IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 5/12/2015

Galaxy Note 5 edge teased, could Samsung make multiple Edge handsets?
It was only last month that Samsung launched its two new premium handsets in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, with rumors of the Galaxy Note 5 to be unveiled later this year.

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The latest rumor is that Samsung will unleash the Galaxy Note 5 edge, which means if it's anything like the S6 edge, it should feature a dual-edge display. Samsung could do this, releasing a Galaxy Note 5, and Note 5 edge simultaneously. This rumor is coming from the Note 5 edge being spotted by Phone Arena, which popped up on the HTML5Test site.

The purported Galaxy Note 5 edge ranks pretty high, just as high with 503 to battle any flagship handset out right now. There's a few months until the Note 5 unveiling, so we'll have to wait a little while to get things locked in and confirmed.

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Treyarch discusses COD: Black Ops III with the other COD developers
After hearing the rumors for Call of Duty: Black Ops III for what felt like months, it was made official last month with a release date of later this year. With three studios now developing games within the Call of Duty franchise, there must be a lot of brainpower going around.

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Last year, Sledgehammer Games developed Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, but this year the torch goes to Treyarch Studios for Black Ops III. Treyarch has come out and said that they communicate with the two other studios that develop Call of Duty games, with Mark Lamia from Treyarch talking with the Official PlayStation Magazine, saying: "From very early on we'll share stuff on all sides".

He continued: "I invited the other teams very early on in this development, as soon as I had what I considered a representative prototype. I shared it with the other studios, but it's up to them to come up with their own [creative ideas]". Lamia continued: "It was interesting to see that they had maybe some movements like ours, but the systems and focus they had was different from ours. I think that's important inside the franchise to have some differentiation for the players so that they can get a different experience every year".

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Mythbusters team has 'already begun shooting VR for next season'
Virtual reality isn't really even here yet, and while Samsung might have the Gear VR in the retail market, the Oculus Rift is still a development kit with the consumer version arriving in Q1 2016, and HTC and Valve's collaboration on the Vive headset arriving later this year.

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This hasn't stopped companies from jumping into the world of VR, with Discovery Digital Networks getting right into the VR world early. Discovery Digital Networks is "the online arm of Discovery Communications" reports AdWeek, where they have over 110 digital series "covering everything from science and technology to current events and pop culture". Discovery Digital Networks has just announced that it going to be using VR in the very near future.

Discovery Digital Studios' Senior Vice President, Conal Byrne, said: "This is one of our most innovative moves in the next year, period, across the company. We believe VR will fundamentally change the way that fans connect with your content. When you experience VR, it is like seeing the future. It is digital media at its very best".

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Project CARS compared on video at 1080p 60FPS between PS4 and PC
With Project CARS now finally out, comparisons are being made between the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC versions of Slightly Mad Studios' very ambitious driving game.

The comparison we've embedded above is between the PS4 and PC versions of Project CARS, with both versions running at 1080p 60FPS. For the most part there's not much of a difference between the two, with some impressive performance coming out of the AMD APU-powered PS4. But, if you pause the video at any time, there's some very serious motion blur happening on the PS4 version of the game.

At 2:40 into the video, mountains completely disappear on the PS4 version of the game for some reason, which I'm sure is performance-related. As for the PC version, it was running on High texture resolution with AA on High, FXAA disabled, and most other settings on Ultra. Motion blur was set to High, with grass, particle levels and intensity set on Ultra.

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NVIDIA says TSMC is still primary partner for 16nm, 10nm production
Back in February, we wrote a story about NVIDIA reiterating that TSMC was its 'very important' foundry partner as it heads into the world of 16nm manufacturing.

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Well, NVIDIA is back to reiterate once more that it still loves TSMC, and that it's working with the Taiwanese manufacturer on not just 16nm technology, but 10nm. Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA's CEO and co-founder said: "We are constantly evaluating foundry suppliers, ... [but] we largely purchase from TSMC, the vast majority of our wafers we buy from TSMC. We are in 20nm, we are expecting to ramp 16nm. We are deeply engaged with TSMC for many, many nodes to come, including 10nm".

This could be happening as Samsung is kicking ass with its 14nm FinFET production, but with the current legal battles between NVIDIA and Samsung, could NVIDIA be deflating the rumor balloon that it will ditch, or at least shift some production over from TSMC to Samsung in the near future? NVIDIA has added that it's not "too obsessed about the process technology", which is an interesting statement from a company that pushes the boundaries of GPU technology with each successive release.

Huang continued: "There are just so many ways for us to deliver energy efficiency and performance. I would not get too obsessed about the process technology all by itself. But we are always looking at new foundry suppliers, and competition keeps everybody sharp. But for all intents and purposes, TSMC is our primary partner".

