhead.

The FXAA/TXAA film-style anti-aliasing feature will enhance image quality, while its frame buffer capacity is increased to 4GB and a new PCIe-3 bus interconnect has been added which speeds up data movement by 2 times over PCIe-2.

A new display engine which can drive up to four displays at the same time with a single K5000 and a display port 1.2 supports resolutions of up to 3840x2160 @60Hz.

The another variant NVIDIA Tesla K20 GPU features SMX streaming multiprocessor technology which offers for up to a 3 times performance per watt advantage, while the dynamic parallelism and hyper-Q GPU technologies ease parallel programming and improve performance.

Intel Haswell to be 10+ percent faster than Ivy Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 08:19:00 -0700

Intel internally calls Haswell its “fourth generation” Core processor micro architecture, and we believe that Intel counts only major steps in its development.

Its first Core architecture was called Conroe /Merom in 65nm, followed by Nehalem in 45nm, Sandy Bridge in 32nm and Haswell will be the second 22nm core with a new architecture.

Intel still plays its old tick-tock game and Haswell is a major step, or a tock, while Broadwell is 14nm shrunk version of the Haswell architecture. A more obvious example is Sandy Bridge in 32nm, a tock in Intel’s development cycle, while the most recent Core processor is a tick, and it is based on 22nm Ivy Bridge core.

Now Intel tells its partners to expect that Haswell should end up at least 10 percent faster than Ivy Bridge based cores at the same clock. These numbers are based on pre-silicon projections that Intel always does before it gets the working prototype back, but since we are some month away from the IDF 2012 in San Francisco, we are quite sure that we will see Haswell again, much closer to its final design, and we even expect to see Broadwell prototypes to hit at least one of the keynotes.

Intel also hints at enhanced based overclocking and end user tunability, which sounds promising to many enthusiasts. If all goes well for Intel, Haswell should be quite a nice piece of hardware once it ships in Q2 2013.

Source: fudzilla.com

Intel Haswell GPU chip 3x faster than Ivy Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 07:40:00 -0700

Sources of Fudzilla claim that Intel's upcoming Haswell processor will have an integrated GPU that is three times as fast as the current HD 4000 GPU, present in the Ivy Bridge chips. Confidential roadmaps have shown a comparison from which this conclusion was drawn. The fourth generation of the Core architecture and Intel's latest tick promises exceptionally fast 3D performance. Converting video material will allegedly also be twice to three times as fast.

If the rumours are true, Intel's Haswell could potentially outshine Nvidia's and AMD's entry-level graphics cards. In the mobile segment, the Haswell chip could also make a discrete graphics card unncessary for mainstream and entry-level notebooks.

Nvidia has responded to the news by stating that if Intel is capable of offering better performance with Haswell's integrated graphics chip, Nvidia will try to position faster graphics cards in the entry-level segment. AMD is likely to face the same decision, with the advantage being the APUs that AMD has to offer, which already feature relatively powerful graphics chips.

Intel's Haswell processors are expected to launch in the second quarter of 2013.

Source: hardware.info

AMD and Nvidia Gonna launch new pro-grade GPUs & APUs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 8 Aug 2012 07:42:00 -0700

Pro-graphics fans have received some good news this week, as both Nvidia and AMD have outed their latest-generation high-end products for the workstation market - including the first workstation-class accelerated processing units (APUs.)

First, Nvidia's announcement: the Quadro K5000. Based on the latest Kepler GPU, the Quadro K5000 includes 1,536 CUDA cores and 4GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit memory bus. The result, Nvidia claims, is a card capable of pushing 2,150 gigaflops in single-precision mode or 90 gigaflops in double-precision mode. Coupled with support for DVI-I, DVI-D and DisplayPort monitors - with the option to drive up to four independent displays from a single board - the company is clearly hoping to win over pro-graphics types with the two-slot 122W TDP design.

As befits a Kepler board, the Quadro K5000 also includes bindless texture support for referencing over a million in-memory textures with reduced CPU overhead and TXAA anti-aliasing - both features missing from prior Quadro products.

If you were thinking about adding a Quadro board to your next build, however, the price may be something of a stumbling block: while UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, Nvidia has given the Quadro K5000 a US recommended retail price of $2,249 (around £1,440 excluding taxes) ahead of its planned release in October. For those who prefer pre-builds, Nvidia has announced that Maximums systems - combining a Tesla K20 processor with the Quadro K5000 - will be available from the likes of Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo and Supermicro by the end of the year.

