IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 1/27/2015

256GB SSDs will cost less than $70 in 2H 2015, according to Apacer
SSDs are already ridiculously cheap compared to what they used to be a few years ago, but Apacer is predicting that 256GB SSDs will be priced at under $70 by the second half of the year.

According to CK Chang, the General Manager of Apacer Technology, 256GB SSDs will cost under $70 while 128GB drives will be priced at around $40. Chang revealed the news during an interview with DigiTimes, adding that SSD are becoming much more reasonably priced, and that shrinking manufacturing technologies and the falling cost of NAND flash memory chips will continue to push the price of SSDs down.

The top NAND flash makers are moving over to 14nm, 15nm and 16nm fabrication processes, as well as the push toward triple-level cell (TLC) NAND and vertically-stacked NAND will only help further the reduction of cost to SSDs. We should expect to see mainstream laptops with 256GB SSDs in the near future, as their price is reduced as we moved into the second half of 2015. With the 256GB SSDs reducing in price, we can expect the 512GB drives to drop, which will hopefully see 512GB become the new 256GB, and 1TB become the new 512GB. Or am I reaching too high, too fast?


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24-karat gold PS4 and Xbox One controllers nearly sold out at $300ea
For the console gamers out there with a little more money, how does a 24-karat gold-plated PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller sound? The PS4 side of things is already sold out at $300 each, but the Xbox One version is still available, for now.

With only 25 of each made, they are super limited edition peripherals for the 1%. While they're $300 each, they do looks pretty awesome. Although, I think I would want to keep them encased in glass, and not get my smudgy fingerprints on them. What do you think? Would you drop $300 on a 24-karat gold-plated Xbox One or PS4 controller?


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Massive battle in Planetside 2 sets world record with 1158 players
Which game just set a new world record for the most players in a first-person shooter at once? That would be Planetside 2, with a huge 1158 gamers battling it out in a gigantic war.

The entire battle was on a Twitch broadcast over at PlanetSideBattles, with the previous record held with Guinness World Records being 999 players for Man vs. Machines in 2012, a browser-based first-person shooter. Guinness hasn't yet chimed in about the new Planetside 2 record, but let's hope they do soon.


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Here's the first look at the purported PS4 Slim console

The images of the purported PS4 Slim are coming from Italian site Multiplayer.it, but they didn't state who was behind the original image. What we are seeing are press images for the PS4 Slim, which is going under the codename of "Monolith". The PS4 Slim looks to be around half the size of the current PlayStation 4, with a slight change to its shape, too.

We should hopefully see Sony showing off the new smaller, thinner PS4 Slim at either E3 or Gamescom later in the year. As for when we should expect it, we should expect it in 2016-2017 going by previous Slim iterations of the PlayStation consoles. Let's hope its sooner, rather than later.


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Travel giant Expedia acquires Travelocity for $280 million in cash
Online travel giant Expedia has just acquired online travel site Travelocity for $280 million in cash. A filing over at the SEC has confirmed the mammoth deal.

Expedia purchased Travelocity from its parent company, Sabre Holdings, where it will likely keep its rival Priceline at a better distance, and turn the Travelocity brand into something even better. Expedia's CEO and President, Dara Khosrowshahi, said that Travelocity's strong brand recognition was one of the big selling points for the company. With over 20 million travellers using Travelocity each month, you could see why, too.

The companies were already working together within a strategic marketing agreement that put together "Travelocity's strong brand" with Expedia's "best-in-class booking platform, supply base, and customer service" according to Khosrowshahi. 50% of Travelocity's revenue was coming in from Expedia, thanks to the latter company running its back-end services, according to reported numbers. Before the acquisition of Travelocity, Expedia is worth $10.8 billion, but it should gain a fair chunk of marketshare post acquisition, which will only bolster those numbers even more.


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SK Hynix launches KLEVV DDR RAM lineup, targeted at high-end gamers
The high-end DRAM market has been dominated by a few players in the last couple of years, with the likes of Corsair, G.SKILL, Crucial and a few others. But it looks like this could all change with the introduction of a new company, KLEVV, which was showing off its new DDR3 and DDR4 modules at PAX South this weekend. The KLEVV website has only opened up in the last 24 hours, which you can check out here.

KLEVV is a partner of SK Hynix, who sell their DRAM IC to companies like Corsair or G.SKILL, but now it could be providing its top binned (best chips) to KLEVV, giving it a serious edge against the competition. This means that KLEVV will be a force to be reckoned with within the DRAM market rather quickly, without having to worry about securing the best IC and paying through the nose for it, as it will be cherry picking the very best thanks to its strong connection with its parent company; Essencore, which falls under the SK Hynix umbrella.

During PAX South, Essencore was showing off an entire range of KLEVV DDR3 and DDR4 modules. The initial shipments will be locked to the United States for now, with Essencore partnering with Newegg for distribution. There are various lines being shown off, with the KLEVV Cras DDR4 Gaming Memory Module sitting at the very top. This ships with speeds of 2133, 2666, 2800, 3000 and 3200MHz with varying voltages, and capacities of up to 32GB (4 x 8GB modules). The tagline for this memory is "tapping the supreme power within" which is a nice tease.

There are three versions of KLEVV's DDR3 memory, all falling into the Gaming category. We have KLEVV Genuine, Urbane and Neo. The Genuine and Urbane ranges come in capacities of up to 32GB and speeds of between 1600-3200MHz. The Neo range will be the mainstream part, with capacities scaling up to 32GB too, but speeds limited to just 1600-2400MHz. Then we have some nice U-DIMMs from KLEVV in both DDR4 and DDR3. These U-DIMMs come in capacities of 4GB and 8GB, at speeds of up to 2133MHz for DDR4 and 1866MHz for DDR3.