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DICE announces that future Battlefield 4 DLC will be free for all
Battlefield: Hardline is out and while most of the servers are empty, Battlefield 4 is still DICE's most-played first-person shooter. Well, the developer has said that all future DLC for Battlefield 4 will be free, and not just for Premium users, but for everybody.

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DICE's David Sirland has confirmed that all future content for Battlefield 4 will be free, which includes the upcoming new maps and the new Gunmaster game mode and new weapons. With a Spring patch on its way, something that will bring on the new Gunmaster game mode, five new weapons, and more, this is great news for Battlefield 4 players.

Later in the year, DICE will release a new community map which only recently entered production. Not only that, but the developer has an unannounced map remake from a previous Battlefield game that is being worked on right now, something we should hear about in the near future.

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Report: Healthcare industry unable to protect patient records
The healthcare industry is embracing technology, but isn't properly prepared to keep employee and patient data secure from hackers, according to a report from the Ponemon Institute. Ninety-one percent of healthcare companies that participated in the survey reported at least one data breach in the past two years, according to the "2015 Study on Privacy and Security of Healthcare Data" report.

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Not surprisingly, the healthcare industry is paying more than $6 billion per year related to data breaches and associated cybersecurity incidents. Companies must do more to improve their cybersecurity protocols, and should be proactive in discussing any problems with their customers.

"Organizations in the healthcare space are not playing their 'A game' in terms of security and data protection," said Larry Ponemon, founder and CE of the Ponemon Institute, in a statement. "There are some exceptions, but generally speaking, healthcare providers either lack the resources, staff or the technical innovations to meet the changing cyber-threat environment."

Compromised medical data records are valuable on the black market, with values up to $70 per stolen file, cybersecurity experts report.

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NVIDIA teases next-gen Pascal-based GeForce with HBM2, 14nm and more
We might be enjoying a time of total NVIDIA dominance in the VGA market with the GeForce GTX 960, GTX 970, GTX 980 and Titan X giving gamers everything they wanted, and more, but the future of GPUs is nearly upon us.

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AMD is ready to launch its new Radeon R9 390X which will arrive with HBM1 technology, but NVIDIA is beginning to talk about their Pascal architecture, which should arrive sometime in 2016 as the PK100 and PK104 GPUs. Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA's CEO and co-founder, said during their latest financial report that the Pascal-based GeForce products will be arriving with HBM2, which should increase the available memory bandwidth from the ~300GB/sec or so right up to a huge 1.2TB/sec.

We have reported that AMD's next, next-gen Radeon R9 490X would use HBM2 with over 1TB/sec memory bandwidth, too. NVIDIA should be tapping some of that sweet 14nm FinFET technology by then, so the future GeForce cards will be radically smaller, cooler and insanely fast. NVIDIA is only starting to tease them now, with Huang saying: "I cannot wait to tell you about the products that we have in the pipeline. There are more engineers at NVIDIA building the future of GPUs than just about anywhere else in the world. We are singularly focused on visual computing, as you guys know".

We should expect NVIDIA to talk more about Pascal later this year, with the hype train to well and truly take off in 2016.

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iPhone 7 rumored to feature 14nm A9 processor, DSLR-like rear camera
Now that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been out for close to a year, it's time to start the rumor mill on the next generation iPhone. We don't know if it will arrive as the iPhone 6S, or the iPhone 7, but from our industry sources, we are expecting the iPhone 7 to arrive later this year.

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Now, onto what we will find in the iPhone 7. The next iPhone will reportedly feature an edge-to-edge display, taking up that valuable bezel that made the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus feel far, far too big. As for resolution, I think Apple will keep it at 1080p, and the screen size and physical dimensions of the iPhone 7 will also shrink.

Inside, we should find Apple's new A9 processor, which will be made by their main competitor: Samsung. Samsung will use their new 14nm FinFET technology to make Apple's custom processor, so we should expect a seriously fast dual- or quad-core processor from Apple in the iPhone 7. On the rear, rumor has it Apple will cram in a dual-lens snapper into the iPhone 7 that will provide 'DSLR-like' images. The rear-facing camera in the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge is already damn impressive, so it should be interesting to see what Apple can do.

We could also see Apple make use of USB Type-C in the new iPhone 7, but this is something we'll have to wait and see about. As for the release date, Apple should unveil the new iPhone later this year in September.

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Patriot FUEL iON iPhone 6 Magnetic Charging Case Review

Introduction

We've covered the Samsung Galaxy S4 Patriot FUEL iON case and numerous accessories surrounding it, now Patriot has sent us their iPhone 6 edition to have a play with.

