IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 8/16/2014

Saturday, August 16, 2014

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 8/16/2014

TweakTown

Microsoft reportedly used PCs to promote console games at Gamescom
Both Microsoft and Sony were reportedly running some game demos at Gamescom 2014 using powerful custom-built PCs to display console games. Live game demonstrations of "Ori" and "Blind Forest" crashed to the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, and the PCs appear to be powered by NVIDIA instead of AMD GPUs, according to reports.

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It's not uncommon for game studios, even when promoting console games, to use PCs to help enhance the demonstration experience for attendees. However, even if the game is available on all next-generation consoles and the PC, gamers will often call out the studio if graphics and gameplay don't replicate what was originally shown to them.
During public demoes, companies are tasked with providing lightning-fast gameplay mixed with pretty graphics to entice gamers and media. It seems both companies have been caught doing this over the past few years, eager to demonstrate their latest and greatest console games - but using PCs instead of their own products to get the job done.
This is a somewhat controversial practice that won't suddenly end anytime soon, but companies can expected to be called out when it does take place.

Microsoft launches WindUp app for time-limited messaging
Microsoft has rolled out a new application that is aimed directly at the users out there who have Windows Phone 8 or 8.1 and want to be able to send time-limited messages. The app is called WindUp and is aimed at competing with Snapchat, which has had some privacy issues this year.

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The big issue for SnapChat was when a court ruled that the app was deceiving users, but despite that ruling, the app is still popular. WindUp does need several permissions on the smartphone to operate. The good news is that location services aren't one of the things WindUp needs.
That means the app can't track your location. The app will allow users to share photos, record audio, capture video, or send text. WindUp is available to download right now.

Samsung purchases smart home firm SmartThings for $200 million
Samsung has made a purchase of a smaller company that makes part home products called SmartThings. The official sales price wasn't disclosed by Samsung or SmartThings, but sources claiming to be familiar with the deal say the purchase cost Samsung $200 million.

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Under Samsung, SmartThings will continue to be operated by CEO and founder Alex Hawkinson and the company will operate independently. The company will be relocated to Palo Alto, California and will be part of the Samsung Open Innovation Center, which is located in the city.
Hawkinson said, "I think at a high level, it has always been our vision to go really big. It's just scale and reach all around the world - imagine reaching hundreds of millions of consumers and many more developers."

hitchBOT is thumbing its way across British Columbia
A group of researchers from a university in British Columbia came up with a very odd, yet very cool project called hitchBOT. The idea was to make a robot of sorts, put it on the side of the road, and see if it could hitch a ride across the country. This isn't the sort of bot that can't walk on its own, but it is computerized enough to interact with the people who help it.

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So far, the bot has hitched numerous rides and ended up in some interesting places. It has hung out with folks on summer vacation, a rock band, and wound up at a wedding. During the wedding hitchBOT reportedly interrupted the groom's thank you for coming speech to say it likes to make friends.
HitchBOT began its cross-country trip on July 27 after being left on the side of the road near the Halifax airport. The bot has been taking photos and sharing them online as well as tweeting during its trip. The bot is expected to end its trip at the Victoria Open Space Gallery next week.

1000 strong robot swarm can make shapes on command
Researchers around the world are working on robotics to make them able to operate on their own and perform complex tasks. In the US, a group of engineers has designed a swarm of 1000 tiny robots that are able to shuffle their way into specific shapes when told to. Each of the bots is given an image of the shape controllers want and then they work together to make the shape.

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It's not a fast process; it reportedly takes about 12 hours for the bots to take the desired shape. This is the largest swarm of robots to ever be used in a study of this type. Researchers from the group behind the project say that each of the bots is identical and have the exact same program.

The throng of robots is inspired by cells that form organs or ants that are able to build bridges to span water. The team hopes that knowledge gleaned from this study will help develop self-assembling tools and structures in the future. Each of the little bots is 3cm across and said to be about the size of a sushi roll and each has three straight legs. Commands are given using an infrared light overhead and a sensor on the robots.

