IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 2/5/2015

Rockstar has shipped over 45 million copies of GTA V since it launched
Just how well as Grand Theft Auto V performed since its release last year? Well, on the Xbox One and PS4, retailers have received 10 million copies since it hit the now current-gen consoles around two-and-a-half months ago now.

When GTA V launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360, Rockstar sold a huge 11.2 million units in 24 hours, with a total of 45 million units being shipped since it launched. The PC version isn't even out yet, but these numbers will only increase on March 24. Don't forget the news of GTA 6 being under development, which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, should it?


Read More ...

---

Radeon GPUs see memory leak issues in Battlefield 4 on Windows 8.1
NVIDIA caught headlines last week with its VRAM issues on the Maxwell-based GeForce GTX 970, but it's a new week, with new memory-related issues. This time, it's AMD and its Radeon GPUs and a very specific game, on a very specific OS.

Radeon users are seeing memory leak problems on Battlefield 4 with Windows 8.1, with WCCFTech confirming the issue with AMD's Head of Global Technical Marketing, Robert Hallock. Hallock acknowledged the issue in Battlefield 4, of which it only affects gamers running Windows 8.1. AMD is working directly with DICE on the issue, but with the game being over a year old and many DLC packs in, and the fact that AMD were and still are heavily partnered with DICE, this shouldn't be happening.

AMD will address the memory leak issues in a new beta driver that will arrive soon.


Read More ...

---

Motorola sales are up 118% after Lenovo acquired the firm from Google
When Lenovo acquired Motorola Mobility out from under Google's nose, we didn't know what would come of it. Well, increased sales is a huge part of that, with Lenovo's new FQ3 2014/5 results showing us just how well Motorola is doing.

Motorola has sold over 10 million smartphones in the last quarter alone, which is up 118% from the same quarter of last year. We don't know the breakdown in numbers for the Moto X and Moto G, but we have to expect that those two phones have been selling rather well for the company. Lenovo is now positioning itself to launch Motorola into the Chinese market, which should see those numbers continue to climb.

Lenovo also expects Motorola to make a lot of money moving into the next four to six quarters (12-18 months), where as of this quarter the Mobile Business Group, of which Motorola operates within, posted an $89 million loss.


Read More ...

---

League of Legends tournament limited to one LGBTQ person per team
One of the many League of Legends tournaments being run is being operated by Garena, which operates LoL tournaments in places such as Southeast Asia, Taiwan, the Philippines and more. Well, they're hosting an all-women eSports competition, but there's just one catch.

The host has put a limit on the amount of LGBTQ people allowed to participate per team, as it would offer the team an "unfair advantage". You might think we tripped over a language barrier here, but there is only one lesbian or trans woman per team in Garena's upcoming all-women Iron Solari League tournament. The tournament will take place at the end of the month in Manilla, Philippines. Garena has talked with the competitors of the first leg of the Iron Solari competition, as well as LGBTQ members in the League of Legends community. The organizer said that it wanted to be inclusive, but adds that "there are arguments and concerns from other participants who disputes that Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered Women members may probably have some unfair advantage".

What we need to see here, is that Garena is just telling the world what it's doing, without explaining why. Kotaku brings up the question in their article: "How does being lesbian, trans, or queer in any other way confer an advantage in a video game, a virtual space where physical characteristics cease to matter?" That's right, as they're all human beings at the end of the day with a normal brain, hands, fingers and reflexes. It's great that Garena is doing an all-women League of Legends competition, but this is definitely something that should raise some questions and red flags.


Read More ...

---

The new Borderlands will not be released on the Xbox 360 or the PS3
Take-Two President Karl Slatoff has said that the new Borderlands will be skipping the previous generation consoles, with the Gearbox developed game being tailor made for the Xbox One and PS4.

The news came from Take-Two's financial report earlier today, which stated that the new Borderlands won't be hitting the Xbox 360 and PS3. We know that Gearbox is working on the game, even asking for fans to join the company, but other than that we don't know when it will be announced, let alone when the new Borderlands will be released.


Read More ...

---

ARM shows off Cortex-A72 processor and Mali-T880 graphics chip
Chip manufacturer ARM wants to keep powering smartphones, and expects its Cortex A-72 processor to power devices available in 2016. At least 10 companies have licensed the processor, which is reportedly at least 3.5 times faster than ARM technology sold in 2014. ARM product designs are present in more than 95 percent of smartphones available worldwide, and Cortex A-72 should help keep the company's dominant lead.