You can be sure we'll be getting some of this memory in to test as soon as we can, so keep checking back for more details on Essencore's new KLEVV range of memory here at TweakTown.


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Israeli cybersecurity expert says business leaders need more knowledge
Business leaders need to become more computer literate so they are better able to understand evolving threats posed by cybercriminals. Criminals are using the digital equivalent of an F-16 fighter jet to launch attacks against governments and corporations, finding surprising levels of success, according to an Israeli cybersecurity expert.

"The breakers in cyber are one step ahead of the makers... we're out of equilibrium," said Nadav Zafrir, former Israel Defense Force tech commander and founder of Team8 Cyber Security Venture Creation, during a recent meeting with corporate leaders. "You have to redefine control. You have to let go, and it's scary. It's too important to leave it to the cyber experts. You [the CEO] have to become cyber literate."

Business leaders are confused in their efforts to defend against cyberattacks, often unsure how to prevent data breaches - and what to do if one occurs. However, analysts and experts recommend companies focus on preventing insider attacks, try to clamp down on outside threats, and have a recovery plan in case a breach does take place.


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Wearables helping casual consumers embrace more active lifestyles
As wearable technology continues to develop, and consumers begin to familiarize themselves while using these products, fitness trackers and health wearables will greatly benefit. The early generations of fitness trackers and health wearables, while providing unique features, should evolve as newer technologies emerge.

Despite many people purchasing a fitness tracker and abandoning them within three months, that could also change with future technology developments.

"In the future, your smartwatch will instantly access your medical records, diet and training logs, then sync them with sensors in the supermarket and mall to provide real-time shopping and health advice," said Dennis Bonilla, executive dean at the University of Phoenix college of information systems and technology, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "Your smart shoes and biometric shirts will remind you to straighten your posture, hydrate and run and walk with correct form to protect your back and knees."


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Dennis Rodman doesn't believe his friends in Pyongyang hacked Sony
Dennis Rodman doesn't believe North Korea is responsible for attacking Sony Pictures, with the former NBA champion thinking Pyongyang wouldn't lash out against Sony Pictures just for making "The Interview."

"If the North wanted to hack anything in the world, anything in the world, really, they are going to go hack a movie? Really?!" Rodman recently said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "How many movies have there been attacking North Korea? And they never hacked those. North Korea is going to hack a comedy, a movie that is really nothing? I can't see that happening. Of all the companies... really? Over a movie?

It's worth noting, however, North Korea has been blamed for attacking South Korean infrastructure, including financial institutions - and has a budding cybercriminal unit that is well-trained and financed by Pyongyang. Furthermore, if North Korea actually is responsible for breaching SPE, it was likely done to further develop its cyberespionage abilities that could be used against future targets.


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Fable creator ponders HoloLens, and whether a killer app is available
Microsoft's recent unveiling of its HoloLens has generated a lot of interest from consumers, but developers understand it will be up to them to create appealing apps for the new platform. Microsoft is promoting HoloLens as something different than Oculus Rift or Sony Morpheus, and will likely try to build its success piggybacked on Windows OS and Xbox One integration in the future.

"I think [HoloLens], for me, more exciting than even VR but it shares a similar problem as VR does and that is: what is the application going to be?" said Peter Molyneux, creator of Fable, in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz. "This is the problem with VR - the applications that we think are going to be great on it quite often are exhausting or very challenging. My hope is that their concept video doesn't over promise what the technology can deliver."

Molyneux is basing his opinion on a HoloLens prototype that was tested more than two years ago, however.

Microsoft has spent the last few years learning from its mistakes - and watching its competitors - so it's likely that in addition to Microsoft-created apps for HoloLens, they will try to create a more appealing ecosystem for HoloLens.


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Researchers developing wearable brain scanner able to measure activity
Researchers are working on a portable positron emission tomography (PET) scanner that can be worn to show brain activity throughout the day. Normal PET scanners used in hospitals are large and unable to provide a better understanding of brain function and neurological disorders - but the new device could change that.

Using a helmet that has PET detectors located in a ring, the helmet can help monitor stroke patients while they do rehab, or study when someone with autism has to interact in social environments. If released to hospitals and other researchers, there are a number of different uses for the portable PET scanner.

Tested using a brain slice tagged with a radiotracer chemical, the scanner successfully worked, despite capturing images that were a bit fuzzy - which researchers will work to improve.

"Every social experience that has been done [in a brain scanner] is an artificially contrived experiment," said Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, West Virginia University neuroscientist and a project leader. "Here, you can actually see what people are doing when they're embarrassed, when they're laughing, when they're crying."


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Mojang: Minecraft passwords compromised by phishing, not hacking
Reports were published within the past week that more than 1,800 Minecraft accounts were hacked, with passwords leaked online - but the company has defended itself, and it looks like phishing attacks are to blame.

"No! We haven't been hacked," said Owen Hill, Chief World Officer at Mojang, in a published blog post. " No one has gained access to the Mojang mainframe. Even if they did, we store your passwords in a super encrypted format. Honestly, you don't need to panic."

Affected Minecraft players have been emailed and will now need to reset their passwords. If you want to change your password just in case, head to Minecraft.net/resetpassword.


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A modders dream? Yet another Parvum modded case hits our radar
We've already covered Dan Woods' simplistic stunner White Gold Parvum build before finding Project Orange Horizon and being blown away yet again. But wait, there's more! Are you a fan of the Pokemon Haunter or Gengar? Well this custom designed Parvum "beast" project might be right up your alley.

Set to be stuffed with an Intel Core i7-4790k CPU, an ASUS GTX 690 dual GPU and a fully custom EK Water Block cooling setup, this case is going to look a little different from the rest.

