IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 7/23/2013

Monday, July 22, 2013

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 7/23/2013

TweakTown

Could the Xbox One-exclusive 'Dead Rising 3' be the best game in the series yet?
During an interview with the developers behind Dead Rising 3, we have found out a few more details on the game itself. The video is called "Zombie Apocalypse Evolved", and has three of Dead Rising's creators talking about the game's new features and creatures. Check it out, below.

Dead Rising 3's Producer, Mike Jones, has teased us all by stating that Dead Rising 3 is bigger than both predecessors combined "multiple times over", which means the game is going to be absolutely gigantic. There's new zombies, which will arrive in the form of cops, prisoners and football players, who will all be smarter and more dangerous than previous Dead Rising zombies.

could_the_xbox_one_exclusive_dead_rising_3_be_the_best_game_in_the_series_yet

Jones teases "every zombie is a snowflake". Dead Rising 3 is an Xbox One exclusive, and will make great use of the next-gen Kinect sensor, which will make audio in the game a huge factor. Executive Producer and Creative Lead, Josh Bridge, explained that DR3 gamers can distract zombies by yelling at them through the Kinect sensor.

Homeworld and Homeworld 2 are being remade in HD thanks to Gearbox Software
I have fond memories of the first Homeworld game, with its incredible graphics and space setting, but now the first two Homeworld games are being remade in HD, thanks to Gearbox Software.

homeworld_and_homeworld_2_are_being_remade_in_hd_thanks_to_gearbox_software

Gearbox will be releasing the HD-capable Homeworld and Homeworld 2 on Steam, which is a nice bonus to the digital gaming world we now live in. There's no word on Homeworld: Cataclysm, but we could see this receive a HD makeover, too. What are your thoughts on the original two Homeworld games arriving in HD? With Gearbox behind it, does it give you faith, or are you scared of what they might do to it?

Google updates Chrome OS with new 'immersive' mode
Google has updated Chrome OS in the beta channel with a couple of new features. The new build is version 29.0.1537.32, and also arrives with a number of bug fixes, security updates, and additional feature enhancements.

google_updates_chrome_os_with_new_immersive_mode

The biggest feature of this is the new "immersive" mode, which sees a fullscreen browsing session open up, hiding the navigation bars. Google have also updated Kernel 3.8 for both the Chromebook Pixel, and Samsung 550. Chrome OS owners can now pin apps to the shelf by using drag-and-drop from the Launcher.
The update also includes a Consumer Kiosk Mode, which lets users build a Chrome OS-based kiosk. Google didn't finish there, though, as there's now a two-finger method to navigate browsing history as well as the ability to sync default wallpaper selections across devices. The app launcher search feature has also been improved, and overall, the system dynamically learns what users search for, and can now search for apps within the web store if now matching apps are installed. There's also a tweaked interface that shows apps in a better way.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra will launch for $799 in Hong Kong next week
Sony's Xperia Z Ultra smartphone will launch at the end of this month in Hong Kong for $799, which includes 3G connectivity. There's also a 4G version which will be available for $824, just $25 on top of the 3G version.

sony_xperia_z_ultra_will_launch_for_799_in_hong_kong_next_week

What makes the Xperia Z Ultra special is that it is the world's largest smartphone, coming in at 6.4 inches. This beats Samsung's also-huge Galaxy Mega 6.3, but the price tag might turn people away. While it hasn't been formally priced for the US market, we should expect the same pricing. Sony are marketing the Xperia Z Ultra as the 'world's thinnest' Full HD smartphone too, as it measures in at just 0.27 inches (6.5mm).
Sony have crammed in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, which is a quad-core processor clocked in at 2.2GHz, while including the Adreno 330. There's 16GB of on-board flash storage backed up by microSD storage that can provide another 64GB. There's an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that features a mobile Exmor RS sensor.
The Xperia Z Ultra is also waterproof, like Sony's other 2013 flagship devices. We should expect it to launch in the US in the coming months, but those based in the UK should have their wallets ready for mid-September.