"The ARM Cortex-A72 processor sets a new standard for delivering a premium mobile experience and is expected to be the highest performing CPU technology for mobile SoCs [system-on-chips]," said Noel Hurley, GM of the CPU group at ARM.

In addition to the Cortex-A72 processor, ARM is promoting its Mali-T880 graphics chip which should also find its way into consumer devices in 2016.

ARM has shown little interest in trying to create solutions for desktops and other hardware products, saying it still expects smartphones to be the primary computing device used by consumers. The company also has a dominant presence in the tablet market, but with the tablet market slowing, will continue to push hardware development for smartphones.


Read More ...

---

Bitcoin still not dead, but needs to better promote itself
The bitcoin cryptocurrency may be able to generate a large amount of buzz, but still has a major sales and marketing problem.

"Bitcoin has a sales job to getting people to trust it, which is ironic because it was set up to be a trustless system," said Paul Vigna, co-author of "The Age of Cryptocurrency: How Bitcoin and Digital Money are Challenging the Global Economic Order, in a statement to CBS News. "It is sort of opaque and hard to understand and esoteric because it is so new."

Bitcoin won't go away any time soon, and there is around $50 million bitcoin-related transactions carried out per day. It's an extremely small figure compared to the entire financial market, but is an indicator that people remain interested.

The addition of a government-regulated bitcoin exchange by Coinbase could help further legitimize the cryptocurrency - and provide bitcoin supporters a strong marketing push to entice consumers and businesses interested in bitcoins.


Read More ...

---

Syrian forces targeting rebel forces with social engineering attacks
Opposition fighters trying to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have fallen prey to one of the oldest social engineering tactics: hackers use fake Facebook and Skype profiles of young, beautiful women to target rebels, inviting them to chat. Pictures are exchanged, though the hackers load images with malware able to copy chat logs and steal strategic information.

The tactic continues to work on oblivious Syrian fighters, continually chatting with pro-Assad hackers - and the results have been devastating. A FireEye report revealed 7.7GB of data has been compromised, along with more than 12,000 contacts and 31,000 Skype conversations.

"We are really seeing the convergence of traditional methods of espionage and Internet communication tools," said Richard Turner, EMEA VP of FireEye, told CNBC. "The evidence of that is the use of the attractive lady avatar to generate interest and open up individuals to deliver malware and compromise their communication."


Read More ...

---

Tablets suffer first year-over-year shipment drop, analysts say
This is the first time that the tablet market has seen a year-over-year shipment decline, with -3.2 percent growth - shipping 76.1 million units during Q4 2014, according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet tracker. Despite the shipment drop during Q4, there was still 4.4 percent overall shipment growth throughout the entire year.

Apple continued its domination of the tablet market, shipping 21.4 million units and controlling 28.1 percent of the tablet market. Samsung was No. 2, (14.5 percent), Lenovo (4.8 percent), ASUS (4.0 percent), and Amazon (2.3 percent) rounded out the top five tablet hardware manufacturers.

Meanwhile, iOS controls 27 percent of the mobile tablet OS market, with Android now making up 66 percent control.

"Android market share slipped slightly at the expense of strong iPad seasonality and recorded a share of 66 percent of the tablet market," said Peter King, Tablet Service Director of Strategy Analytics. "Android branded vendors shipped 51.8 million units between them worldwide in Q4 2014, up 8% from 47.8 million a year earlier. Windows 8.1 Tablets showed an 89 percent growth rate annually, with improved sales at the high-end with products such as Microsoft Surface Pro 3, but also at the low-end of the price spectrum as more Windows-based products emerge from the Chinese manufacturers."


Read More ...

---

Dying Light racks up more than 1.2 million gamers in one week
Since being released last week, more than 1.2 million gamers have tried out Dying Light, according to the game's official Twitter feed.

The game was released on January 27 and tallied gamers until February 2.

The gaming total includes PC, Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 gamers - though physical copies of the game have been delayed, and should boost sales figures in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East by the end of February.


Read More ...

---

Razer introduces refreshed Blade gaming laptop with new CPU, GPU
Gaming company Razer has updated its Blade gaming laptop, now including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M and Intel Core i7-4720HQ CPU.