Sony PS4 dominates sales charts for console systems in July
It can't be sitting well with Microsoft that for most of the last generation of game consoles it was by far tops with the Xbox 360 leaving Nintendo and Sony far behind in sales. Things have completely turned around for Microsoft with new generation consoles seeing the Sony PS4 continuing to dominate the sales charts.

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The latest numbers for the gaming market are in for the month of July and Sony lead the sales charts with the PS4 being the most popular game system for the month. Microsoft didn't offer sales numbers, which may leave some gamers thinking the numbers were too terrible to talk about. Sony was tops in the game console sales war for the seventh month in a row.
Sony says that it has now sold 10 million PS4 units to customers. Nintendo is even bragging about sales gains with its Wii U racking up a 60% sales increase compared to the same seven months of 2013. Nintendo can thank Mario Kart 8 for the sales boost. The Xbox One is expected to be outselling the Wii U by a small margin, but with no numbers from Microsoft how small a margin is unknown.

SMS Audio brings Intel heart rate tech to earbuds
If you have ever worked out using a chest strap to track your heart rate, you know how uncomfortable that can be. During CES 2014, Intel rolled out tech that would allow firms to build earbuds that have heart rate tracking tech inside. Those earbuds are now a reality thanks to SMS Audio with a set of earbuds called BioSport.

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The earbuds have an optical biometric sensor that is able to collect data and share it with apps like RunKeeper. BioSport earbuds are IPX4 certified to survive sweat and water. SMS designed the earbuds with a hook shape to keep them inside your ear with exertion.
They connect with any device that has a 3.5mm headphone port and get power needed for the sensor from that port as well. The cord is tangle free and the headphones have in-line controls. Pricing for the earbuds is unknown at this time and they will hit stores in Q4.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 'has a duration' of exclusivity to Xbox One
Earlier in the week we reported that Microsoft had an exclusive for its Xbox One in the form of Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel to the well-received reboot of the game, Tomb Raider. Well, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has stepped up, stating that the exclusivity behind Rise of the Tomb Raider "has a duration".

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Eurogamer has the scoop, where Spencer told them: "Yes, the deal has a duration. I didn't buy it. I don't own the franchise". When asked how long the duration on the exclusivity of Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One was, Spencer said: "No. It's not because I'm trying to be a headfake on anybody. It's a deal between us and the partner. People ask me how much did we pay. There are certain things I'm just not going to talk about because it's a business deal between us and them. Obviously the deal does have a duration. I didn't buy the IP in perpetuity".
So there you have it: Rise of the Tomb Raider will be exclusive to the Xbox One for a certain amount of time, after which it should hopefully arrive on the PS4 and PC.

Ubisoft promises an improved focus for its PC gamers
Ubisoft is in a tough spot with PC gamers right now, but is the company finally starting to see the light? Probably not, but it is promising that it is trying to focus more on the PC, in the form of simplified DRM activation, and a better commitment to multi-platform releases.

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During an interview with MVC, Ubisoft's European boss Alain Corre said: "We listen to feedback from players and continue to adapt accordingly. For instance, we switched to a simple, one-time activation for our PC games; a standard practice in the industry. We're also doing our best to bring our games to PC at the same time as the console versions".
We should begin to see the fruits of Ubisoft's labor in its upcoming titles, two of the biggest releases of the year: Assassin's Creed Unity, and Far Cry 4. Corre has said that the company is seeing an increase in revenue from the PC side of things, with its PC market growing from 11% in 2013 to 15% this year. Corre continued: "We recognise the importance and needs of PC gamers, and want to continue to improve how we create and support games for PC. We are committed to improving the optimisation of our games for each platform on which they're released, including PC".

Report: Sprint to roll out disruptive pricing next week to woo users
Sprint will reportedly cut prices with an announcement set for next week, as the No. 3 wireless carrier tries to catch up to Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Sprint Chairman Masayoshi Son recently tasked new CEO Marcelo Claure with pointing the company in the correct direction following a failed bid for T-Mobile.