Over 750 million smartphone owners could be at risk because of a huge SIM security flaw
The encryption used in some SIM cards could allow hackers to take control of your smartphone remotely, according to a security researcher, and a report from The New York Times.

over_750_million_smartphone_owners_could_be_at_risk_because_of_a_huge_sim_security_flaw

The flaw in question is found in SIM cards using DES (Data Encryption Standard) for encryption, which is an older standard that is slowly being phased out by most manufacturers, but the point is that it is still baked into hundreds of millions of SIMs across the world. The founder of German firm, Security Research Labs, Karsten Nohl, found that sending a fake carrier message to a phone prompted an automated response from 25% of DES-based SIMs, which revealed the cards' 56-bit security key.
If a hacker has that key, they can send a virus to the SIM with a text message. This virus allows a hacker to impersonate the phone's owner, where they can access text messages, and even make carrier payments. Nohl says that the entire procedure takes "about two minutes" and only requires a regular PC.
Nohl estimates that 750 million SIM cards across the world are vulnerable, with over 3 billion DES-based SIM cards in use across the world. More and more carriers are opting for the stronger, triple-DES encryption methods, which don't fall for this seemingly easy hack. AES is also slowly replacing DES as the standard encryption method on SIM cards.

Jack The Giant Slayer sprouts to life in our Blu-ray competition
Thanks to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, we have five copies of Jack The Giant Slayer on Blu-ray to give away.

jack_the_giant_slayer_sprouts_to_life_in_our_blu_ray_competition

The young Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is made an offer by a local monk; that in return for his horse, the beans he possesses can be on-sold for a large sum. To Jack's surprise the beans germinate, causing an immense beanstalk to sprout into the sky and into another world way above the clouds.
Director Bryan Singer's take on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk tale in Jack the Giant Slayer aims to breathe new life into the story, utilising the latest advances in visual effects and 3D technology.

jack_the_giant_slayer_sprouts_to_life_in_our_blu_ray_competition

To go in with a chance to take home a copy of Jack The Giant Slayer on Blu-ray, simply answer the following question:
Name the three lead giants in Jack The Giant Slayer
Send your answers to ben@tweaktown.com before the competition closes on Thursday the 25th of July. The competition is open to the world, with TweakTown covering shipping.
Jack The Giant Slayer is available on Blu-ray from Warner Bros Home Entertainment from July 24th.

NVIDIA confirms July 31 shipping date for Shield, 'mechanical issue' has been resolved
NVIDIA delayed Shield, their portable Android-powered gaming console last month, but have now confirmed a July 31 shipping date. Until now, we didn't really know why the 5-inch gaming device was delayed.

The company have now said that a "mechanical issue that relates to a third party component" is the reason behind the delay, but NVIDIA haven't said anything past that to explain that the issues had been resolved. NVIDIA's original release date for Shield was June 27, so we're not talking about that much of a delay.

nvidia_confirms_july_31_shipping_date_for_shield_mechanical_issue_has_been_resolved

But, in order to fan away consumers' issues with the delay, the pricing was dropped from $349 to $299 - something that definitely can't be complained about.

Set phasers to 'win' for a chance to snag Star Trek: The Next Generation Season Four on Blu-ray
Thanks to Paramount Home Entertainment, we have ten copies of Star Trek - The Next Generation: Season Four on Blu-ray to give away, valued at $62.95 each.

set_phasers_to_win_for_a_chance_to_snag_star_trek_the_next_generation_season_four_on_blu_ray

Starting with Captain Picard's terrifying battle to escape from the inhuman Borg and culminating with the Klingon Empire on the brink of civil war in the series' historic 100th episode, you can now experience Season 4 and so much more on breathtaking Blu-rayâ„¢. This set features dazzling 1080p high definition picture with visual effects painstakingly re-created from original film elements, digitally remastered 7.1 sound (original broadcast audio also provided), and a wealth of newly produced, behind-the-scenes special features and never-before-released deleted scenes.

set_phasers_to_win_for_a_chance_to_snag_star_trek_the_next_generation_season_four_on_blu_ray