The QHD+ Model starts with the following specifications: Intel Core i7-4720HQ Quad Core CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 16GB RAM, Microsoft Windows 8.1, 128 to 512GB SSD options, and a 14" IGZO QHD+ (3200x1800) screen. Prices start at $2,199.

Meanwhile, the Full HD Model has the following specifications: Intel Core i7-4720HQ Quad Core CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, and 14" IPS Full HD (1920x1080) screen. Prices start at $1,999.

The Full HD Model will be available starting in February, while the QHD+ Model is available now for U.S. residents - and will be available worldwide in March.

"When we debuted the Razer Blade in 2013, we set the benchmark for gaming laptops - and other companies worldwide have followed in our footsteps," said Min-Liang Tan, co-founder and CEO of Razer. "We continue to listen as gamer needs evolve and the new Razer Blade again sets the industry standard by which gaming laptops are measured."


Read More ...

---

The Nexus 5 has returned to the Google Play Store
Google has surprised the world, with the return of the Nexus 5 smartphone to the Google Play Store. You can grab the Nexus 5 smartphone from the Play Store for $349.99 for the 16GB version.

The 32GB flavor of the Nexus 5 will cost another $50, for a total of $399.99. If you were waiting for the Nexus 5, grab it now. We don't know how much longer the Nexus 5 will be on the Google Play Store, but now is your time.


Read More ...

---

Uber could soon have some competition on the roads, from Google
While Uber continues to dominate the industry, it is still facing a very uphill battle with its various lawsuits, bans, privacy issues, bad PR and reports of even sabotaging competitors. This hasn't stopped Google from reportedly developing a competitor to Uber.

Bloomberg is reporting that Google's Chief Legal Officer David Drummond has teased that the Mountain View-based search giant could be working on its own Uber alternative. Uber executives have reportedly seen screenshots of a new ride-sharing application that Google is working on, something that is currently in use by select Google employees.

What better way to compete with Uber than with its own self-driving autonomous cars, that you could book through your smartphone? This could be the future, but there will be various legal problems Google (and other companies) will need to sort out. But for now, Google could unveil an Uber-like service, eventually replacing it with a fleet of autonomous vehicles.


Read More ...

---

Android 5.0 Lollipop is on just 1.6% of devices since its launch
When Google launched Android 5.0 Lollipop last year, most thought that it would be jumping onto millions of devices, but it hasn't been the case unfortunately. Just 1.6% of polled Android users are using the deliciously named OS as of February 2.

The numbers are coming from Android Developers, which pulls data collected from a 7-day period that ended on February 2. Android 4.1-4.3 Jelly Bean is still the force to be reckoned with, securing 44.5% of Android devices. Android 4.4 KitKat comes in second with a total of 39.7%. There's not much of a push for Lollipop right now, but there are new devices that are coming soon, which should help bolster these Android 5.0 adoption rates.


Read More ...

---

Demand for AMD GPUs is reportedly weak, Radeon R9 380X launch imminent
We know that AMD is currently preparing the launch of the Radeon R9 300 series, but between now and then what to add-in board (AIB) partners do? Do they continue ordering Radeon R9 290X, R9 290 and other 200 series GPUs from AMD? Well, that's where we are today.

DigiTimes is reporting from a source close tro them that some of AMD's AIB partners are reducing orders for current-gen Radeon GPUs as there is growing anticipation for the next-gen from AMD, as well as citing reduced demand for Radeon R9 200 series cards. DigiTimes has said: "Since AMD is already planning to unveil its next-generation GPUs in the second half, the sources believe the GPU vendor will have a chance to regain some of its lost market share in the second half of 2015".

The bigger tease is that AMD would reportedly launch its Radeon R9 380X as early as late this month, or early March according to VideoCardz. We might not see that happen, but with less Radeon R9 200 series cards on shelves around the world, AMD could surprise NVIDIA and the world by capitalizing on the GeForce GTX 970 VRAM issues.


Read More ...

---

Thecus N4310 Consumer NAS Review

Introduction

If you are in the market for a network storage solution, there are certainly many attractive solutions to choose from. Depending on which vendor you choose to go with, each platform will have its own unique features, from virtualization with many new QNAP solutions to X-RAID found in the Netgear platforms. With that said, Thecus has taken it upon themselves to open up a new market of NAS appliance solutions that cuts costs while maintaining the same level of quality as their entry-level series.