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Claure replaced Dan Hesse last week, and is interested in dropping prices, boosting the company's wireless network, and trying to cut operational costs.
"In the short term, our success will come from our focus on becoming extremely cost efficient and competing aggressively in the marketplace," Claure recently said. "The management team has been working closely with the board to outline the future strategy of the company."
Even with disruptive pricing, it's going to be difficult for Sprint to fend off T-Mobile - which continues to offer new perks for subscribers - while also dealing with Verizon and AT&T. Trying to grow Sprint's subscriber base will be difficult with the U.S. wireless market currently so competitive. Moving forward, Sprint also hopes to develop a stronger partnership with Apple, and that could help keep T-Mobile at bay.

RollerCoaster Tycoon World announced, nostalgic kick happens in 2015
Atari Interactive has announced that RollerCoaster Tycoon is making a comeback next year, in the form of RollerCoaster Tycoon World. RollerCoaster Tycoon World is coming to the PC, and it should include all of the same mechanics that made the original game a massive hit with gamers.

Players will have the ability to share blueprints of their setups that they've created, where they can then visit other players' theme parks to check them out. Fred Chesnais, the CEO of Atari, said: "Many of the new features in RollerCoaster Tycoon World were not possible a few years ago, but we have taken advantage of technological improvements to offer a wildly fun gaming experience that stays true to the storied franchise. This is the game fans have been asking for".
Pipeworks is the company developing RollerCoaster Tycoon World, with previous games in their history being the World Series of Poker: Full House Pro and the Deadliest Warrior franchise. Expect RollerCoaster Tycoon World sometime early next year.

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Activision has the 'freedom to fail' with 3-year cycle on Call of Duty
During an interview with Joystiq at Gamescom, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said that the three-year cycle that the Call of Duty franchise finds itself in, is something its audience is used to. But even though we see a game released every year, we have three studios working on the franchise at all times.

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Hirshberg explained: "That extra year of development time, particularly with the new consoles and the more powerful hardware, has really paid off thus far to iterate, innovate and try new things. To find out which things didn't work and have the freedom to fail in the creative process, so what goes on the disc is the best ideas".
It's interesting to see that the company knows it has the ability to fail, with Hirshberg continuing: "The thing that the three-year development cycle allows is these games have gotten so ambitious, we're packing so many different modes of play onto the disc. The things that started off as flyers, like zombies or co-op became their own whole games". Hirshberg says that even though the franchise is annualized, the structure it has for Call of Duty sees that the quality of the series is sustainable. He finished off by saying "Activision has a narrative that doesn't match the reality, which is quite potent".

Nexus 6 pops up AnTuTu with a Snapdragon 805 chip, 2560x1440 display
The latest leak on the upcoming Nexus 6 is that it will feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 805 processor, which will provide users with a quad-core CPU with a clock speed of 2.65GHz. Better yet, the Nexus 6 will reportedly feature 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 420 GPU.

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Which display will Google opt for? The Nexus 6 that was found on AnTuTu shows that it will feature a 5.2-inch QHD panel, with a 2560x1440 resolution. Another thing to note, is that we can see 'Android L' listed there, so we should expect Google to unveil the Nexus 6 alongside the release of Android 5.0, or Android L.
To go alongside the Snapdragon 805 processor, we have 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera backed up by a 2.1-megapixel camera for selfies. We should hopefully hear about an announcement event for the Nexus 6 in the coming weeks, something I'm sure will be close to the iPhone 6 event on September 9.

Nintendo has sold over 1 million copies of Mario Kart 8 in the US
It looks like Mario Kart 8 is selling quite well, with over one million copies sold in the US alone. This makes it the second title on the Wii U to sell over one million copies in the US, with the other game being New Super Mario Bros. Wii U.

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Nintendo has said: "Mario Kart 8 continues to drive momentum for the Wii U platform", also claiming that hardware sales have increased by "nearly" 60% in the first seven months of this year, versus the same seven-month period of 2013.

Sixense's STEM shows off incredible VR shooting gallery demo
Sixense's STEM System is something we've been excited about since it was announced, but the company has just shown off its own Shooting Gallery, where it provides an excellent example of what STEM can do in the VR world with full-simulation weapon mechanics.

With a STEM in each hand, the right hand acts as if you're holding the gun, while the second can reload your gun with a new magazine. The video above shows off how incredibly well this works, with smooth animations and detailed parts where you can load bullets into the magazine, and then the full magazine into the gun in your right hand.

