Latest News - Page 2131

In what started out with Intel being at the middle of the biggest security hole found in consumer CPUs ever, Meltdown and Spectre are now causing a world of hurt for AMD, which had previously said there was a "near zero risk to AMD processors at this time". Yeah, well... about that. We also have a list of Intel CPUs affected by Meltdown and Spectre.

Microsoft's own support forums have seen a flood of PC owners with AMD processors complaining that their PCs won't boot after Spectre/Meltdown security patches were downloaded and installed.

"Microsoft has reports of customers with some AMD devices getting into an unbootable state after installing recent Windows operating system security updates", a Microsoft spokesperson explained. They continued: "After investigating, Microsoft has determined that some AMD chipsets do not conform to the documentation previously provided to Microsoft to develop the Windows operating system mitigations to protect against the chipset vulnerabilities known as Spectre and Meltdown".

Samsung has just announced its latest and greatest advancements in HBM2 technology at CES, something the company is calling "Aquabolt". This new HBM2 is much faster than the first spins of HBM2, where we're looking at bandwidth of an insane 2.4Gbps and in 8-Hi height (8GB) stacks which should see up to 32GB on next-gen graphics cards.

The 8-Hi stacks might sounds weird, but when there's 4 of them on a graphics card we're looking at 32GB of HBM2. As for bandwidth, we're looking at around 300MBps per pin, which on a 1024-bit memory bus should provide around 307GB/sec per package, times 4 bringing us to a crazy 1.2TB/sec of memory bandwidth.

Jaesoo Han, executive vice president, Memory Sales & Marketing team at Samsung Electronics explains: "With our production of the first 2.4Gbps 8GB HBM2, we are further strengthening our technology leadership and market competitiveness. We will continue to reinforce our command of the DRAM market by assuring a stable supply of HBM2 worldwide, in accordance with the timing of anticipated next-generation system launches by our customers".

Sony has approved a number of official controllers across vendors like HORI and even Razer in an attempt to offer PS4 players a range of options, and now the games-maker continues this trend with the Onyx.

HORI's new Onyx controller is shaped very much like an Xbox One controller, meaning it should be pretty good for shooters. The standard DualShock 4 can be funky at times, especially with its floating triggers (those things are a nightmare to fix if you lose the little spring), so major vendors and peripheral-makers have stepped in with their own respective solutions.

Outside of its looks and ergonomic feel, all in all the Onyx seems to act just like a regular DualShock 4: it sports wireless connectivity, has all of the buttons in the same place (well maybe except for the floating triggers), and rocks the touchpad that can often be wonky to use in-game.

Square Enix is bringing its Zodiac Age remaster to Steam next month, offering a host of features not included in the console version.

Having played Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age on PS4, I can say the game looks and plays great, but it should really shine on PC. Apparently the publisher agrees and that's why the remastered port will run at 60FPS on PC, as well as include support for up to three 21:9 ultra-wide monitors at once, and also full controller support on Steam.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is slated to launch on February 2, 2018 on Steam for $49.99.

Boeing has revealed a giant drone that is capable of changing the way that transportation of cargo is done from small destination of point A to B. The giant drone is capable of lifting 500 pounds of weight and will serve a staple example of what future autonomous flying aircrafts can achieve.

Amazingly the massive drone came from a concept drawing on a piece of paper and only took Boeing engineers three months to bring to life, titling the creation"unmanned electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) cargo air vehicle (CAV) prototype." The company has said that the drone has passed all testing done at Boeing research labs in Missouri, and that the drone represents "another major step in our Boeing eVTOL strategy."

Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief technology officer said that the company has an "opportunity to really change air travel and transport, and we'll look back on this day as a major step in that journey."

In order to reach a more broad audience and re-release one of its most beloved franchises, Bandai Namco is bringing a remastered port of the original Dark Souls games across a slew of platforms.