AMD's offerings start with a quartet of FirePro boards based on the Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture. The entry point for the new boards is the FirePro W500, a Pitcairn-based system which packs 2GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit memory bus with a claimed performance of 1,270 gigaflops single-precision or 80 gigaflops double-precision. A single-slit design, the board includes two DisplayPort outputs and a single dual-link DVI port, and boasts a fairly sedate TDP of just 75W.

For those who demand more, the FirePro W7000 doubles the memory to 4GB of GDDR5, boosts performance to 2,430 gigaflops single-precision and 150 gigaflops double-precision, includes four DisplayPort outputs and has a 150W TDP in - again - a single-slot design.

Moving from the Pitcairn boards to the Tahiti boards, things get bulkier: the FirePro W8000 has a 189W TDP and a hefty dual-slot design, but manages 3,230 gigaflops single-precision and 810 gigaflops double-precision. If that's not enough, the top-end FirePro W9000 includes 6GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit memory bus, packs six mini-DisplayPorts and boasts 3,990 gigaflops single-precision and 1,000 gigaflops double-precision performance - but has a massive 274W TDP.

Pricing for AMD's standalone FirePro range starts fairly low, but rapidly ramps up: US RRPs for the range have been given as $599 for the FirePro W5000, $899 for the FirePro W7000, $1,599 for the FirePro W8000 and a whopping $3,999 for the FirePro W9000.

Alongside the standalone FirePro boards came AMD's announcement of two FirePro APU chips. The first, the AMD FirePro A300, boasts a 3.4GHz base clock speed peaking at 4GHz in single-core turbo mode and a 65W TDP, while the AMD FirePro A320 speeds things up with a 3.8GHz base clock and 4.2GHz peak turbo clock in a 100W TDP. Both models include 384 stream processors, running at 760MHz on the A300 and 800MHz on the A320.

AMD is hoping that its FirePro-certified APUs will help end the stigma of on-board graphics for professional purposes, promising full compatibility with even high-end software packages. Better still, the company claims that a FirePro A300 will outperform Nvidia's Quadro 600 entry-level dedicated graphics board.

What AMD isn't currently sharing is the price, stating only that off-the-shelf systems based on the two new FirePro APUs will be appearing some time later this month.

Source: bittech.net

Windows 8 Packaging retail box revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 7 Aug 2012 08:28:00 -0700

A lot of people, including yours truly, have been vocal about their disdain for Microsoft’s new look. Sure, the simplistic look works, but it just doesn’t feel like Windows anymore. For those who feel like Microsoft is abandoning the classic Windows design, the packaging isn’t going to change your mind.

The Verge got an exclusive sneak peek at the packaging that you’ll see on store shelves when Windows 8 launches on October 26. While there’s something to be said about good design, it just feels a little too colorful and fun. I’ve always associated Windows with business and enterprise, not the consumer market.

Of course, this is a new direction for Microsoft and the design change was needed. Windows 8 is all about taking on the consumer market and kicking the post-PC era into high gear. While you can use Windows 8 on desktops, Microsoft is definitely hoping to become a leader in the tablet arena with the Surface tablet.

Putting my old man persona aside, I can definitely see the new Windows 8 packaging attracting the young people who like spiffy designs. I mean, just look at the Windows 7 packaging:

That packaging doesn’t look fun at all. I like it because it’s classic Windows, but we’ve already established that I’m the equivalent of an 80-year old man when it comes to Windows design. I’m resistant to change and that’s fine. It’s good to see that Microsoft has not become an old man with me. They’re willingness to change and put such a huge bet on tablets is going to make or break the company in the next few years.

It might seem weird to draw this much from just some simple packaging, but art really does say it all. The new packaging is a window into a crazy new world that’s entirely foreign to me. Besides, if Windows 8 fails, we can at least put the packaging up in some modern art museum.

Source: webpronews.com

Nvidia GTX 660 Ti available For Pre-Order

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 6 Aug 2012 07:56:00 -0700

Videocardz.com managed to notice that some of the retail/e-tail shops in Sweden decided to jump the gun and start listing the GTX 660 Ti graphics card a few days ahead of its expected launch.