For Star Wars fans, there's also a Lightsaber Demo that Sixense posted, that shows off another use for the STEM. In this demo, the STEM System becomes a Lightsaber, and thanks to the one-to-one motion tracking system in VR and its low latency, the experience in the VR world blends into the real-world thanks to you holding something in your hand that feels like the handle of the Lightsaber.

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Flash Memory Summit 2014 - Newisys shows NDS-2600 with 60 2.5" in a 2U
Flash Memory Summit 2014 - Newisys displayed two data center storage systems at the show this year, both with a focus on density. The new NDS-2600 and NDS-4600 allow data centers to add large volumes of storage with as little rack space as possible.

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Here is a face you've seen on the pages of TweakTown a few times. It's Michael Schuette, formally of OCZ fame. Michael has taken his wealth of knowledge to Sanmina, owners of the Newisys brand.

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Michael is no stranger to the cutting edge. Here we see one side of the new Newisys NDS-2600, a 2U server that features 30 2.5" drive bays on each side of the system. As you can see in this image, the system is still on rails so it slides in and out of the server rack for service easily.

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Armed with an Intel Xeon E5-26xx processor and 60 2.5" 2TB SSDs, the system delivers 120TB of all-flash capacity. The performance is just as impressive, 11 Gigabytes per second throughput and less than .7ms latency.

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For those counting, that's over 2 million IOPS coming from a small 2U that even has a battery back up option.
We're looking forward to hearing more about Newisys' new products in the future.

Michael J Fox Foundation and Intel team for Parkinson's research
Michael J Fox's charity, the Michael J Fox foundation, has partnered with Intel to examine how wearable technology can be of benefit to people with Parkinson's disease.

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Michael J Fox founded the charity after he was diagnosed with the disease. Its cause is not known and there is no cure, however, the symptoms, such as shaking and trouble with co-ordination, can be treated to a degree. The wearable tech will be used to unearth more data, for example, by recording the movements of patients and volunteers. An accompanying smartphone will upload this data to an Intel system, which will then dedicate data scientists to the project.
Ex Intel boss Andy Grove has acted as adviser to the foundation since he was also diagnosed with the disease. Chief executive of the foundation, Todd Sherer, said, according to the BBC: "This opportunity really will allow us the chance to uncover novel breakthroughs in Parkinson's disease by truly understanding how people are living with the disease today, how are they responding to treatments, what are their unmet needs."

Owner of Tinder buys Ask FM and vows to improve online safety
Following a spate of high profile bullying cases and suicides that were linked by pundits to the service, Ask.fm has been taken over by Ask.com and social dating app Tinder.

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IAC, which arranged the deal, said it plans on spending millions on improving the safety of the site, while Ask.fm's founders are due to leave. It will "revamp" its safety policies and procedures, according to an official safety agreement between the new owners and New York state attorney general Eric Schneiderman.
Ask.fm, the BBC reports, started in 2010 and has a hefty userbase of 180 million per month - but complaints surfaced after it was linked to the deaths of teenagers and online abuse. But IAC said it will focus on child safety, including by employing more moderators.

German capital Berlin bans Uber from operating in the city
The German capital of Berlin has officially banned smartphone taxi service Uber, effective immediately, over concerns that the company's drivers and vehicles are not officially licensed.

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Berlin authorities issued a warning that Uber faces a 25,000 euro fine each time it is found in violation of the city's Public Transport Act. The Act states that drivers must be background checked, as well as own a valid driving licence. Berlin's authorities said that the safety of its citizens takes precedence over Uber's right to operate. "As the supervisory and regulatory body, the agency for citizen's affairs and public order cannot tolerate, that passengers are entrusted to unlicensed drivers or vehicles, and where in the case of an accident they are not insured," a statement said.
Uber hit back by claiming the city is preventing its citizens from making their own choices, and insists the only service it is providing is connecting would-be drivers with would-be passengers.

Corsair unveils its new DDR4 Dominator Platinum RAM
Corsair has just taken the wraps off of its new DDR4 RAM, where it has announced two DDR4 kits in its Dominator Platinum range. Both of the new DDR4-powered products are 16GB kits, with a 2800MHz kit, and a 2666MHz kit.