As I said above, the first thought I had was something similar to the popular purple beasts from Pokemon called Haunter and Gengar. The reason this build catches our attention is due to its 'different' nature - looking toward a custom-designed exterior to set it apart, rather than thousands of dollars in top-notch internal components.

We're really hoping that BeckModz throws in some crazy LED lighting setup, really accentuating the front face of this system - we'll continue to follow it as the build progresses towards completion.

The full specification list so far includes:

MOBO: ASUS Maximus Vi Gene

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790k

RAM: At least 16GB 1866MHz

PSU: Corsair AX1200i

GPU: ASUS GTX 690 Dual Gpu 4GB

COOLING: EKWB full setup

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Packing light when you're out? Check out this card-sized charger
If you're a fan of slim wallets and packing light when going out clubbing, to dinner or to a casual bar with your mates, Justin Portable Power Products may have a solution for you.

Although their name is a bit of a tongue-twister, their 2,000 mAh slim offering is elegant, simple and unique.

Quoted on their official website as a "Credit Card Sized Power Bank with Synthetic Leather Carry Case," this product features a handy blue LED battery indicator, a micro-USB in and out port and a leather carry case that can easily hold two or three cards that you may have. Not only do we have one of these for review, but we've been taking it out with us to test it to its limits.

Unfortunately it's a little big to fit any cash within, with just a few notes making it bulk up too much - however if you're out with some close friends or on a date, there's no reason you couldn't fit your license and a credit or bank card within.

2,000 mAh isn't going to mean you can invite all of your mates around for a charge-party, however it will give you a much-needed boost in times of need - set to charge between 40-100% of most common commercial mobile offerings.

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North Carolina is the next possible Google Fiber target
Raleigh and Durham will see Google events held within their borders next Wednesday and Thursday respectively, rumored to be an announcement of a Google Fiber service roll-out. Reports claim that construction may begin as of April, as released by the local TV station, WRAL.

These two locations combine with Chapel Hill to make an area known as Research Triangle, all of which were on the preliminary list of 34 locations that Google released last February as possible new Fiber locations.

Currently available in Provo, Utah, Austin, Texas and Kansas City, Google Fiber provides consumers with a free 5Mbps service, with only a $300 setup fee needing to be paid. However if you're looking for something more substantial, they offer gigabit plans for $70 per month, or you can pay between $30-$30 more to have 100+ TV channels included in the bundle - both of these latter options requiring no setup fee.


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Use a remote control plane to become a bird with first-person flying

What exactly is FPV flying?

Almost everyone has laid awake at night and dreamed about being able to soar through the sky like an eagle, seeing new sights, doing tricks and speeding off to see friends without a single worry of traffic. Unless you spend quite a lot of money to get a pilot's license and your own aircraft, this isn't exactly a realistic possibility.

However, there has been technology invented which allows you to do pretty much the next best thing. No, this isn't a simulation, this is real life - you can strap a camera to your radio controlled plane, put on some goggles, and get a live-feed including a heads-up display, just like a real fighter jet (well, almost).

This will enable you to get a real-time feed of what your plane sees - flying through scenic views and soaring around the clouds with ease. It also gets rid of a common problem with model plane flight, which is losing your aircraft. The HUD will display your distance from home and in which direction it is, allowing you to safely come back each and every time.

Practical implementations and limitations

As with almost-anything that is fun, there are a few limitations and also realistic and practical implementations for the technology. In recent years, there were some massive earthquakes located within the New Zealand's city of Christchurch, rocking their CBD and rending many buildings, infrastructure and businesses completely useless.

In order for engineers to inspect some buildings for structural integrity from the safety of outside, they utilized drones controlled by iPads to fly into large-scale areas like churches and shopping centers. This enabled preliminary visual checks to be made and consequently saving many lives. Exactly the same can be seen on quadcopters of today, with people actually racing against one another through tree-cluttered woods and park areas, able to dodge all obstacles due to their front-seat view of the situation at hand.

As far as limitations go, because this is an airborne project, you have to adhere to rulings such as height restrictions. Pilots must keep their model at least 30m away from any people, objects or animals, and your radio is only allowed to broadcast at a certain signal strength, as to not interfere with anything around you. This means there is a limit as to how high, far and wide you can travel - but it's still very awesome.

The video you watched above is a mix between FPV-capable aircraft and others that are fitted with various different GoPro (and similar) models. This scenic beauty of a place is Don heads, located within the North-West of the little island state of Tasmania, nestled at the bottom of Australia. This fan-made video covers many different plane models functioning with this technology and gives you an insight into what to expect when exploring the wide world of FPV flight.
... Read the rest in your browser!



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Windows 10: A New Generation of Windows
Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday unveiled a new generation of Windows, with a wide range of experiences designed to usher in a new era of more personal computing, as well as two new devices designed to extend the Windows experience from large screens to no screens. Windows 10 will be delivered as a service to offer a safer, innovative and updated experience for the supported lifetime of the device. A free upgrade1 for Windows 10 will be made available to customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, who upgrade in the first year.

"Windows 10 marks the beginning of the more personal computing era in the mobile-first, cloud-first world," said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. "Our ambition is for the 1.5 billion people who are using Windows today to fall in love with Windows 10 and for billions more to decide to make Windows home."

Windows 10 marks the beginning of the more personal computing era, where technology disappears and people are at the center. In this era, the mobility of the experience matters, not the mobility of the device, and experiences should work in a seamless, familiar way across devices. People should be able to naturally interact with technology as they interact with other people - with voice, gestures and gaze. Protecting privacy plays a pivotal role in delivering trustworthy experiences that put people in control of their experience.