Unfortunately, due to the iPhone having a non removable back-plate, it means this case is built in a different fashion. Does this hinder use? Read on to find out.

Specifications

Compatible with numerous Patriot FUEL iON magnetic charging accessories, this case will secure to these extras and gather charge through the power of magnetic charging. Seeing a 99.5% rated efficiency when compared with a direct cable charge, you're getting basically the same experience with this method.

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You also gain the ability to charge in any direction through a 360-degree swivel spectrum, meaning you can easily turn your phone sideways in order to watch videos or play games without losing your charge connection. There's a small included male-to-female AUX cable to help right angled plugs connect (due to the hole created by the case), and there's also the ability to charge the product through a normal cable connection if you see fit.

Pricing & Availability

Setting you back $28.79 with free shipping from Amazon at the time of writing, this product is useful for some and also rather well priced.

What's in the box?

The package we have been provided with comes simply with the case itself, alongside the small AUX male-to-female extension cable.

There are other bundled options available for purchase including accessories like the flat charging pad, however, I've already gathered these through previous reviews. If you're looking to get the most out of this product, we would suggest getting a bundle package for yourself to begin with so you not only save some money in the long run but actually have a way to magnetically charge your device.

Touch and feel

As with all of the items in the FUEL iON series, this product is well constructed and looks great. However, the different design when compared to the Galaxy S4 edition isn't quite as appealing.

Due to the build nature of the Apple iPhone 6, this magnetic charger connects to your phone through the standard charging port, meaning that the case sticks out further, making your iPhone rather long and a little bulky. There's also no screen cover as per the Galaxy S4 model, but this feature is up for debate depending on what styling you prefer.

The magnetic charging component is undeniably useful on it own as cable connections will sometimes break around the connection part, alongside there being the issue of breaking the sole input port located on your mobile device. Magnetic charging gives you invaluable protection against these ailments and is something I will not look past in the future whenever it is possible to use. The magnet on the back of the cover has a solid connection to any accessory no matter what the charging angle.

It seems that the benefits are almost unlimited between this style of charging and your general option. As mentioned previously, your cable is less likely to break or fray, the input port on your phone stays safe, the charging speed is comparable and you're likely to make back the cable price in a matter of months as you're unlikely to have to replace it due to breakage.

The issues come with the enlarged case sizing, no front cover and obviously the looks. If you're not a fan of the colors and stature of this case, it's impossible to recommend it to you, no matter how good the features may be.

What's Hot

Sturdy: This product will outlast your phone.

Easy to use: It can charge your phone at any angle as long as the connection is kept meaning there is no more annoying USB cable sticking out of the bottom of your phone and breaking.

Strong connection: The magnet has a very solid connection to the case - or any other metal object you wish.

What's Not

Extra size: Due to the iPhone's back panel being non-removable, this case adds some extra length on to your device.

Lack of aesthetic and protective features: There's nothing to stop the front of your phone smashing when dropped or protecting it from scratches in your pocket.

Final Thoughts

If you're a fan of the looks and don't mind the added extra size, we suggest you pick up one of these immediately and take a look at our previous Patriot FUEL iON accessories reviews to match.

The added size and no front cover makes this product lose a few points in my eyes, but magnetic charging is so useful in this day-and-age, even if it means you have to carry around an annoying little AUX cable in your wallet for possible use (most things these days are Bluetooth anyway, right?).
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BIOSTAR Offers support on New AMD FM2+ "Godavari" APU
With AMD's launch of the FM2+ "Godavari" class of APUs today, Biostar has been in preparation of a complete series of mainboards for the supporting chipsets such as the BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A88W 3D, Hi-Fi A70U3P and Hi-Fi A68U3P. To make upgrading even easier, these boards also have backwards support for previous generation FM2+ / FM2 APUs.

These new Godavari AMD APUs are AMD socket FM2+ and will feature an upgraded CPU and GPU architecture. The new Godavari APU are part of the Kaveri-Refresh platform which is aimed to re-fresh the current Kaveri APUs with the new 8000 series branding utilizing the x86 Steamroller core and GCN graphics architecture.

The BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A88W 3D, Hi-Fi A70U3P and Hi-Fi A68U3P all have features such as onboard LAN, PCI Express 3.0 x16, SATA 6Gb/s, and USB 3.0. And with BIOSTAR's enhancements to these new FM2+ boards users will enjoy mainboards that excel in additional areas of BIOSTAR expertise such as the BIOSTAR Audio+, Video+, Speed+, Protection+, Durability+ and DIY+.

For more info on BIOSTAR's AMD motherboards go to: http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/socket.php?S_ID=21

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Monday, May 11, 2015

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 5/12/2015