Months ago there were rumors that a Dark Souls trilogy would be coming to the Nintendo Switch, but those reports were only half right: instead of all three games the Japanese publisher is launching the first as a remaster on the Switch. As the Switch has sold over 10 million units, meeting Nintendo's internal fiscal year estimates, it's only natural developers and publishers are seeing it as a major entry in the current console gen race. Details are slim at this point, but we do know the game will launch on May 25, 2018 for $39.99 on the platform.

Dark Souls: Remastered is also coming to PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 consoles, with the added bonus of supporting 4K resolution if you own a PS4 Pro, Xbox One X, or have the proper PC hardware to support it.

The next game has been revealed in the award-winning real-time strategy franchise Total War. SEGA has begun showcasing Total War: Three Kingdoms with an announcement trailer and a bunch of screenshots.

SEGA has taken to their social media channels to announce Total War: Three Kingdoms and has lifted the veil on which major historical event the game will be set in. It appears that ancient China has been the choice of the new games location, and more specifically the year of 190CE, which is a time of turmoil within the country.

Three Kingdoms will be following the relationship of three heroes, each sworn to brotherhood in order to come together to face the hand of tyranny. SEGA has said "The year is 190CE. China is in turmoil. The Han Dynasty crumbles before the child-emperor. He is but a figurehead; a mere puppet for the tyrant warlord Dong Zhuo. It is a brutal and oppressive regime, and as Dong Zhuo's power grows, the empire slips further into the cauldron of anarchy. But hope yet blossoms."

Last year Sony Interactive Entertainments CEO and president Andrew House's stepped down from leading the company and John Kodera replaced him and the role. Kodera has now taken to Twitter to announce that Sony fans will not have to worry about Sony becoming a 'games as a service' type of company.

Sony's John Kodera has taken to Twitter to say that Sony fans will not have to worry about their company steering towards 'games as a service' as that appears to be the last thing on the developers minds. Kodera has said that "PlayStation's vision is totally different" from 'games as a service' meaning that Sony is going to be sticking by a linear type storyline that includes a start and finish, instead a infinite amount of DLCs and updates.

An example of another company sticking by the single-player genre, that is also relative to Sony, is Naughty Dog. Last year at the PlayStation Experience, Naughty Dog's director Neil Druckmann announced that the company "will forever continue to make single-player, linear, narrative-based games" reinforcing the already great choice of upcoming single-player titles on the PlayStation platform.

It came to our attention recently that Capcom are delaying the release for Monster Hunter: World on PC, with the console version of the game is due for release very soon Ryozo Tsujimoto has come fourth and has explained why the developer has decided to extend the PC launch for more development time.

In a recent conversation with GamesRadar, Ryozo Tsujimoto producer of Monster Hunter has said that the PC port for the game is no small feat and that the company would like to make sure that the game they have designed is up to scratch for PC gamers. Unlike most companies these days simply porting over a very rough version of their game from console to PC, Capcom has decided to take their time with their release, in hopes PC gamers will understand when it is finally launched.

Tsujimoto explains that rather than diversifying the development resources between the console release and the PC port, the company has decided that it will instead focus their attention on one project at a time. This will happen until the console version is completely ready and essentially "out the door."

Civilization VI is gearing up to release its first full DLC expansion for their turn-based strategy game, within the expansion there is going to be a brand new civilization to play titled Georgia, led by Queen Tamar who ruled over nation during the 12th century.

Judging from the below video, it seems Georgia is going to be quite a balanced Civilization when compared to the others featured in the Rise and Fall expansion. It appears that she will have not only strong unique units but also city defenses, as well as golden age and faith bonuses. This means that she will easily be able to pursue religious, cultural or domination victories across the map.

For more information regarding the Georgia and Queen Tamars unique perks refer to the below video as Sid Meier's Civilization's YouTube channel has released a short video summarizing how Georgia is going to slot into the Rise and Fall expansion.

There is a flood of announcements coming out of Hi-Rez Studos recently, as the developer has just announced a Battlegrounds game mode coming to Paladins, now DualShockers has confirmed that the company plans to release a project on the Nintendo Switch.

In a recent interview with DualShockers, Erez Gore, Hi-Rez Studios CEO has confirmed that the developer will be brining one of their future projects to the Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately Gore refused to give any details on what the project might be or when it will arrive.