On Wednesday, Microsoft showcased a variety of new experiences coming to Windows 10, including the following:

Cortana comes to PC and tablet. The Cortana personal digital assistant, which debuted on Windows Phone last year, will now also be available on Windows 10 PCs and tablets to help people get things done.2 Cortana is a personal helper who learns an individual's preferences to provide relevant recommendations, fast access to information and important reminders, bringing what matters most to their attention. Interaction is natural and easy via talking or typing, with advanced features to control Cortana for more trustworthiness and transparency.

New browser "Project Spartan" puts the Web to work, for you. Windows 10 will feature the new Microsoft browser, code-named "Project Spartan," which was built with interoperability in mind. With key features built-in natively to the browser, it will enable greater reliability and better discoverability. Some of the most advanced features in the browser include the ability to annotate whether by keyboard or pen directly on the webpage and easily share with friends; a reading view that is distraction-free, displaying the article in a simplified layout for a great reading experience for Web articles online and offline; and the integration of Cortana for finding and doing things online faster. All of this is offered with a new look and feel built just for Windows 10.

Xbox Live and the new Xbox app bring new gaming experiences to Windows 10. Xbox on Windows 10 lets gamers and developers access the best of the expansive Xbox Live gaming network on both Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One. Players can capture, edit and share their greatest gaming moments with Game DVR, and play new games with friends across devices, connecting millions of gamers around the world. Games developed for the new DirectX 12 application programming interface in Windows 10 will see improvements in speed, efficiency and graphics capability. Players will also be able to play games on their PC, streamed directly from their Xbox One consoles to their Windows 10 tablets or PCs, within their home.

Office for Windows 10. Office universal apps on Windows 10 deliver a touch-first experience across devices. New versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook are designed from the ground up to run on Windows, built for touch, and offer the unmistakable Office experience customers know and love. With the familiar features for Office, people can create and edit Word documents with ease. New inking features in PowerPoint let people annotate slides in real-time, and the new touch-first controls in Excel make it easy to create and update spreadsheets without a keyboard or mouse. The next version of the Office desktop suite is also currently in development and Microsoft will have more to share in the coming months.

Additional Windows 10 features and innovations shared today include the following:

• Continuum mode. On 2-in-1 devices, Windows 10 will move easily between keyboard and mouse and touch and tablet as it detects the transition and conveniently switches to the new mode.
• New universal apps. Windows 10 will offer new experience applications, consistent across the device continuum, for Photos, Videos, Music, Maps, People & Messaging and Mail & Calendar. These built-in apps have an updated design that looks and feels the same from app to app and device to device. Content is stored and synced through OneDrive, enabling people to start something on one device and continue it on another.

"Everything about Windows 10 - the experiences, delivering it as a service and the free upgrade - means that Windows 10 isn't just another product, it's an ongoing relationship - one that will give ongoing value to all our customers," said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Operating Systems group at Microsoft. "The new generation of Windows is a commitment - a commitment to liberate people from complex technology and enable them to do great things."

Windows 10: Powering innovation, inspiring new computing platforms

Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using - from Xbox to PCs and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets - and what they're doing with a consistent, familiar and compatible experience. Windows 10 will run across an incredibly broad set of devices - from the tiniest of sensors as part of the Internet of Things, to servers in enterprise datacenters worldwide. Some devices have 4-inch screens, some have 80-inch screens and some don't have screens at all. On Wednesday, Microsoft unveiled two devices that will empower customers to experience Windows in incredible new ways.

Windows 10 unlocks holographic future with Microsoft HoloLens

Microsoft shared a revolutionary example of how Windows 10 enables a shift from the traditional machine-centric view of computing to an interaction that is much more personal and humanistic. As the world's first holographic computing platform, Windows 10 includes a set of APIs that enable developers to create holographic experiences in the real-world. With Windows 10, holograms are Windows universal apps, and all Windows universal apps can also work as holograms - making it possible to place three-dimensional holograms in the physical world and enabling new ways to communicate, create and explore that are more personal and human.

To showcase the possibilities of holograms in Windows 10, Microsoft unveiled the most advanced holographic computer in the world. Microsoft HoloLens is the first untethered holographic computer - no wires, phones or connection to a PC needed. Microsoft HoloLens features see-through holographic high-definition lenses and spatial sound so you can view and hear holograms in the world around you. Complete with advanced sensors, a next-generation system on a chip and the addition of a completely new Holographic Processing Unit (HPU) that understands what you are doing and the world around you, Microsoft HoloLens is able to run without any wires while processing terabytes of data from the sensors in real-time.

By placing three-dimensional holograms in the world around you, Microsoft HoloLens provides a new view into your reality that can tell what you are looking at and understand what you are saying with your hands and voice. By putting you at the center of the computing experience, Microsoft HoloLens allows you to create, access information, enjoy entertainment and communicate in new and exciting ways.

New Microsoft Surface Hub optimizes Windows 10 experience for groups

Windows 10 is powering a new large-screen device to help teams in the workplace share, ideate and create together. Hardware innovations in multi-touch and digital inking, along with built-in cameras, sensors and microphones, allow the Surface Hub to take advantage of Windows 10, Skype for Business and Office 365 to deliver a new experience designed to make every person - whether remote or onsite - feel as if they're in the same collaborative space. Specifically, the Surface Hub features state-of-the-art digital white boarding; instant remote conferencing; the ability for multiple people to share and edit content on the screen from a laptop, tablet or phone; and a trusted platform for large-screen apps. Available in two sizes - 55-inch and 84-inch - the Surface Hub removes the current limitations of traditional conference room scenarios to empower teams to create their best work together.

The next Technical Preview for Windows 10 on the PC will be available for free to Windows Insiders in the next week and for the first time on phones later in February.