The faster of the two is the Dominator Platinum Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4 DRAM 2800MHz C16 Memory Kit (CMD16GX4M4A2800C16), while the second kit is the Dominator Platinum Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4 DRAM 2666MHz C15 Memory Kit (CMD16GX4M4A2666C15). Both of the new DDR4 kits include XMP 2.0, which allows for super easy automatic overclocking. Both of the kids also support Corsair Link, so that you can use the software for temperature monitoring, and even the ability to enhance the white LED lighting on the RAM itself.
Corsair offers a limited lifetime warranty on its Dominator Platinum RAM, so you won't have to worry about spending a considerable sum on RAM, and not have the kick ass support behind it. Corsair is selling the 2800MHz kit for $539.99, while the 2666MHz kit is slightly cheaper at $479.99.

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The domination of iOS, Android pushing Windows Phone out of the fun
Google Android and Apple iOS are clearly dominating the smartphone market, with very little room for the Microsoft Windows Phone. Microsoft has added 11 additional OEM partners, and has attracted new developers, but Microsoft is still losing ground. There are more than 300,000 Windows Phone apps, but that greatly trails the 1 million+ Android and iOS apps already available.

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Windows Phone devices dropped from 3.4 percent down to 2.5 percent year-over-year during Q2, according to the IDC research firm. Microsoft has tried to heavily promote its Windows Phone OS to users and developers, but it has been nearly impossible to steal attention from Google and Apple. Android has around 84 percent of the market, available on a host of different OEMs, such as Samsung, LG, and others.
"It's been an incredible upward slog for other OS players," said Melissa Chau, IDC senior research manager, in a statement. "Windows Phone has been around since 2010 but has yet to break the 5 percent share mark ... the biggest stumbling block is around getting enough partnerships in play - not just phone manufacturers but also developers, many of which are smaller outfits looking to minimize development efforts by sticking to the two big ecosystems."

Flash Memory Summit 2014 - iXsystems talks about the future of FreeNAS
Flash Memory Summit 2014 - We sat down with Josh and Matt from iXsystems while at the show. Matt and Josh unloaded a lot of information about FreeNAS and where the project is headed. It sounds like the big push for the second half of this year revolves around making the product more user friendly. A new wizard system should tame the complicated but powerful storage specific operating system.

The FreeNAS developers also also pitched us TrueNAS, not that it was difficult to make us listen. iXsystems will soon offer TrueNAS in an all flash array, something we're excited about. The current builds of TrueNAS are hybrid storage pools with flash acceleration.

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If you missed our review of the iXsystem's FreeNAS Mini be sure to take a look. The system cost less than $1000 and outperforms many systems costing several times more.

Kanguru launches USB 3.0 flash drive using trusted secure firmware
USB portable data storage company Kanguru has released an unencrypted USB 3.0 flash drive, utilizing onboard trusted firmware that defends against malicious firmware-based attacks. The drive has read speeds up to 230MB/s with 85MB/s write speed, Kanguru noted. Storage capacities range in size: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB, with a starting price of $29.95 for the 8GB drive. The flash drive also has a strong aluminum housing to keep it safe from any significant external damage.

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"Our Kanguru Defender series of secure, hardware encrypted USB drives is immune to a potential attack like 'BadUSB' because of the digitally signed secure firmware," said Nate Cote, Kanguru EVP, in a press statement. "With the release of the new Kanguru FlashTrust, we now offer this same level of firmware protection to the multi-billion dollar market segment of unencrypted USB device users."
As many users and business workers rely on flash drives, there has been an increase in secure flash drives - IronKey, Kingston secure USB flash drives, Imation Defender, Kanguru, and the Apricorn Aegis secure key, among others. There is a good selection of secure products that can be chosen, using various security protocols to keep data safe.

Amobile Spy unveils Android spy app so you can snoop on your kids
Amobile Spy recently launched the iKeyMonitor Android Spy App, a custom app designed to help parents track what their children do using their smartphones.

