COUGAR 700K Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review
COUGAR 700K Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
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Intel Skylake-S Processors Facing a Launch Day Supply Issue?
Intel's upcoming Skylake processors are arriving next week, on August 5, but there may be some issues with the Skylake-S processors and their supply. According to an early report, the Skylake-S processors will launch in limited numbers, with supplies building up over time. However, there are some issues with this. One is that Intel has supposedly been operating the fabrication facilities under capacity because of how many chips have already been produced. Another is Intel has always met demand on new product launches, and given how big Skylake could be, there probably won't be a supply issue here. Lastly, the supply issue may be localized in different regions, considering the supply problem rumor originated from a Swedish retailer. So, take the rumors of Intel Skylake-S supply problems with a hefty dose of salt. There may be an issue, but it could just be speculation and rumor based on how many parts have arrived at one specific retailer.
Source: Sweclockers via WCCFtech
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Get Your Windows 10 Copy Now; Internet Could Break from Traffic
Windows 10 isn't officially available until tomorrow at 10am EST, but there is a way to get it now, even if you aren't part of the Windows Insiders program. A redditor found a way to jumpstart the Windows 10 installation process, and while it isn't a guarantee to work for everyone, could be a nice thing to do if you absolutely cannot wait for Windows 10. Anyone who has reserved the new OS should have a folder on their primary drive called $Windows.~BT, which may be hidden unless you're set to view hidden folders already. This folder is probably taking up about 6GB or so of space on your drive, and is why your hard drive space suddenly shrunk. Well, if you want to get that space cleared up and begin using Windows 10 right now, run the Command Prompt as an administrator and type in "wuauclt.exe /updatenow" on the line, and then hit Enter. Windows 10 should begin downloading the rest of the way, and then you can either install it right away or wait until a later time.
Now, there are some issues with this, as some redditors are getting an error code or the download doesn't begin, or the folder just simply deletes itself without going through the download/install. So, some risks, and it may not work for everybody. But for those who simply just cannot wait until 10am EST tomorrow, this is for you.
One other problem is that Microsoft's servers are being absolutely slammed by traffic, with somewhere around 10Tb/s of data used up on its Content Delivery Networks (CDN). Microsoft apparently reserved 40Tb/s of capacity from the third-party CDNs, and if a fourth of that is already gone, well, maybe some seeders would be a good idea. If your download is slow and nothing else is, now you know why.
Sources: Reddit and StreamingMediaBlog
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95% of Android Devices Vulnerable to Stagefright Exploit
Security Researchers from the Zimperium Z Team have announced the discovery of six exploits found in the Android OS version 2.2 or later, which makes up about 95% of all Android devices. The exploits are collectively known as Stagefright and grant remote execution privileges to attackers. The most alarming aspect of Stagefright is that "a hacker need only send you a file containing malicious code" allowing them to "take control whether you respond to that sent file or not." Joshua Drake of Zimperium compared Stagefright to other exploits stating, "Unlike spear-phishing, where the victim needs to open a PDF file or a link sent by the attacker, this vulnerability can be triggered while you sleep. Before you wake up, the attacker will remove any signs of the device being compromised and you will continue your day as usual – with a trojaned phone." Drake added that a patch has already been sent to Google, but it will be up to wireless carriers to get the patch to end users.
Source: Consumer Affairs
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AMD Radeon R9 Fury X Under Delivers on Teased Overclocking Performance
The latest AMD video cards based on the Fiji GPU have faced a number of issues since launch, including noise issues on the R9 Fury X and yield issues which caused a slow rollout to partners. The R9 Fury X was also touted as having excellent overclocking potential, but in reality the card was unable to deliver on the high hopes of consumers. The card launched with little support in the form of overclocking software and an increase in base clock speeds of about 50-80MHz was the norm. A report from TechPowerUp found that the card had some issues with voltage scaling that was limiting the gains in performance while causing large increases in power consumption.
Source: TechPowerUp via WCCF Tech
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MotoGP 14 Added to NVIDIA GRID
MotoGP 14 is the latest game to be added to the NVIDIA GRID service, an online game streaming platform available to SHIELD owners. The game is accessible using the SHIELD Android TV device, a tablet, or the handheld gaming system. MotoGP 14 is described as having graphics "as supercharged as the superbikes you’ll take out on the tracks, and the controls are tight and unforgiving—rewarding precision and penalizing heavy hands. And that’s just what you should expect from a game that attempts to replicate the feel of screaming around bends at 200mph, where there is no margin for error." GRID is available to SHIELD owners for free until September 2015 and currently boasts more than 50 PC games.