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NVIDIA Releases the GeForce 347.25 WHQL Game Ready Driver
Alongside the GeForce GTX 960 launch, NVIDIA rolled out its latest Game Ready drivers, the GeForce 347.25 WHQL. The driver adds support for the GTX 960, and is "game ready" for Dying Light, a new zombie apocalypse first-person game, from the people who are good at it - Techland (Dead Island). It adds SLI profiles for Black Desert, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, and Nosgoth. Grab the driver from the links below.

DOWNLOAD: GeForce 347.25 WHQL Game Ready Driver


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ZOTAC Freezes the GeForce GTX 960 Series Graphics Card
ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and manufacturer of video cards and mini-PCs, today renders the virtual world with the new ZOTAC GeForce GTX 960 and ZOTAC GeForce GTX 960 AMP! Edition. The quietly efficient next generation video card is based on NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture, and made more powerful and more efficient using ZOTAC technology.

"We have listened and made remarkable improvements on the reference card to tailor it to users who are looking for a quieter experience without compromising gaming performance. The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 960 series does exactly this," says Tong Wong, CEO, ZOTAC International.

The Card for Enthusiasts

ZOTAC GTX 960 series is perfect for enthusiasts who are looking for a surreal gaming experience with groundbreaking features that will provide the edge. The Maxwell architecture delivers a smoother gaming experience and software features support greater graphical fidelity even on rich textures all while using less power. The card combined with a dual fan IceStorm technology (available on ZOTAC GeForce GTX 960 AMP! Edition), and coupled with the newest FREEZE tech, ZOTAC's newest fan feature, the powerful card is the epitome of the strong and silent personality.

Introducing FREEZE Tech

FREEZE is an inspired breakthrough that will enable powerful video cards to become silent and reduce the wear on the fan system. When the user is not in action, the fans idle so they can enjoy the silence of the fans.

FREEZE integrates performance, silence and efficiency by making full use of well-engineered aerodynamics and fully using all passive heat dissipating components. This enables silent yet unrestrained performance from the GPU while conserving energy. The fan will engage automatically when GPU temperature rises, and stays silent for the rest of the time.

Function with Style

ZOTAC gives as much attention to design as it does for engineering. The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 960 AMP! Edition boast a sleek gunmetal ExoArmor with a durable wraparound metal back plate and front metal frame with a dual 90mm IceStorm cooling solution. Together they stabilize heat dissipation, produce extraordinary cooling capabilities and minimize vibrations.

Firestorm Provides Precision Control

The card may be fine-tuned to suit user needs, and it can be done from the comfort of FIRESTORM, an in-house developed tweaking utility from ZOTAC. Unleash the card's potential with a few clicks, and push the performance even further. The utility software is constantly updated to give users the best easy to use experience.

The newest enthusiast card is the perfect upgrade for those who are looking for an intense visual experience.


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Introducing the EVGA GeForce GTX 960 SuperSC ACX 2.0+
The EVGA GeForce GTX 960 delivers incredible performance, power efficiency, and gaming technologies that only NVIDIA Maxwell technology can offer. This is the perfect upgrade, offering 60% faster performance and twice the power efficiency of previous-generation cards*. Plus, it features VXGI for realistic lighting, support for smooth, tear-free NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and Dynamic Super Resolution for 4K-quality gaming on 1080P displays.

The new EVGA ACX 2.0+ cooler brings new features to the award winning EVGA ACX 2.0 cooling technology. A Memory MOSFET Cooling Plate (MMCP) reduces MOSFET temperatures up to 11°C, and optimized Straight Heat Pipes (SHP) reduce GPU temperature by an additional 5°C. ACX 2.0+ coolers also feature optimized Swept fan blades, double ball bearings and an extreme low power motor, delivering more air flow with less power, unlocking additional power for the GPU.

New Features:

• dBi (dB Noise Inverter) - EVGA's ACX 2.0+ fan turns off below 60C, generating 0dB of noise.
• MMCP (Memory MOSFET Cooling Plate) - Full size cooling plate makes direct contact with memory and MOSFETS, reducing memory up to 9°C and MOSFET up to 11°C.
• QSD (Quick Switch Dual BIOS) - Multiple integrated BIOSes allow you to switch to the secondary with the flick of a switch.
• OPT (Optimized Power Target) - The power target is precisely tuned for the perfect balance of thermal, power and performance, offering 33% more power over reference.
• SHP (Straight Heat Pipes) - Triple 8mm straight heat pipes offer 6% better heat dissipation than bent heat pipes with reduced thermal resistance.

For more information, visit this page.


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Point of View Announces the GeForce GTX 960 TROOPER
Trooper Gaming - an initiative of NVIDIA graphics partner Point of View - launches today a new Trooper card: the GTX 960. The latest addition to the Maxwell family, the GeForce GTX 960 is the perfect upgrade for anyone who wants to experience next-generation Maxwell gaming.

Enjoy advanced gaming that's 60% faster and twice as power efficient as a previous-generation card. Unleash the massive overclocking potential of this GPU and push your performance even further. Plus, the GTX 960 features MFAA anti-aliasing for the smoothest, clearest images.

Trooper GTX 960 and Trooper GTX 960 Ammo

Point of View will be launching the GTX960 in 2 editions. We will have the standard Trooper GTX960 edition. This version will be running on the standard clock speeds which are already pretty amazing for incredible realistic gaming. The core speed will run on 1128 MHz and the Memory will run on 7010 MHz.

The second version will be the Trooper GTX 960 Ammo edition. As you would expect from cards from the Trooper line up, "Ammo" Edition cards come overclocked out of the box. We increased the core speed to 1165 MHz which will give you even more gaming power straight out of the box.

Incredible graphics

The GeForce GTX 960 comes loaded with the exclusive graphics technologies that all gamers should demand. Voxel Global Illumination (VXGI) accelerates dynamic lighting for brilliant, immersive graphics and Dynamic Super Resolution technology gives you up to 4K-quality resolution-even on 1080p displays.