To go in with a chance to take home a copy of Star Trek - The Next Generation: Season Four on Blu-ray, simply answer the following question:
Name the location of the Picard family vineyard, as revealed in the Season Four episode 'Family'
Send your answers to ben@tweaktown.com before the competition closes on Thursday the 25th of July. The competition is open to the world, with TweakTown covering shipping.
Star Trek - The Next Generation: Season Four is available on Blu-ray from Paramount Home Entertainment from July 24th.
TM & Â©2013 CBS Studios Inc. Star Trek and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. CBS and related logos are trademarks of CBS broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. TM & Â© by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

More leaked press shots of the refreshed Nexus 7 arrive online
It's been a long time coming, but the refreshed Nexus 7 is almost here. We should see it unveiled next week, but before then @evleaks strikes again with some new leaked press shots of the upcoming Android-based 7-inch slate.

more_leaked_press_shots_of_the_refreshed_nexus_7_arrive_online

We can see the refreshed Nexus 7's much better 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, something that the original Nexus 7 didn't even include. It's branded differently on the rear, which could point to people using the device in landscape more. There's two speakers on the rear of the refreshed Nexus 7, one up the top and another down the bottom.
On the right of the Nexus 7 we can find the volume, power and microphone input. On the front of the refreshed 7-inch tablet we have a front-facing camera and what looks to be a notification LED. We should expect Android 4.3 to be featured on the refreshed Nexus 7, something that should be confirmed at Google's event on July 24.

2013 Samsung SSD Global Summit - NVELO pays off for Samsung
2013 Samsung SSD Global Summit - Last year Samsung acquired NVELO, the maker of SSD caching software called Dataplex. At the time we didn't understand the move aside from NVELO's first product, but now things are clearing up.

NVELO's new software called 'Rapid' will ship inside Samsung's Magician 4.2 update and work with 840 EVO and 840 Pro - possibly 840, but we're still confirming.
The Rapid angle received a lot of attention at the 2013 Samsung SSD Global Summit and it's one of the most exciting announcements from the show. Since the software works with both new and existing products, owners of early 840 family products will also find benefits from the new software layer.

2013_samsung_ssd_global_summit_nvelo_pays_off_for_samsung

We're looking forward to testing the 840, 840 PRO and 840 EVO again with and without the new software advancements.

2013 Samsung Global SSD Summit - Samsung dominating the SSD market
2013 Samsung Global SSD Summit - I would pound my chest if 36% of all English SSD reviews were read at TweakTown. At 57% of the all Italian reviews, well I might have a global SSD review conference. Samsung has those exact numbers when it comes to SSD sales.

The video doesn't break ground on technical details, but gives us a good understanding of where Samsung is at in relation to other SSD manufacturers.

2013_samsung_global_ssd_summit_samsung_dominating_the_ssd_market

Seeing the stepping stones starting with early Samsung SSDs is a nice history lesson.

2013 Samsung SSD Global Summit - Introducing the 840 EVO
2013 Samsung SSD Global Summit - Our hands are tied until the 25th on a full review, but Samsung stated that everything in the show is fair game. We had some latency trying to get all of the videos loaded, but we're ready to show you a bit more 840 EVO news.

I promise to bring the tri-pod next time. We're still learning the video market. We'll have to keep other media from chatting in the videos too, it's coming together though.

2013_samsung_ssd_global_summit_introducing_the_840_evo

Now that you have a majority of the EVO facts, I'm sure you're just as excited as we are.

Zack Snyder confirms Superman/Batman movie for 2015
I'm still adjusting to the awesomeness that was Man of Steel, but while I was over in Melbourne for PAX Australia 2013, I read that the director of Man of Steel, Zack Snyder, confirmed a Superman/Batman movie for 2015.