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The app has the ability to log passwords and keystrokes, monitor WhatsApp message recording, Web history tracking, capture screenshots, log email reporting and 2-side SMS/call logging. The keylogger monitors everything from Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Skype, Yahoo Messenger and other popular social media or communication apps.
"iKeyMonitor Android Keylogger offers simple, secure, and secret ways to record the activities on Android devices with incredible monitoring features," said Kyle Davis, Amobile Development Department Manager, in a press statement. "We're also giving users smart features to review the logged data remotely."
There is a lively debate among parents trying to monitor what their children do using smartphones and tablets while online - and some might consider Amobile Spy's offering a bit much - while others will be interested in testing it. In theory, this type of software could also be used on employer-issued smartphones to keep employes in check.

Overstock estimates $6 million to $8 million in 2014 bitcoin sales
Overstock.com has seen $15,000 per day in bitcoin sales, totaling $300,000 per month, serving as one of the leading brands now accepting the cryptocurrency. Accepting bitcoin is reportedly going to add 4 cents per share to the company's financial earnings in 2014, and sales have exceeded $2 million.

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The company expects to see anywhere from an estimated $6 million up to $8 million in bitcoin sales this year, with new customers now shopping with the e-tailer.
"We're in bitcoin for the long haul, I intend to make it permanent," said Patrick Byrne, Overstock CEO, in a statement to Reuters. "Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are going to be around for as long as the law of mathematics works."
As other retailers begin considering bitcoin as a legitimate payment method, hearing Overstock's experiences with the cryptocurrency could be helpful. More than 60,000 retailers already accept bitcoin, and there is a growing number of major companies willing to explore the digital currency.

Oculus VR Rift DK2 Unboxing #throughglass and First Impressions

Introduction

It has felt like years since the original Oculus Rift Development Kit, or DK1, was released - but it was only March 2013 when the future of VR was unleashed upon the world. Between March 2013 and now, Oculus VR has shown off different iterations of the Rift, including the Crystal Cove prototype at CES 2015 in January, and then the Development Kit 2, or DK2, just after. The company announced it would be selling the DK2 in July, 2014.

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Oculus VR opened the doors up to the world for DK2 on March 19, seeing over 12,500 units pre-ordered in the first 36 hours. Days later, the company announced it was being acquired by Facebook for a huge $2 billion. This acquisition worried the world, including myself, but the team at Oculus were quick to react to the criticism. Fast forward to July, and Oculus begins shipping its first batch of DK2 to eager users. I missed the first batch, but made the second batch, receiving my unit on August 12 - but missed the postman, and didn't get my DK2 until two days later.
Oculus has been working closely with Samsung for a few months now, with Oculus receiving early access to Samsung's next-gen OLED panels. In return, Oculus provides early access to its mobile software development kit (SDK) to Samsung, with Samsung set to unveil its own VR device, Gear VR, in the coming weeks. This partnership with Samsung, which was most likely only made possible with the backing of Facebook, had allowed Oculus to bake in a considerably better panel into the DK2, which we're going to start talking about now.

Specifications, Pricing and Availability

The original Rift, at the time, was great - but its Achilles Heel was its display panel. DK1 was using a 7-inch 1280x800 LCD, similar, if not identical, to the one found in the Nexus 7 (2012 model) that was out at the time. This provided 640x800 per eye, with a 60Hz refresh rate, leaving users with a screen-door effect. This screen door effect was atrocious, but there was nothing else out at the time, so it was the only option. Still, DK1 was an impressive piece of kit, with the first device delivering a truly next-gen experience. Next-gen in the sense that it wasn't just a faster GPU, or console, but an entirely new device that provided a very unique experience - VR.
Oculus knew it had to up its game for DK2, with the company using a 5.7-inch 1920x1080 panel for its next-gen Rift. The 5.7-inch panel is ripped, quite literally, right out of the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone from Samsung. This means that the Rift DK2 unit uses a 5.7-inch 1920x1080 Super AMOLED display, which provides 960x1080 per eye, compared to just 640x800 per eye from the DK1. But it's not just resolution that helps the DK2 surpass the DK1.