GTX Gaming

Stream PC games from your GeForce GTX-powered rig to NVIDIA SHIELD portable devices with NVIDIA GameStream technology. Get full support for NVIDIA G-SYNC monitors with super smooth, tear-free, gameplay. Tap into GeForce Experience to automatically get the latest drivers and optimize game settings with a single click. You can even record your greatest gaming moments with NVIDIA ShadowPlay to share with friends.

GeForce GTX 960:

• Graphics Engine : GTX 960
• Interface : PCI-Express 3.0
• Video memory : 2048 MB DDR5
• Base clock : 1127 MHz
• Memory clock : 7010 MHz
• Memory bus : 128 bit
• Display port : 3x
• DVI-D : 1x dual link
• HDMI : 1x mini HDMI

GeForce GTX 960 AMMO:

• Graphics Engine : GTX 960
• Interface : PCI-Express 3.0
• Video memory : 2048 MB DDR5
• Base clock : 1165 MHz
• Memory clock : 7010 MHz
• Memory bus : 128 bit
• Display port : 3x
• DVI-D : 1x dual link
• HDMI : 1x mini HDMI

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Palit Announces its GeForce GTX 960 Series
Palit Microsystems Ltd, the leading video card manufacturer, is pleased to announce its next generation JetStream, the GeForce GTX 960 Series, a new video card in GTX 900 line-up. The revolutionary Palit JetStream風 series of video cards features advanced innovative cooling and an optimized product design to deliver gamers the ultimate gaming experience. As the latest and the next generation NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, the Palit GeForce GTX 960 JetStream series guarantees gamers the perfect upgrade to the advanced performance, power efficiency and realistic gameplay gaming experience.

Continue the Glory of Palit JetStream series, Palit GeForce GTX 960 JetStream provide the extremely overclocking performance, Quiet and Cool thermal systems and plus the next generation NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, Palit GTX 960 JetStream is able to let gamers to enjoy gaming experience at 60ftps with 1080p monitors. Today, Palit releases GeForce GTX 960 Super JetStream, GTX 960 JetStream and GTX 960 OC edition to the market to fulfill all gamers' need. Palit GTX 960 Super JetStream is with 1024 cores, 2048MB GDDR5 7Gbps fast speed memory and boost clocked at 1342MHz, making it 164MHz higher than the stock 1178MHz of NVIDIA's reference design. With the new 0-dB Tech features, there is zero noise while you are at general workload, such as internet or multi-media application. Stay Quiet, Stay Cool and Enjoy the High gaming performance with Palit JetStream.

• 0-dB Tech: Keep Silent while you are experiencing the multimedia application and general workload. The operating fans only occurs while working on heavier loading such as gaming that the GPU temperature surpasses 60w or total board power over 60W.
• 4K²: With its HDMI and DisplayPort ports, the Palit JetStream provides a flawless, jaw dropping experience at Dual 4K monitors.
• Dual Fan: A Dual Fan design offers double the cooling performance, and combined with the 9CM-9CM Smart Fans, heat is effectively drawn away from hot spots.
• LED Lighting: Fancy LED lighting on the Palit JetStream's thermal solution provides ambient lighting to further immerse gamers into the gaming world.
• TurboFan Blade: Inspired by the power of jet engines, the TurboFan Blade is designed to improve cooling performance by generating a powerful air stream and air pressure.
• Optimized Air Flow: The 9CM-9CM Smart Fan system consists of three fans with alternating blade rotations. Each adjacent fan rotates in a different direction to reduce airflow conflicts and effectively improve overall cooling performance.

The Palit GeForce GTX 960 series delivers incredible performance, power efficiency, and cutting-edge gaming technologies. This is the perfect upgrade to advanced gaming, letting you dominate the competition with 60% faster performance and twice the power efficiency than previous-generation GTX 660. Unleash its massive overclocking potential and push your performance even further. Plus, it features VXGI for realistic lighting, support for smooth, tear-free NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and Dynamic Super Resolution that enables 4K-quality gaming on 1080p displays.

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Gainward Announces its GeForce GTX 960 Series
As the leading brand in enthusiastic graphics market, Gainward proudly presents the brand-new GeForce GTX graphics, base on the next generation MAXWELL architecture, GeForce GTX 960 series. With the great successful MAXWELL powered GPU, the new Gainward GeForce GTX 960 series hit the sweet spot of the most cost effective way to get a high-end gaming experience, such as 1080P gaming at 60 FPS.

Gainward GeForce GTX 960 series comes with 2048MB 7Gbps high speed GDDR5 memory. The memory architecture of MAXWELL provides 33% more efficient than previous generation. Along with the superior core architecture, the GeForce GTX 960 series give you twice the performance of previous-generation cards. The fastest edition of Gainward GeForce GTX 960 series is GTX 960 Phantom "Golden Sample - Goes Like Hell", which is factory over-clocked at 1279MHz base clock (1342MHz boost clock) and 3600MHz memory clock speed, performs up to 12% more than NV's GTX 960 reference clock speed under games and benchmark score.

The Gainward GTX 960 Phantom, factory over-clocked at 1203MHz base clock (1266MHz boost clock) and 3600MHz memory clock speed, also outperform reference-clocked by 8%. And, the Gainward GTX 960 "OC" edition, fabricated with two-slot blower cooler, also is factory over-clocked at 1165MHz base clock. To compete with previous-generation GTX 660, all get much faster performance enhancement and up to 35% less power consumption.