zack_snyder_confirms_superman_batman_movie_for_2015

At the end of the DC panel at Comic-Con 2013, Zack Snyder tool the stage, gesturing that moderator Chris Hardwick should move out of the way where he said "I'm gonna take the lectern from you, because some sh*t's going to happen up here. It's official that we are going to make another Superman movie. And you say, Zack, what is the movie about? But you don't want me to tell you that. You want to go and see the movie. But I can say that maybe there's a single element that will be in the film that I could... help you out with. I was thinking about how to do that. I pored through the DC Universe to look for a way to tell this thing. We're writing the thing now, but I came across a thing I found that'll help you understand it."
While this is exciting news, it doesn't confirm a sequel to Man of Steel, which is weird. Harry Lennix, who starred in Man of Steel, read a line from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns: "I want you to remember, Clark, in all the years to come, in all your most private moments, I want you to remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember the one man who beat you."
This was Batman speaking to Superman at the end of Miller's story, which had the crowd going absolutely wild at Hall H at Comic-Con 2013. There's not many details on the movie itself, but we should expect a fight between Superman and Batman, but Superman receiving the bad end of the stick in the fight. I'm hoping we see the rebooted Batman in Man of Steel II, with Batman - for whatever reason - kicking Kal-El's ass for whatever reason.

Popcultcha display some truly amazing works of geek art at PAX Australia 2013
PAX Australia 2013 - Walking the huge expo hall of PAX Australia, I stumbled across Popcultcha, who had some truly amazing works of art on display. Most of them were purchasable, even though they were quite pricey.

popcultcha_display_some_truly_amazing_works_of_geek_art_at_pax_australia_2013

popcultcha_display_some_truly_amazing_works_of_geek_art_at_pax_australia_2013

The entire two days I walked the halls, it was packed inside and out of the Popcultcha booth. People were oohing and aahing over most of what was on display and we captured some shots of some of the goodies on display and sale. If only I had a few spare thousand dollars and didn't mind mailing it back to myself because I'd be over my baggage limit with my airline. More pictures in the gallery below, too.

Panasonic hit with $56.5 million fine over price fixing, multiple execs to serve jail time
This has been going on for a while now, but judgment has finally been served in the Panasonic price fixing case. Panasonic will plead guilty to US government charges that see the Japanese company falling on their sword over price fixing in two huge markets.

panasonic_hit_with_56_5_million_fine_over_price_fixing_multiple_execs_to_serve_jail_time

The first, is the laptop battery pack market and the second is auto parts. Panasonic have agreed to pay $56.5 million in fines for the two separate conspiracies, with 15 executives at several companies will be facing jail time as part of the deal. Hopefully you're sitting down for this one, but Panasonic's price fixing has been going on for quite some time in the auto parts industry, dating back to 1998.
Panasonic have been working with other companies behind closed doors in order to "fix, stabilize and maintain the prices" of lighting equipment sold to manufacturers such as Honda, Mazda and Nissan. The Japanese company also worked with other corporations where price fixing was applied to switches and sensors for auto steering wheels, doors, wipers, turn signals and other parts of a car's control system that were sold to fellow Japanese company Toyota.
The Justice Department have said that the price fixing conspiracy took place between 2003 to 2010. The auto market wasn't the only one that was controlled by Panasonic's price fixing tentacles, with another Japanese company, SANYO Electric, charged working with LG Chem to fix the prices of cylindrical lithium ion battery packs for laptop computers worldwide - it is worth noting that Panasonic acquired SANYO Electric in 2009 for $4.5 billion.

Flashback remake spotted at PAX Australia 2013
PAX Australia 2013 - Flashback is a game that I poured countless hours into as a kid, so when I walked past and saw Flashback, I had a double take. I didn't even know this was in existence, but it is now known to me that a remake of Flashback is coming soon.

flashback_remake_spotted_at_pax_australia_2013

The HD remake arrives on XBLA on August 21, and includes the original game. It's said to be arriving on both the PlayStation 3 and PC, but at a later date. We have a video above that you can check out, it's not the most exciting game, but for fans of the original like myself, this will be a must have purchase when it arrives.

Team Immunity secure victory at PAX Australia 2013 in the League of Legends Oceanic Season 3 Championship
PAX Australia 2013 - While I was sitting down at the 4PM showing of Watch Dogs in the Ubisoft section of PAX AU, the semi-finals to the League of Legends Oceanic Season 3 Championships were being played between Team Immunity and Exile5.