Source: Press Release
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Windows 10 Arrives Tomorrow; Here's What to Expect
Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 10, arrives tomorrow, and if you're curious about what to expect, when to expect it, and nearly everything else the OS has to offer, you're in luck. This post will try to detail everything we know about Windows 10's launch tomorrow, and while Microsoft hasn't revealed all the information, we do have plenty to share. For starters, Windows 10 will begin rolling out at 10am EST tomorrow by way of a pop-up on your desktop saying it has downloaded, with members of Windows Insiders receiving it first. Anyone who has reserved their copy will then receive it in waves, but Microsoft has yet to say how long these waves will take. Millions of people are lined up for Windows 10, and while not everyone will get it on July 29, Microsoft does not plan for it to take weeks to provide everyone with their copy.
Windows 10 is going to be a free upgrade for the first year, which is a major step for Microsoft, and before you think there's a limit, well, there isn't. Anyone with a copy of Windows 7 or later, including those on Windows Phone 8.1, can get a copy of Windows 10 for free through a prompt on your computer/phone/tablet. However, the mobile version won't be quite ready yet, but you can still get it reserved for when it is. The OS will be free for 10 years (read, no surprises at any point), with mainstream support ending in 2020 and extended support in 2025. If you're on an older version of Windows or on a different OS, you'll need to buy Windows 10 for either $119.99 ($99.99 OEM) for the Home edition or $199.99 ($139.99 OEM) for the Pro edition. You can also become a member of Windows Insider and get it for free, but you'll be a beta tester for any new updates rolling out to Windows 10. Some may not be stable right away, like some recently seen ones with NVIDIA drivers on build 10240 (which isn't the final RTM build), so if you want to be a guinea pig, you have that option.
In order to run Windows 10, you need at least a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM for 32-bit or 2GB for 64-bit, 16GB of hard drive space for 32-bit and 20GB of space for 64-bit, at least a DirectX 9 video card, and a monitor capable of displaying 1024x600 and above. Pretty standard fare, so if you've bought or built a PC at any point in the last five years or so, you'll be fine. The install for Windows 10 should take about 30-45 minutes, depending on how much time you spend customizing it. Backing up your files before the upgrade is recommended, but everything should be right where you left it on Windows 7 or 8.1.
There are some things that will be included in Windows 10, like OneDrive and the new Edge browser, but with some caveats. In the case of OneDrive, folders won't be automatically synced; you have to choose which ones get uploaded online. For Edge, extension support is missing right now (Flash is built in, like with Google Chrome), as is pinning websites to the taskbar, favorites importing (requires exporting from another browser and then importing), and dragging a file into the browser to upload to OneDrive or the like. Other things missing include Cortana support in all available countries and languages, and Windows 10 for Xbox One. Those and others will arrive in the fall update, which is hopefully out in October or thereabout. The Windows 10 we're getting tomorrow is still going to have a ton of features in it, just some are arriving a little later as they're still being finished up.
Windows 10 will be here in a little over 16 hours, where we'll get things like DirectX 12, the Edge browser, an actual Start menu, a vastly improved Activity Center that does away with Windows 8's annoying Charm Bar, windowed apps, virtual desktops, and so many other items. There will be plenty more coming in the next months and years, with Windows 10 set to be the definitive version of Microsoft's long-running OS. We'd love to hear from you how you're finding Windows 10 once you get it, so feel free to share your story!
Sources: Microsoft and TechRadar
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Super-Elastic Conductive Fibers Created
Flexible electronics will likely be a big deal once all of the components for them are developed, as there are many situations where flexibility would be invaluable for a device. One catch has been that typically when you stretch a conductive fiber, its conductivity decreases because of how the geometry changes. Researchers at the University of Texas, Dallas have designed a new fiber however, that actually sees its conductivity increase when stretched.
This new fiber consists of a rubber core with an aerogel of carbon nanotubes wrapped around it. The rubber is naturally stretchy, but to make the nanotubes stretchable the researchers had to design how the fibers would buckle. This is similar in concept to the folds in an accordion, which allows those inelastic materials to be stretched. The buckling was controlled by where large and small buckles were present along the nanotube sheath, and it is also these buckles that ensure the fibers' conductivity when stretched. Electrons are able to travel along the length of the hierarchically buckled sheath just as easily as they can travel over a straight sheath. The buckling around the circumference also protects from misalignment, preventing resistance from increasing as the fibers are stretched.