The Gainward GeForce GTX 960 series come with Gainward superior hardware design:

• High quality components - solid capacitors, high quality Ferrite core chokes and super low RdsON MOSFET for longer lifespan, great reliability, lower power loss and generating less heat
• Four display ports - provides flexible configuration for multiple-monitor application
• The Phantom version are fabricated new Phantom with removable fan design, each fan body can be removed to clean if necessary. The new EXPERTool utility adds support for new fan control feature, allows users to change fan curve by their requirement.
• With Gainward superior design for the GeForce GTX gaming GPUs and NVIDIA technology, users will experience a whole new class of the performance enhanced and quieter game play.

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MSI Introduces GeForce GTX 960 Graphics Cards
MSI is pleased to announce the latest additions to its next generation GAMING video cards lineup. The new MSI GTX 960 video cards are powered by NVIDIA's latest GTX 960 Maxwell GPU. The MSI GTX 960 GAMING 2G builds on MSI's #1 position in gaming video cards. Featuring the well known Twin Frozr V with Zero Frozr technology and Torx Fan design, the new MSI GTX 960 GAMING 2G card boasts innovative award-winning cooling technology for silent and cool gaming graphics.

Besides the revered GAMING series, MSI also provides factory overclocked Classic models featuring an all new Black & White cooler design to fit the design of MSI's Krait series motherboards. As well as System Integrator OC Edition models with higher clock speeds and reference exhaust fans, catering to the needs of a wide audience.

Twin Frozr V Thermal Design

The new MSI twin Frozr V Thermal Design is the pinnacle of video card air cooling. With a smaller than 2-slot design the new Twin Frozr V is able to surpass previous generation's by a large margin. The new 10cm Torx fans ensure huge amounts of silent airflow and visually complete the bold new look of the Twin Frozr V. The heat sink itself is re-organized through the SuperSU design which increases heat pipe efficiency, especially when combined with Airflow Control Technology. Hybrid Frozr is a throwback to 2008 when MSI was the first to market high-end, zero noise video cards thanks to fans that stop spinning in low-temperature situations.

MSI GAMING APP

With the addition of the GTX 960 GAMING 2G to the next generation of MSI GAMING video cards, MSI is levelling-up the PC gaming experience. The MSI GAMING App allows gamers to quickly switch between OC, Gaming and Silent modes, depending on their needs. Now featuring the EyeRest tab, which offers quick access to specific monitor color profiles for games, movies and a special EyeRest mode which reduces blue light for less strain during nightly gaming sessions. Also featuring the LED control tab, allowing gamers to choose from 5 unique lighting modes to set the right ambiance for their gaming moments with just one click.

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ASUS Announces Strix GeForce GTX 960
ASUS today announced Strix GTX 960, an all-new gaming video card packed with exclusive ASUS technologies, including DirectCU II for cooler, quieter and faster performance for incredible action gaming, and 0dB fan technology for totally-silent light gameplay. The new card features feature exclusive ASUS Super Alloy Power components for enhanced durability and cooling, and GPU Tweak with XSplit Gamecaster for overclocking and online streaming that's as simple as it is flexible. Strix GTX 960 comes equipped with a DisplayPort interface to support connections up to 4K/UHD (ultra-high definition) resolution.

Strix GTX 960 is factory-overclocked at 1291 MHz and has a 1317 MHz boost clock speed in OC Mode that delivers stunning gaming performance. Strix GTX 960 provides 12% faster gameplay in Assassin's Creed Unity and Battlefield 4, and runs the 3DMark 11 (Extreme) benchmark at 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution 6.5% faster than reference designs. It is fitted with 2 GB of high-speed GDDR5 video memory that races along at boosted speeds of up to 7200 MHz.

Enjoy performance 30% cooler and 3X quieter than reference

Strix GTX 960 comes with the ASUS-exclusive DirectCU II cooling technology that provides 220% more heat dissipation, resulting in performance that is 30% cooler and 3X quieter than reference for incredible stability and very low noise during intense gaming sessions.

Strix ups the ante even more with 0dB fan technology that lets players enjoy light gaming in complete silence, due to a thermal design that is able to keep GPU temperatures below a set level, when the fan stops completely.

Enhancing cooling even further, Strix GTX 960 has a strong, rigid backplate that helps dissipate heat quickly and provides an extra measure of protection against card damage.

Power up for the win with 5-phase Super Alloy Power

Strix GTX 960 has a 5-phase power design that enhances energy efficiency by 15%, widens voltage modulation tolerance, and improves overall stability and longevity by 2.5X compared to reference designs. Strix GTX 960 uses a single 6-pin power connecter for clean, hassle-free cable management and has a convenient connection indicator LED to ensure successful plug-in.

Real-time monitoring and control with GPU Tweak

Strix GTX 960 comes with GPU Tweak, an exclusive ASUS tool that enables users to squeeze the very best performance from their video card. GPU Tweak provides the ability to finely control GPU speeds, voltages and video memory clock speeds in real-time, so overclocking is easy and can be carried out with high confidence.

GPU Tweak also includes a customized version of the XSplit Gamecaster streaming tool and a free one-year free XSplit Premium license. XSplit Gamecaster lets users record and share on-screen action over the internet in real-time, meaning others can watch live as games are played. Gamers can also easily monitor system stats, such as frame rate, CPU load, temperature, and more, while they play, as well as modify performance settings with a simple click of the GPU Tweak button.