During the Watch Dogs event, the crowd for League of Legends went absolutely wild - Team Immunity had won. A bunch of professional League of Legends gamers just won $20,000 in cash as well as a position in the finals that will take place at Gamescom, in Germany, Cologne, next month. Once it was all said and done, I walked behind the Riot Games section of PAX AU and happened to walk past Team Immunity to congratulate them on their win, and of course get a photo with the legends themselves.

team_immunity_secure_victory_at_pax_australia_2013_in_the_league_of_legends_oceanic_season_3_championship

My League of Legends playing nephew, Corey, will hate me for posting this up - but the guys at Team Immunity were humble, and seemed over the world at their win. Congratulations, guys! Take out the finals at Gamescom!

team_immunity_secure_victory_at_pax_australia_2013_in_the_league_of_legends_oceanic_season_3_championship

Retro gaming makes a huge comeback at PAX Australia 2013
PAX Australia 2013 - Walking through the many halls and tents of PAX Australia, we found many amazing things. One of these amazing things was the retro gaming section. There were countless old school consoles and games on display, so check out the video below.

retro_gaming_makes_a_huge_comeback_at_pax_australia_2013

I was having countless nostalgia attacks, especially when I saw an old ColecoVision, Amiga 500, and Battletoads on the NES. It was glorious, but then the reality set in and it made me feel old. I think that PAX AU having this type of diversity, where they go from next-gen games, right back to the old days where it all started. We have more images in our gallery, below.

We take a look at Splinter Cell: Blacklist at PAX Australia 2013
PAX Australia 2013 - One of the larger titles being shown off at PAX Australia 2013 was Splinter Cell: Blacklist. We were enjoying our time watching an attendee playing the stealth-based game, which doesn't look too bad at all.

we_take_a_look_at_splinter_cell_blacklist_at_pax_australia_2013

It's definitely not my cup of tea, and Splinter Cell with multiplayer is just a weird thing to me. I did enjoy the first game, but haven't really enjoyed them since. But, there are millions of Splinter Cell fans out there, so what do you think of the latest title in the series?

We catch a look of Watch Dogs at PAX AU and walk away wanting it that much more
PAX Australia 2013 - There was just one single game that I truly wanted to see, and play at PAX Australia 2013, with that game being Ubisoft's Watch Dogs. It looks absolutely incredible, and Ubisoft had it on the show floor. It wasn't playable, but some pre-recorded footage. We weren't allowed to take video, but we were allowed to take photos.

we_catch_a_look_of_watch_dogs_at_pax_au_and_walk_away_wanting_it_that_much_more

we_catch_a_look_of_watch_dogs_at_pax_au_and_walk_away_wanting_it_that_much_more

We have a plethora of photos, but we were greeted to two videos - the first was some footage of the game for PAX Australia and then the E3 trailer. The main trailer had Jonathan Morin, the Creative Director on Watch Dogs, explaining the game to the crowd. Both videos were impressive, and have shown off more of the super connectivity the game has to offer. Everyone and every thing is hackable, and the video really drove this home. Watch Dogs is a day one purchase for me, and I'm sure there are thousands of our readers who think the same.
Something I loved seeing in the demo of Watch Dogs was the fact that the public's opinion can be swayed about the protagonist, Aiden Pearce. If you're the type of gamer who saves people, and doesn't screw them over by hacking their accounts, or killing them, then the public will support you as a force against the system and government. But, if you're the type of gamer who likes chaos, and causes damage and violence, the public will hate you.

we_catch_a_look_of_watch_dogs_at_pax_au_and_walk_away_wanting_it_that_much_more

This makes the world of Watch Dogs somewhat dynamic, and not something that is static. This is a great feature of the game, as well as the ability to hack any and all electronic devices. Watch Dogs arrives later in the year on all platforms, including the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii U and the next-gen PS4 and Xbox One consoles, too.
Check out our gallery, below.