The card is currently listed at anywhere between 3,350 and 3,551 Swedish Kronor which roughly converts to around US $490 and US $520, including taxes, which is way higher than expected, but Swedes have the misfortune of traditionally paying more for their gear than the rest of the continent. We still did not manage to put our finger on the final price as according to our sources, Nvidia still did not wire the final price to its partners and can easily change it just a day before the official launch.

The expected price is somewhere between US $200 and US $300, although US $300 sounds a tad more realistic. However, according to these early listings we would not be surprised to see a US $349 price tag on the new GTX 660 Ti. Of course, this just might be the case of pumped up pre-order price, while the launch price could end up to be lower.

Nvidia's GTX 670 currently sells at around US $399 and judging by the recent performance of the GTX 660 Ti, Nvidia could easily market the GTX 660 Ti for US $349, leaving the rest of the US $200 to US $300 market for the rest of its lineup.

In case you missed it the GTX 660 Ti is based on Nvidia's quite well known 28nm GK104 GPU and features 1344 CUDA cores, 2GB of GDDR5 memory paired up with 192-bit memory interface and clocks set at 915/980MHz for base/boost GPU clock and 6008MHz for memory.

The new GTX 660 Ti graphics card is expected to launch on 16th of August, according to earlier reports, but the Sweden stores claim that the listed graphics card will be available on August 14th.

Source: Videocardz.com

Top Features of iPhone 5 to Scare the Samsung Phone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 4 Aug 2012 07:35:00 -0700

Move over Samsung Galaxy S3, the rumored iPhone 5 may not have arrived on the shelves yet, but its presence is undeniable. "The biggest product launch in consumer electronics history" is gearing up to wrest the numero uno mantle away from the Samsung challenger. With a slew of features that are guaranteed to pack a punch, the iPhone 5 is getting ready to give the Samsung phone recurring nightmares.

Samsung should pull up its socks and brace itself for some sleepless nights as its smartphone dominance is quickly looking to fade away. Here's why the iPhone 5 is the smartphone goliath-in-waiting and will undoubtedly be the Galaxy S3's nemesis.

Futuristic Features of the iPhone 5

The massive 4.8-inch Galaxy S3 at 133gms and 8.6mm manages to stay feather light for a phone its size. The current 3.5-inch iPhone 4S, weighing 140gms and 9.3mm thick, cut a sorry figure in front of the Galaxy S3, but all that is about to change with the arrival of the iPhone 5. The nifty iPhone 5 is touted to be slimmer, sleeker, and will have consumers salivating at first glimpse. The 4-inch phone will not only sport a bigger screen than its predecessors, it will also be slimmer thanks to the in-cell display and liquidmetal alloy body.

The iPhone 5 will ditch the glass-back for a metal back face, shaving off a good 1mm. KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo suggested in an April note that by switching back to a metal back face from the current glass one, Apple's next iPhone could be well under 8mm. Since all things small are the order of the day for the smartphone biz, the change would put the iPhone in a better position than the 8.6mm Galaxy S3. The 4-inch screen puts the iPhone 5 at par with Android devices in the market.

Bumping up the screen size would make for happy consumers who would be able to get access to a larger keyboard and more information on the screen. Also, the larger screen size would allow better viewing and gaming experiences. With rumors of iPhone 5 integrating 4G LTE, which would enable ten times faster content streaming than that of 3G, the size would add to the appeal.

The switch to the in-cell technology, from the current on-cell one, ensures a brighter display and is a major improvement vis-a-vis the traditional Super AMOLED and LCD technologies. The feature puts iPhone 5 in the driving seat ahead of rival Samsung. The circulating Apple rumors have indicated that the next-gen iPhone will have the faster quad-core Exynos processor as opposed to the dual-core chip. According to a previous report, Apple is also upgrading the RAM modules and the next-gen iPhone will have 1GB of RAM (double of the current 512MB of RAM for the iPhone 4S) and sport NFC technology.

Whether Apple will ultimately go with an NFC chip is still shrouded in mystery. Debates continue over the pros and cons of the technology and the why and the why nots for Apple. Samsung's Galaxy S3 is NFC-enabled.