What's In The Box

One of the first things that made the Oculus Rift unique at the time was the packaging that DK1 arrived in. The Rift DK1 arrived in a super-premium plastic case that made transporting, and keeping your Rift headset safe, something that was worth talking about. It was one of the surprise moments when opening up the outside box of the Rift, to find this premium plastic case inside. Well, unfortunately, there's no plastic case this time around - with a simple, but practical box for the DK2.
The box itself is great, but definitely no way near what the original DK1 unit came in. Oculus has wrapped everything individually, in perfectly packaged bags. Everything from the Rift headset itself, down to the B eyecups, all the way through to the positional tracking camera.
For those who don't want to watch the video, or want a quick list of what comes inside of the box, here's a list:

Oculus Rift DK2 Headset (with detachable cable)
Positional tracking camera
'B' lenses
Positional tracker mini-USB to USB cable
Positional tracker 3.5mm to 3.5mm sync cable
DVI to HDMI adapter
Power adapter (with 4 plugs: US, EU, UK, AU)
Lens cleaning cloth

What's a list without some pictures?

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The box that the DK2 comes in is plain, but it does the job.

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The DK2 box is filled with stuff, lots of VR stuff!

Pricing & Availability

When it comes to pricing, I really think what Oculus is offering with the Rift DK2 is an incredible price. I've read about the place that people don't recommend purchasing the Rift just yet, as it's just an 'expensive toy' or an 'expensive beta kit', but at $350 (without shipping), I think it represents great value. Even the DK1 was a fun time for over a year for $350, but the DK2 has much better technology, positional tracking, a low-persistence higher-resolution screen, and much more.
As for availability, you're going to be waiting quite some time to get it if you were to order it today. I would say that it would be at least the middle of October before people will get it, if they were to order when they read this review.
I used my everyday PC to run the Rift DK2, which also ensured that I constantly hit the 75FPS mark to meet the 75Hz refresh rate of the DK2's display. This meant that I didn't experience judder for most of my testing, but I did hit a few snags that I'll talk about in a follow up piece where I go deeper into the games and demos I'll be playing. For now, here's what I was running with the Rift DK2 headset:

CPU: Intel Core i7 4930K processor w/Corsair H110i cooler
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition
RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance Pro of 2400MHz DDR3
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 SLI
Storage: 240GB SanDisk Extreme II and 480GB SanDisk Extreme II
Chassis: InWin X-Frame Limited Edition
PSU: Corsair AX1200i digital PSU
Software: Windows 7 Ultimate x64

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BenQ RL2240HE 60Hz 21.5-inch LED Gaming Monitor Review

Introduction

TweakTown image benq_rl2240he_60hz_21_5_inch_led_gaming_monitor_review

We've got another BenQ monitor passing through the lab today. This time, the monitor we have in for testing is a 21.5-inch gaming monitor aimed at those who like playing real-time strategy (RTS) games such as League of Legends or StarCraft.
In fact, the front of the box shows the Gambit team, a team of professional League of Legends players, further adding credibility to this monitor's capabilities as an RTS gaming monitor.
We're going to put it through our again updated monitor regimen. We've added more aspects to our monitor reviews, as you'll soon see when clicking through the review, so sit down, have a drink, and let's get on with it.

Specifications, General Features & Pricing

Instead of covering all of the specifications, we're going to direct you at the chart below, taken from BenQ's product page. After the image, we're going to highlight some of the more important specs before moving on to the features, pricing, and gaming specific features.

TweakTown image benq_rl2240he_60hz_21_5_inch_led_gaming_monitor_review

In the chart above, you can see we're dealing with a 21.5-inch panel that pumps out a resolution of 1920x1080. It has a spec'd brightness of 250cd/m^2 and a dynamic contrast ratio of 12,000,000:1.
The panel is of the TN variety, meaning color reproduction and viewing angles will be affected, but it reduces the cost of the monitor. BenQ rates the viewing angles at 170/160 horizontal/vertical. It features VGA, DVI, HDMI, and a headphone jack for connectivity.
BenQ says the monitor draws 21 watts, a spec we will put to the test later on in the review.
This is really a no-frills monitor, providing only what you need to get a great RTS gaming product. Of course, it has rapid 1ms GTG response time. It also features the ability to adjust the monitor screen size to your liking.