• Model: STRIX-GTX960-DC2OC-2GD5
• Graphics Engine: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
• Bus Standard: PCI Express 3.0
• OpenGL: OpenGL 4.4
• Video Memory: 2GB GDDR5
• GPU boost Clock:

o OC Mode: 1317MHz

o Gaming Mode: 1291MHz

• GPU base Clock:

o OC Mode: 1253MHz

o Gaming Mode: 1228MHz

• CUDA cores: 1024
• Memory Clock: 7200MHz
• Memory Interface: 128-bit
• DVI Output: 1 x Native Dual-link DVI-I
• HDMI Output: 1 x Native HDMI 2.0
• HDCP compliant: Yes
• DisplayPort: 3 x Native DisplayPort 1.2
• Adapter/Cable Bundled: 1x DVI to VGA Adapter
• Software Bundled: ASUS GPU Tweak & Driver
• Dimension: 215.2 x 121.2 x 40.9mm

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QNAP Announces New Energy-efficient TS-x31+ Turbo NAS
QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the TS-x31+ series Turbo NAS for small and home offices. Embedded with a dual-core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A15 CPU, the TS-x31+ series provides a powerful yet energy-efficient solution for file storage, sharing and data backup with hardware-accelerated encryption, coupled with the easy-to-use cloud-based Notes Station 2.0, various multimedia applications and more.

"For home & small businesses, a powerful, secure yet affordable cloud storage solution is becoming a key investment for improving everyday business workflow," said Jason Hsu, product manager of QNAP. "With the TS-x31+ series, users can build a cost-efficient private cloud with ensured security and comprehensive business applications, " added Hsu.

Powered by an energy-efficient ARM Cortex-A15 dual-core 1.4GHz processor, new VFPv4 floating point unit, and 1GB DDR3 RAM with native support for SATA 6Gb/s drives, the TS-x31+ series delivers outstanding transfer and multitasking performance of up to 200MB/s throughput. The enhanced hardware encryption engine provides transfer speeds of over 150 MB/s with AES-256 bit Full NAS Volume Encryption, boosting system performance & security while ensuring the safety of sensitive data. Equipped with dual Gigabit LAN ports, the TS-x31+ series supports dual IP settings, port-trunking modes and enables users to set up fault tolerance or link aggregation for increased data throughput.

With the new Notes Station 2.0, the TS-x31+ series allows users to create digital notes on their private cloud and collaborate & share with friends and colleagues. Users can edit their notes with an intuitive web-based editor, take screenshots with a Google Chrome extension or desktop Qsnap application, enrich their notes with media files stored on the TS-x31+, and enjoy convenient access to their notes by using the Qnotes mobile app. Notes Station 2.0 also supports PDF file import/export, RSS live feeds, snapshots for version control, online preview for attached multimedia files, AES 256-bit encryption for notes, and the ability to back up & modify Evernote notes.

The TS-x31+ series is perfect for serving as a home multimedia hub with a wide range of multimedia applications. With DLNA, AirPlay & Chromecast support, the TS-x31+ series allows users to view photos, listen to music, and watch HD-quality videos stored on the TS-x31+ throughout their home on compatible Smart TVs, game consoles and media players.

By using the Photo Station, Music Station, and Video Station apps, users can centralize their media collection for easy sharing with coworkers & friends. Remotely accessing & managing files stored on the TS-x31+ is extremely easy with the Qphoto, Qmusic, Qvideo, Qfile, and Qmanager mobile apps. The Qsync utility further helps sync files across various devices with the most updated copy stored on the NAS.

Users can also increase the functionalities of the TS-x31+ series with the QTS App Center that provides various install-on-demand apps developed by QNAP and third-party developers, including apps for backup/sync, productivity tools, content management, communications, downloading, entertainment and more. QNAP's development platform also allows developers to create various applications, adding even more value to the TS-x31+ series and providing near-unlimited functionality for users.

The TS-x31+ series

• TS-231+: 2-bay tower model
• TS-431+: 4-bay tower model
• ARM Cortex-A15 dual-core 1.4GHz processor, 1GB DDR3 RAM; 3.5"/2.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 3Gb/s HDD/SSD, hard drives hot-swappable; 3 x USB 3.0; 2 x Gigabit LAN port.

Availability

The new TS-x31+ series Turbo NAS is scheduled to be available from February 2015.


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GALAXY Announces its GeForce GTX 960 Lineup
GALAXY, a leading manufacturer of premium graphics hardware, today announced the launch of an entire new lineup of custom performance tuned and overclocked GTX 960 Series video cards. Three new models will be available, each with unique advantages to satisfy the precise needs of discerning enthusiasts. The GTX 960 SOC leads the pack in pure performance, featuring the highest overclock and an extended PCB with powerful triple fan cooler and anodized aluminum backplate.

The GTX 960 OC focuses on maximizing speed in minimal space with a super compact design ideal for Mini-ITX and HTPCs. Finally, the GTX 960 EXOC combines the best of both world's for an impressive balance of power, efficiency and cooling capacity. The 960 OC and 960 EXOC are also the first to feature GALAX exclusive Silence Extreme Plus technology, which disengages both fans at idle for true zero decibel operation.

All three models feature the full range of graphics technologies recently introduced with GALAX GTX 970 and 980 series cards, including NVIDIA GameWorks, GameStream, Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR), and Global Illumination (VXGI). Each card individually supports up to four simultaneous displays and users can connect multiple GTX 960s in SLI for massive performance scaling.

The GALAX GeForce GTX 960 SOC, EXOC, and OC versions are all available now at leading retailers and etailers worldwide.


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Inno3D Announces its GeForce GTX 960 Lineup
Inno3D is thrilled to finally announce the highly anticipated iChill and Inno3D GeForce GTX 960, that delivers incredible performance, power efficiency, and cutting-edge gaming technologies that only NVIDIA Maxwell technology can offer.

This is the perfect upgrade to advanced gaming, letting you dominate the competition with 60% faster performance and twice the power efficiency than previous generation cards. Unleash its massive overclocking potential and push your performance even further. Plus, it features VXGI for realistic lighting, support for smooth, tear-free NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and Dynamic Super Resolution that enables 4K gaming on 1080p displays.

The iChill and Inno3D GTX 960 even gives you great gaming to go with NVIDIA GameStream technology that lets you stream PC games to NVIDIA SHIELD devices.


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