New MPEG standard purportedly twice as efficient as H.264
Over the past few years, H.264 video compression has permeated just about every corner of the tech world—YouTube, Blu-ray, cable and satellite HDTV, cell phones, tablets, and digital camcorders. Could it be just a year away from obsolescence?
According to a news release by Ericsson , the Moving Picture Experts Group (a.k.a. MPEG) met in Stockholm, Sweden last month to "approve and issue" a draft standard for a ...
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Nvidia's GeForce GTX 660 Ti graphics card reviewed
Nvidia's GK104 graphics chip has been all over the place since its initial release back in March. The chip made its debut aboard the GeForce GTX 680, a decidedly high-end card priced at $499. About six weeks later, the GeForce GTX 670 arrived, with a slightly scaled down version of the GK104 for $399. Today, onboard the GeForce GTX 660 Ti, this same graphics chip steps down to the much more accessible price point of $299—while again giving up a relatively small amount of performance. If you've been holding out on upgrading to the latest generation of graphics cards, the GTX 660 Ti may finally overcome your resolve.
Here's one way to think about it. In de-tuning the GK104 in order to make this more affordable version, Nvidia has taken the GeForce ...
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Catalyst 12.8 drivers have unified Vista, Win7, Win8 support
There's now a fresh set of Catalyst graphics drivers to go with that evaluation copy of Windows 8 RTM. Radeon users can grab the new Catalyst 12.8 drivers right here on AMD's Game website, and they can peruse the release notes over here.
According to AMD, this is the "first official unified and logo certified driver for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista." The firm touts ...
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You can now download Windows 8 RTM as a 90-day trial
Windows 8 is here! Well, sort of.
The full, release-to-manufacturing version of Microsoft's new operating system isn't scheduled to hit stores until October 26. However, Microsoft has put up an evaluation version for download on the MSDN Evaluation Center. Anyone with a Windows Live account can get it—no MSDN subscription ...
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Watch the Routine and Remember Me Gamescom trailers
Numerous game trailers have been released to coincide with the ongoing Gamescom show in Germany. Some have been more impressive than others, and a couple in particular caught my eye today. Let's start with Routine, a "first person horror exploration game" that promises open-world access to a Moon base that's clearly seen better days. Here's the teaser trailer:
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Mad Catz keyboard has modular layout, integrated touchscreen
There's a new high-end gaming keyboard in town, and it's different to say the least. At the Gamescom expo in Cologne, Germany, Mad Catz unveiled the Strike 7, a modular keyboard with a flexible layout and an integrated touchscreen. The keys are arranged on three discrete pieces that can be snapped together in different configurations to suit your needs. Each of the three wrists rests is detachable, and one of them comes with a thumb wheel and auxiliary button. The official release video lays out the various options.
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Rumor: Windows RT Surface could cost $199
Interesting. When it unveiled its Surface tablet in June, Microsoft said the Windows RT version of the device would be priced competitively with "comparable" ARM devices. Whispers from the Far East suggested the tablet could end up costing more than $599.
Now, the guys at Engadget say they've got word from an "inside source" that the Surface for Windows RT will actually be priced at $199 . Yes, $199, ...
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A Mac version of Origin is on the way
As determined as ever to boldly go where Valve has gone before, EA has revealed that it, too, is going to bring its game distribution and social gaming platform to the Mac.As Shacknews reports, EA Chief Operating Officer Peter Moore made the announcement at Gamescom 2012 yesterday. Moore apparently neglected to mention a release time frame or a list of launch titles. ...
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Mann vs. Machine co-op mode comes to Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2 is the game that keeps giving. Valve's class-based multiplayer hit has received a steady stream of updates since being released nearly five years ago. Last year, the game became free to play for anyone with a Steam account. Tomorrow, it gets a new cooperative gameplay mode dubbed Mann vs. Machine. Check out the official trailer:
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Report: Hard drive makers slimming notebook models down to 5 mm
Most notebook hard drives conform to the 2.5" form factor. The standard, which calls for platters 2.5" in diameter, comes in multiple thicknesses. 9.5-mm variants are the most common, 12.5-mm flavors have become popular for high-capacity external drives, and 7-mm models are increasingly finding their way into ultrabooks. Now, it looks like hard drive makers may be slimming down even further.
According to DigiTimes' sources in the supply chain, drive manufacturers are developing notebook models just 5 mm thick . The ultra-skinny drives are reportedly in the planning stages, so they probably won't be ...
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Could Half-Life 3 be unveiled at Gamescom this week?
A certain PDF file has been making the rounds this morning. It's from the website of German gaming convention Gamescom, and it lists the games expected to make an appearance at the show later this week. As Joystiq reports, folks have been particularly excited about one of the titles listed on the last page:
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Rumor: Microsoft may hasten Windows release cycle
We all remember the long dry spell between the releases of Windows XP and Vista—and Steve Ballmer's subsequent promise that it would never happen again. Microsoft has made good on that promise, shortening its release cycle to about three years. Now, though, the company might be about to speed things up even further.
According to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley , Microsoft is cooking up an update to Windows 8 code-named "Blue," which we're going to see next year, perhaps in the ...
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