The researchers found that the conductive fibers can be stretched to 14 times their original length, and that conductivity increases 200-fold when stretched. They were also able to make the fibers into capacitors by adding a rubber layer and another nanofiber sheath, and when stretched the capacitance also increased. Both as a conductive elastic fiber and as elastic capacitors, these fibers can find many applications, and the researchers say it is well-suited for rapid commercialization too, so we may see some of those applications before long.
Source: University of Texas, Dallas
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Mafia 3 is Official; Full Reveal Set for August 5
The rumors have been around for ages, but now, finally, 2K Games has confirmed that Mafia 3 exists and will be officially unveiled at Gamescom next week (since E3 came and went without a word). A teaser image of the reveal date appeared on Twitter earlier today, with the trailer reveal set for 8am EST on August 5. Not a whole lot is being said about Mafia 3 right now, except that it is the next installment in the franchise (obviously) and is being developed by new studio Hangar 13. Haden Blackman, formerly of LucasArts, is leading the team at Hangar 13, and he teased a super secret project at the new studio when he joined. Now that we know it's Mafia 3, the speculation can begin on where and when the new game is set. Judging by the cars in the teaser image, it looks to be the 1970s or so, and in a swamp or bayou since there are alligators in the water. This would be the latest a Mafia game has been set, but opens up a whole new world of possibility for the story, location, and experience.
Check back on August 5 to see the first trailer for Mafia 3 to give us the big picture on what we can expect from it.
Source: Twitter and Official Website
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Hardware Roundup: Tuesday, July 28, 2015, Edition
A new day is here, with several items to tide you over. We have a review of the SilverStone TD02-E liquid CPU cooler, which features a 240mm radiator and two 120mm fans to help keep your overclocks from going up in flames. There is a look at the Thermaltake Poseidon Z Plus Smart Keyboard that uses a Bluetooth 4.0 connection to track and send data to a connected smartphone on how you use the keyboard. The MSI GT72 Dominator Pro G gaming laptop gets reviewed to see what this 17", NVIDIA G-SYNC laptop is capable of doing. Lastly, we have a look at DirectX 12 and its Multiadapter, and what exactly it entails.
CPU Cooling
SilverStone TD02-E @ ThinkComputers
Keyboards/Mice
Thermaltake Poseidon Z Plus Smart Keyboard @ Benchmark Reviews
Laptops/Tablets
MSI GT72 Dominator Pro G @ PC Perspective
Miscellany
The DirectX 12 Multiadapter Concept Isn't Really New... @ PC Perspective
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Algorithms Combined to Improve Robot Recognition
Eventually we may have highly capable robots in our homes, helping with chores and other tasks as we ask them, but before this can happen, they must be able to recognize the objects being used. To that end many objection recognition algorithms have been developed and work is ongoing to make ever better ones. Now researchers at MIT have combined object recognition with mapping algorithms to create a more capable system, without relying on special hardware.
The researchers specialize in SLAM or simultaneous localization and mapping, which is a method for a robot to map their environment using multiple camera views. This generates a 3D map of the area and the objects in it using a single RGB camera. Normally an object recognition system using a single RGB camera works on single frames and relies on colors to distinguish objects from each other, so two objects near each other may be hard to tell apart, especially if they are similarly colored. As SLAM data includes depth information though, combining SLAM with object recognition makes it easier to distinguish objects from each other, and then identify.
The researchers found their new method was able to compete with systems specially designed for objection recognition that use cameras capable of making depth measurements, like the Kinect, despite using a single, monocular camera. It also performs better outside, where the infrared light the Kinect uses is easily lost.
Source: MIT
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FinalWire Releases AIDA64 5.30
Version 5.30 of AIDA64, a popular PC diagnostic utility that provides detailed information about hardware and software of individual or networked computers, has just been released by software development company FinalWire. The latest version of AIDA64 features full support for Intel Skylake processors, Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, as well as the latest graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by both AMD and NVIDIA. FinalWire has also developed version 5.30 of AIDA64 to support an operating system known as Tizen, which is developed by Samsung and features more than 1 million users that are mainly located in South Asia. According to FinalWire, the development of AIDA64 for Tizen was quite a challenge since the operating system is still in its infancy, but the company views Samsung’s platform as quite promising and FinalWire is proud to be one of the first to offer such an application for users of Tizen.
AIDA64 5.30 is available for immediate download, with the Extreme, Network Audit, Engineer, and Business versions retailing for $39.95, $99.95, $199.90, and $199.90, respectively. The Tizen version of AIDA64 5.30 is also available for immediate download from the Tizen store and is free for all users. For a full list of all the new features and improvements introduced to AIDA64 with the release of version 5.30, please see the source link below.
Source: Press Release
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