The current Apple camera is the best in the business but the front-facing camera may still see minor improvements to aid FaceTime. The grapevine is abuzz with talks of a 3D camera. Rumors of 3D Photography being incorporated in the iPhone 5 have been doing the rounds and patents published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office carried a list of Apple patents relating to 3D face and object recognition technology. The current crop of 3D camera phones are limited in number and their pictures leave a lot to be desired, throwing open the field for an Apple onslaught.

Apple has been known for its amazing battery life, whereas the same cannot be said for Samsung. Should Apple decide to go the 4G LTE route, it will need to ensure that battery woes are kept at bay. The Samsung Galaxy S3 runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), which is matched if not bettered by iOS 5 in the iPhone 4S. With the launch of iOS 6 operating system bettering the iOS 5, Apple is going to have yet another feather in its cap and will pip the Galaxy S3 easily.

With a gamut of features in its kitty, its Carpe Diem for Apple's iPhone 5! Come fall, the smartphone goliath is ready to seize the spoils from Samsung's Galaxy S3.

Source: mobilenapps.com

The Nvidia GTX 660 Ti 2GB Specs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 2 Aug 2012 07:46:00 -0700

Priced around $300 and with very similar specs to a GTX 670. Frakking hell...

The much-awaited GTX 660 has allegedly hovered in a "we made it, but need to sell our old stuff first" limbo for over a month. With the GTX 560 and 550 soon to be discontinued, the time is definitely right for the first truly midrange Kepler part to emerge into the daylight. Emerge it has... and dear Gods, the specs!

Packing 1334 'CUDA' cores (the same as a GTX 670), a 915 MHz base clock, 980MHz 'boost clock' (also the same as a GTX 670) and 2GB of memory (same) the GTX 660 is closer, specifications wise, to its bigger cousin than any graphics card has been. The card does however lose a quarter of its ROPs (parts designed to handle Anti-Aliasing and other 'post rendering' effects). Similarly restricted is a quarter of the memory bandwidth via a move to a 192-bit, rather than 256-bit bus.

This is not quite the configuration we were expecting, given a relatively low proportion of manufactured GK-104 silicon (the same part used in the GTX 680 and 670) come without flaws. As such fewer of the 1536 cores were expected to be enabled and a 1.5GB compliment of RAM was mooted as being most likely. However it's seems Kepler yields may have improved, while Nvidia have already perfected using non-homogenous memory chips (a la the GTX 460 1GB) allowing 2GB of RAM to be powered by a 192 bit bus.

Tweaktown.com managed to get their hands on one of the upcoming GTX 660 Ti 2GB graphics cards they allege they're in a running fight with Nvidia, but not its cardmakers. From their review, performance at resolutions of 1920x1200 and below performance is simply stellar. The ~90% of a '670 power is what we would expect from card that is memory restricted - on the upper end of a scale between the AMD HD 7950 and GTX 670.

Launch is likely to occur over the coming two to three weeks and should Nvidia keep the supply stable, we could potentially be seeing this card below the $AU 300 mark by month end – given that performance is not that far off the GTX 680, this looks to be the most important release of the efficient Kepler architecture yet. Should the '660 hit its mark without issue AMD will have to go on the defensive in the mid and upper-mid range, leaving the consumer even better off. It's also quite likely we'll see a non 'Ti' GTX 660 further down the track.

Source: atomicmpc.com

Intel's 40 Touchscreen Ultrabooks in Pipeline

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 1 Aug 2012 07:42:00 -0700

Intel's Ultrabook Symposium starts tomorrow in Taipei, but Netbook News have sat down with Navin Shenoy, Vice President of Intel Architecture Group and General Manager of Mobile Client Platform before the event starts, to talk about various topics before the event itself.

Shenoy has confirmed that there are 140 Ultrabook designs, with only 35 of these being seen by the public. As of next month, we should expect sub-$700 Ultrabooks, across the Ultrabook board, with more than one model. One of the biggest nuggets of information here is that there are set to be 40 Windows 8-based Ultrabooks with Touch launching in Q4 of this year.

This means before the end of this year, and the end of Mayan long-count calender (and all the doom associated with it), Intel are Microsoft (and various partners) are set to unleash 40 Ultrabooks with touch screens, which is exciting news. Intel's fourth-generation Core processor, Haswell, is destined for the 22nm process, and will be the first System-on-Chip (SoC) for PC. Shenoy pointed out that the idle power consumption of Haswell will be 20 times less than Ivy Bridge, this in itself is an amazing achievement. Haswell is also said to not just be an incremental step forward, but a giant leap in performance.