The NAS we have in house today is the four-bay alternative to the N2310 we reviewed just a few months back. This solution, like the aforementioned N2310, is aimed at consumers wanting a SOHO NAS solution with excellent performance and simple, straightforward management, all at a reasonable price. For those needing the higher capacity capabilities of the N4310, Thecus has done more than just add two bays to this unit. Internally, the Applied Micro SoC has been bumped up 200MHz, now totaling 1GHz, while the memory has also taken an increase from 512MB to 1GB.

The front of the N4310 still utilizes spring-loaded drive trays for easy access, while the right side of the unit houses all of the status LEDs one would ever need. The rear of this solution houses all of the standard I/O connectivity one would ever want, but does come with a few surprises for a value-based NAS. One such surprise is the redundant power supply connections, although, only one 60W adapter is included with the unit.

The specifications above outline a great deal of features included with the N4310 from Thecus. First, we have the Applied Micro SoC we spoke of above, along with the 1GB of DDR3. The rear of the unit houses a single RJ45 gigabit Ethernet port, along with dual USB 3.0, and redundant power supply capabilities. The mainboard for this unit houses four SATA connections, one for each bay, while supporting staggered spin up to ease the stress on the unit during power-up.

RAID mode support includes RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10 with auto-rebuild support, and AES 128bit encryption support. Additionally, we have a plethora of disk-based features, including power management, bad block scanning, and disk roaming if you have a second N4310.

PRICING: You can find the Thecus N4310 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 Thecus N4310 retails for $271.44 at Amazon.
... Read the rest in your browser!



Read More ...

---

Apacer Announces the Blade DDR4 Memory Series
With a tactical saber in hand, the strongest survivor in the battle can draw on minimal resources to turn it around and win victory. Apacer launches cross-generation DDR4 flagship - "BLADE" DDR4 overclocking memory module, which is compatible with Intel Haswell-E processor and X99 chipset and boasts a clock rate up to 3300 MHz, providing unprecedented computing performance and energy-saving efficiency. The unique "saber-type" design of heat spreader achieves excellent heat dissipation efficiency, which ensures stable high-speed computing. Whether in win-lose battles of eSports or fierce overclocking competitions, "BLADE" series always secure players' victory.

Flagship "BLADE" DDR4 overclocking memory with a clock rate up to 3300 MHz

The industry-wide transition of the system memory as expected by players is to be achieved by Apacer "BLADE" DDR4 overclocking memory module! As a smash hit following "Commando" DDR4 overclocking memory module by Apacer, "BLADE" offers the most powerful weapon in the eSports and overclocking industry with top specifications, and provides eSports experts and overclocking players with more diverse product choices.

The "BLADE" series is well compatible with latest generation Intel X99 chipset and Haswell-E processor as well as fully compatible with new generation X99 motherboard of leading manufacturers such as ASUS, GIGABYTE, ASRock and MSI. Besides, it provides diverse performance options including DDR4 2400/2666/2800/3000/3200/3300 MHz. With the support from Apacer R&D quality and latest technology, both performance and bandwidth are up 50% compared with that of DDR3. In addition, it supports Intel XMP 2.0 overclocking technology. As a result, desirable overclocking performance can be achieved by simple operation, and everybody can become overclocking expert!

With advanced cross-generation technology, Apacer "BLADE" DDR4 overclocking memory module boasts such advantages as low energy consumption and high reliability, which save energy up to 40% and effectively improve system stability and reliability, making it the best choice for eSports platform and overclocking computer. Available in capacities of 4GB and 8GB, "BLADE" DDR4 can provide a capacity up to 64GB by adopting X99 motherboard, which allows easy processing of latest 3D games or multiple computing.

Saber-type heat dissipation promises excellent performance

Apacer "BLADE" DDR4 overclocking memory module adopts saber-type heat spreader. Its excellent heat dissipation performance brings broader overclocking potential. Besides, it can be equipped with individual machine design to create exclusive "battle" equipment. The built-in heat spreader brings superior heat dissipation performance via the design such as 3D saw and Diamond High Bright Cutting blade. Besides, the weight of metal fins well shows its stability, reliability and trustworthiness, which makes it the prime choice for new generation game player and over-clocking experts!


Read More ...