Gaming Specific Features

As with most, if not all, BenQ monitors, we have ZeroFlicker technology, that is designed to eliminate flickering at all brightness levels. ZeroFlicker should allow for extended gaming with reduced eye fatigue.
Next we have an important feature for the RTS game category: Black eQualizer. This is a feature that BenQ has added to brighten up dark scenes without over-exposing the white levels. The idea is that hidden details in dark parts of the scene will be brighter and easier to spot, track, and attack.
Of course, BenQ has packed in exclusive RTS modes that are tuned to bring out the details in various RTS games. Picture modes are how you access these preset settings. RTS 1 mode is for StarCraft II, and RTS 2 is for Dota II.
PRICING: You can find the BenQ RL2240HE Gaming Monitor for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The BenQ RL2240HE Gaming Monitor retails for $159.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The BenQ RL2240HE Gaming Monitor retails for CDN$179.97 at Amazon Canada.
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LUXA2 EnerG 6600mAh Portable Battery Bank Review

Introduction, Specifications & Pricing

When we reviewed the LUXA2 EnerG 8800mAh Portable Power Bank, we fell in love with it. At just $29.99, you score yourself an 8800mAh battery that looks absolutely gorgeous in person - with all of the joys of having enough power to charge up multiple devices at once, or your own smartphone at least 2-3 times over.
The company has expanded its efforts in the EnerG range, with a 6600mAh model that we're going to look at today. LUXA2 has an internal 6600mAh lithium ion battery inside of the EnerG 6600mAh power bank, with a microUSB port for charging, and a full-sized USB port for an additional device on its bottom. This gives you the ability to charge two devices at once, and with 6600mAh of charge available, this is more than enough to charge up two devices to 100% without a problem.

TweakTown image luxa2_energ_6600mah_portable_battery_bank_review

When it comes down to specifications, we have 5V/1A of input power, and 5V/1.5A of output power. LUXA2 states that the EnerG 6600mAh Portable Battery Bank has a charging time of around 7.8 hours, if it's completely dead at 0%. We have fast-charging capabilities thanks to its 1.5A output, a brushed decoration look, and more. It's quite petite, measuring in at 92 x 65 x 22 mm, or 3.6 x 2.5 x 0.8 inches. It's not thin, but it is nice and short - something that is short enough to fit into my bag easily, without protruding out anywhere.
LUXA2 offers the EnerG 6600mAh Portable Battery Bank in its once style and color: black and silver, which looks unbelievably good in person. The best part about it, is the price, something that LUXA2 have hit yet another home run on, with a price of just $24.99 on Amazon. This is just an insane price for a battery with 6600mAh of charge, something that really begins kicking at the heels of other batteries on the market.

Taking It Out of the Packaging

TweakTown image luxa2_energ_6600mah_portable_battery_bank_review

In the packaging, you'll find the EnerG 6600mAh battery itself, a carrying pouch, a Quick Start Guide, and a micro-USB to USB cable.

TweakTown image luxa2_energ_6600mah_portable_battery_bank_review

Here we have the EnerG 6600mAh charger itself, in all of its beautiful black and silver glory.

TweakTown image luxa2_energ_6600mah_portable_battery_bank_review

As you can see here, we have the 1.5A output for the normal USB port, and the micro-USB in for charging up the EnerG power bank.

TweakTown image luxa2_energ_6600mah_portable_battery_bank_review

To the right, we have the power button and four LEDs that show you just how much charge is left inside of the EnerG 6600mAh battery.

TweakTown image luxa2_energ_6600mah_portable_battery_bank_review

Here we have a closer look at LUXA2's attention to detail on its EnerG range, with a beautiful spiral pattern placed on the power button itself.
PRICING: You can find the LUXA2 EnerG 6600mAh Portable Battery Bank for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The LUXA2 EnerG 6600mAh Portable Battery Bank retails for $24.99 at Amazon.
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Available Tags:Microsoft , Samsung , Sony , PS4 , Intel , Xbox , Ubisoft , gamers , Activision , Nintendo , DDR4 , Windows Phone , Android , Windows , USB 3.0 , USB , BenQ , Gaming ,

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