I'm genuinely excited about the future of the PC, in this 'post-PC' world. I really want to get my hands on a 1080p (or above) touch-screen Ultrabook running Windows 8. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

Source: tweaktown.com

Ubisoft UPlay DRM exploit opens PCs to security risk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 08:16:00 -0700

Paying customers frustrated and angry: 99%. Pirates thwarted: 0%. I'd say that about sums up Ubisoft's score when it comes to the studio's DRM tech and PC gaming, particularly with this latest bit of news: Cyber experts say Ubisoft's mandatory UPlay network features "really bad, easily exploitable" code that creates serious security risks for all who use it.

A step-by-step video now making the rounds on the internet shows how holes in UPlay can be exploited by hackers, allowing them to search your files and take control of your PC. Speaking with CVG, Trend Micro Director of Security Research Rik Ferguson said the UPlay security flaw creates a huge risk that Ubisoft must address immediately.

"Pushing out such easily exploitable code, to such an easily targeted platform as a web browser through such a huge gaming population presents a huge risk and will of course be of interest to online criminals," Ferguson told CVG. "Ubisoft should be patching this code as a matter of urgency and in the meantime, gamers should be disabling the plug-in."

The browser plug-in Ferguson describes is automatically created during the UPlay installation. Disable it immediately by following these steps:

Firefox: Tools – Add-ons – Plugins – Disable the Uplay and Uplay PC Hub plugins

Chrome: Visit About: Plugins and disable

Opera: Settings – Preferences – Advanced – Downloads – Search 'Uplay' and delete

We've reached out to Ubisoft for comment and will update this post with any response.

Any more reasons you want to give PC gamers to illegally download cracked versions of your games, Ubisoft?

Source: gamespy.com

Entry Level Window 8 Surface Tablet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 08:58:00 -0700

There are many speculations floating around the web about the upcoming Windows 8 operating system as well as the devices which it will run on.A month ago Microsoft announced the Surface Tablets which will feature Windows 8/WinRT operating system.

Though the pricing of the device is yet to be officially announced by the software giant,many of the blogs and sites are speculating their figures for the upcoming tablet.Yesterday one of the Swedish online store reported about an entry level Surface Tablet pricing to be around $1150 for the 32GB version of ARM based Surface Tablet.

But as reported earlier by Techie-Buzz Author Paul Paliath,who reached out to the Webhallen.The site then cleared the air on the pricing which they showcased for Surface Tablets,saying that the existing pricing has nothing to do with the final pricing of the product,they set the initial pricing high for the pre orders and that when the official pricing comes out those who have pre ordered the Surface Tablets will get the prices adjusted to the actual costs that time.

So this statement from the site should now clear all the doubts about the pricing of Surface Tablets,at least what we do know that the entry level ARM based Surface Tablets won’t cost your pocket a $1000,but you might see a higher price range for the Intel based Surface tablets running on Windows 8 Pro.

AMD FM2 socket Athlon II X4 processors

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 07:45:00 -0700

Although the exact details on AMD's upcoming generation of 32 nm A-series 'Trinity' APUs are unclear, several plans regarding budget models for the FM2 platform have already been unveiled. At least three Athlon chips will be released, which can be combined with the A85X chipset.

All three models will be based on the Piledriver architecture and are quad-core models with 4 MB of L2 cache. The reference clock frequency ranges from 2.8 Ghz to 3.4 GHz, although it's likely that a Turbo mode will also be available. The Athlon II X4 730 and 740 have TDPs of 65 watts, while the unlocked 750K chip has a TPD of 100 W.

For now, it's not clear whether the integrated GPU will be enabled or not. It's likely that this is not the case, as the 'Llano' Athlon chips for the FM1 socket also had their video chips disabled. Given the lack of an integrated graphics card on the A85X chipset, if that were the case, the cheap 'Piledriver' Athlon chips would always have to be combined with a relatively expensive discrete graphics card.

Processor	Cores	Clock frequency	L2-cache	TDP
Athlon II X4 730	4	2,8 GHz	4 MB	65 watts
Athlon II X4 740	4	3,2 GHz	4 MB	65 watts
Athlon II X4 750K	4	3,4 GHz	4 MB	100 watts

Source: Hardware.info