---

EKWB Outs MSI GTX 980 Gaming Water Block
EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to introduce a new Full-Cover water block, designed and engineered specifically for MSI Gaming 4G and TwinFrozr V series NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 video cards - the EK-FC980 GTX TF5.

EK-FC980 GTX TF5 - with TF5 standing as TwinFrozr V abbrevation - is a high-performance Full-Cover water block for non-reference design GeForce GTX 980 video cards. Engineered in co-operation with MSI, this cooler actively cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the video card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks.

EK-FC980 GTX TF5 water block features EK unique central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.

Base is made of nickel-plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of quality POM Acetal or acrylic (depending on the variant). Screw-in brass standoffs are pre-installed and allow for safe installation procedure.

In order to simplify the search for suitable and compatible water block EK is adding newly released video cards and motherboard from various manufacturers to EK Cooling Configurator database and compatible video cards are being added to the list on daily basis.

These water blocks are made in Slovenia, Europe and are readily available for purchase through EK Webshop and Partner Reseller Network. An aesthetic retention backplate, which also cools the backside of the circuit board, is also available for separate purchase.


Read More ...

---

Toshiba Announces Encrypted USB Flash Drive
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today introduced the Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive, a device that utilizes a hardware based encryption process to deliver a robust, secure (military grade AES 256-bit encryption), easy to use and affordable solution to safely make sensitive data portable. Ideal for enterprise companies, government agencies and concerned consumers, the Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive offers a higher assurance of security.

Available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities, the Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive uses a built-in mini-keyboard to authenticate access, incorporating a rechargeable battery so the user can enter a secure code before plugging into a USB port. Users simply enter their secure PIN and plug the drive into any USB 2.0 port on a compatible device. Once access is granted, the drive "unlocks" the media, permitting clearance to all of the content stored on the drive. When the drive is removed from a USB port, the drive automatically re-locks and encrypts the stored media.

"There is a heightened sense of awareness that confidential content is at risk," said Maciek Brzeski, Vice President of Branded Storage Products, Toshiba Digital Products Division. "Toshiba developed the Encrypted USB Flash Drive as a new way to provide portable data security with one of the highest encryption standards available on the market."

Should the Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive become lost or stolen, it is equipped with a Brute Force Hack Defense Mechanism that will render all stored information irrecoverable after 10 consecutive unsuccessful attempts to enter the secure PIN. The Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive also carries a FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) Publication 140-2 Level 3 certification, issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a certification often required by government agencies and other data security sensitive industries, such as healthcare and finance. The Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive incorporates DataLock Technology by ClevX, LLC.

Pricing and Availability

Beginning today, the Encrypted USB Flash Drive is available for purchase at select retailers and on toshiba.com/us/flash-drives for $95.00 MSRP for the 4GB model, $112.00 MSRP for the 8GB model, $140.00 MSRP for the 16GB and $200.00 MSRP for the 32GB model. A 3 Year Standard Limited Warranty is included with all models.


Read More ...

---

Cooler Master Announces CM Storm Swift RX Mousepads
Cooler Master, a leading creator, innovator, and manufacturer of desktop components and peripherals today announced the Swift-RX Mousepad series, the new replacement of the successful Speed-RX Series.

The Swift-RX mousepad is designed for gamers who desire comfort and speed. Created with finely textured microscopic mesh it ensures excellent precision for any kind of mouse sensor. The underside is made of 100% natural rubber to make sure that the Swift-RX mousepads stay in place, even in the heat of battle. The Swift-RX series mousepads are equipped with special treated stitched edges which prevent the top surface of the mousepad from fraying. This way the Swift-RX mousepads are ready and durable for extended gaming use.

Size Matters

The Swift-RX mousepad series will be available in three sizes to suit everyone's needs: Small 250x210mm, Medium 320x270mm and Large 450x360mm. Next to that the thickness of the Swift-RX series is 3mm.

The Swift-RX Small, Medium and Large will be available from February 2015 for a MSRP of £6.99 / £9.99 and £14.99 GBP inc VAT ($10.99 / $15.15 and $22.73 US). Price and availability may vary based on region. Please consult your local Cooler Master Representative for more information.


Read More ...

---

Available Tags:Rockstar , Windows 8 , Radeon , Windows , Motorola , Lenovo , Google , Xbox , PS3 , gamers , gaming , GPU , Android , AMD , DDR4 , MSI , GTX , Toshiba , USB , Cooler Master ,