NZXT Phantom 530 Mid-Tower Chassis Review

Introduction

nzxt_phantom_530_mid_tower_chassis_review

NZXT has been in the chassis game for some time already, and while not all of their older designs were all on point, at least not as much as I would have liked, along the way they have come up with some great ideas. NZXT is also a company that realizes what else is out on the market, and has had a recent track record of being able to out play and out design most of their competition. Two major wins in their column along the way, in the time that I have been looking at cases, were products like the whole Phantom series of cases, and the development and release of the Switch 810 earlier this year. Without these two culminations of many hours at the design table, it is really tough to say where NZXT would be in the chassis game, but I doubt they would be near the top, as they are today.
The Phantom case series has been a huge hit since day one. The sleek, shiny, plastic outer skin was something that took case buyers by storm. No one had ever produced a chassis with so much use of plastic, which was just truly awesome in appearance. We also saw in the Phantom 630 what happens when you take an exterior design that everyone was already on board with, and gave the chassis a serious upgrade to the interior, making that chassis one of the most feature rich designs I have ever seen from NZXT. Where the Phantom 630 was a super-tower chassis, this new delivery is scaled down to a full-tower. Some of the interior has changed since the 630, as well as trying new things on the exterior to give this newest chassis its own identity, as well as its own chance to make its name.
The latest release from NZXT to arrive at my door is the Phantom 530. While certain things have been reduced in quantity to allow for the smaller form factor, don't write it off just yet. Even with a few little losses along the way of the new interior design, the exterior is yet another very tasteful take on what the Phantom is in the new times.
With every look at a new Phantom, over the years, they get better and better, and from what I have seen in my time with this chassis, the NZXT Phantom 520 is anything but a disappointment. This thing is just super cool and well worth the time to have a closer look over the next few pages.
... Read the rest in your browser!

LEPA G850-MA 850-Watt 80 PLUS Gold Power Supply Review

Introduction

lepa_g850_ma_850_watt_80_plus_gold_power_supply_review

Hopefully by now, our readers are becoming somewhat familiar with the LEPA name. For those who haven't heard of them yet, LEPA is a sister company of Enermax. It should come as no surprise that all of the units that we have reviewed up till this point have simply been Enermax rebrands. What better way to make a name for yourself right out of the gate than to take some of the best units on the market, change the label to your own, and offer it at a lower price? It has worked well so far, but what we have in store for today is a deviation from that strategy.
Today we are reviewing the new LEPA G850-MAS. It is a single 12V rail Gold rated power supply with both native and modular connectors. What is really interesting is that LEPA has turned to CWT to manufacturer the G850-MAS for them instead of Enermax.
I haven't heard back from LEPA on this yet, but I can only assume that Enermax will more than likely focus on higher-end units, while LEPA will handle the mid to lower-end units. That is only speculation at this point, but one should most certainly be able to see the similarities between these two companies compared to what goes on with OCZ and PC Power & Cooling.
I'll dig deeper into that situation at a later date and see what I can find out, but for now, let's just focus on the G850-MAS and see what it is made of.

Specifications, Availability and Pricing

lepa_g850_ma_850_watt_80_plus_gold_power_supply_review

Outputs for the LEPA G850-MAS are quite typical for that of an 850W unit. It features a single 12V rail rated for 70A or 840W. Both the 3.3V and 5V rails are rated for 20A each with a combined maximum output of 100W. The 5VSB rail is rated for 3A or 15W. Maximum combined output for the LEPA G850-MAS is 850W.

lepa_g850_ma_850_watt_80_plus_gold_power_supply_review

The LEPA G850-MAS does a good job of populating our feature summary, but doesn't quite get it all the way full. It features SCP, OVP, OPP and OTP. While it doesn't natively feature OCP, it should be noted that OPP provides the same protection as OCP on a single rail power supply. This means that even though it isn't technically listed, it does have the protection. The G850-MAS is certified for 80 PLUS Gold efficiency, but it does not carry a 50C power rating. LEPA instead rates the G850-MAS for 100% continuous output at 40C.
LEPA has an MSRP of $169.99 on the G850-MAS power supply. The price puts it squarely in the middle of the road for 850W Gold rated power supplies. As always, a little bit of searching will make sure that you save some money. In this case, you can a little over $26 when you order from Provantage and get it for a total of $143.68 after shipping at the time of writing. LEPA backs the G850-MAS with a three year warranty.
... Read the rest in your browser!

Available Tags:Xbox , Chrome OS , Google , Chrome , Sony , smartphone , security , Blu-ray , NVIDIA , Samsung , SSD , Samsung , Panasonic , gaming ,

No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)