The question Goren was asked by DualShockers was "Do you plan on bringing any current or future projects to Nintendo Switch?", Goren replied with "Maybe... maybe yes... yes. But I'm not saying which game!."

The times of taking a selfie with an outstretched arm is over as AEE has created a drone that attaches to the back of your phone case, and once activated, will hover at the perfect height for the ultimate selfie.

Selfly is your very own selfie and recording drone assistant, merely unfolding the from the back of the users phone case will allow for on-the-fly selfies and live streams. The drone has the ability to take pictures in 1080p and record record in 60FPS but sadly only has a four-minute battery life. Selfly can take panoramic shots and allows for the user to set the drone at the perfect height using the virtual joysticks or the point-and-fly option within the app.

Of course having a drone attached to the back of your phone case is going to increase the width of your phone, but luckily enough it isn't as bad as you would think. Selfly only increases the width of the average phone by about half an inch, which is a small price to pay if selfies or 1080p recording wherever you go is something you desire to do for a short amount of time.

Starting on January 10, the Overwatch League has its debut, and now the only streaming service that fans of the game will find the tournament on is Twitch, as Twitch has made purchased the rights of the game for a massive $90 million.

According to Sports Business Daily , Twitch has struck a deal with Activision Blizzard for exclusivity broadcasting rights for Overwatch League. The deal is reportedly the biggest exclusivity deal in eSports history and will provide fans of the game a selection of different languages to view it in so no one misses out. The stream will be broadcasted in Korean, English and French and everywhere except China.

The deal is believed to spread over a two-year time period which gives access to viewers the first two seasons of Overwatch League. Viewers will also be able to participate in a "viewership reward system" which grants in-game rewards that are Overwatch League inspired loot.

Intel has been in a world of hurt ever since the major security bugs inside of virtually every Intel CPU and many other CPUs on the market, but the news of Intel CEO Brian Krzanich selling $24 million worth of Intel shares - even though he knew about Meltdown and Spectre, has people not-so-happy.

Krzanich sold $24 million worth of stock back in November 2017, with the sale taking place after Intel found out about the huge Meltdown and Spectre bugs, as they found out months before that . Krzanich had the required 10b5-1 plan that allows company executives to sell their stock, but the plan was made at the end of October, a massive 5 months after Intel found out about Meltdown and Spectre.

But the thing is, Kzranich sold the maximum about of his Intel shares as he could, but there are thoughts that the Intel CEO sold as many company shares as he could, as he knew about Spectre and Meltdown and the possible effect it would have on Intel share prices. This is insider trading, and brings some very heavy things into the argument.

In what feels like the most ironic story I've written in a while, the North American Bitcoin Conference ticking page doesn't support Bitcoin payments, with an explanation from the group saying the "no cryptocurrency" policy is because of the "network congestion and manual processing".

There's a valid reason here, but it's just ironic that one of the best Bitcoin conferences in the world... doesn't accept Bitcoin right now. Bitcoin.com is reporting that more and more merchants are not accepting Bitcoin payments anymore because it's not quick and easy like other cryptocurrencies.

But the point is that Bitcoin isn't a transaction coin, and more of a stored value coin and "USD" of crypto. You need to trade BTC for most alt coins, and isn't something you buy your coffee or pay for your Netflix subscription with.

CES 2018 - ASRock was teasing their new Ultra Quad M.2 Card at CES 2018, with their new card capable of housing 4 x NMVe M.2 SSDs, cooled by a 50mm centrifugal fan.

The company is comparing it against the ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 card, with ASRock's new card featuring a bigger fan, and 6-pin PCIe power connector. ASRock also mounts the M.2 SSDs angled from the bottom, which also looks awesome, now we just need RGBs.

ASRock says that the angled placement of the M.2 sockets is better, as it minimizes the trace distance from the M.2 slots to the PCIe slot.

With all of the hoopla surrounding the Spectre and Meltdown security bugs found in consumer CPUs, setting Intel pretty much on fire, how are the other companies fairing? Well, NVIDIA is doing fine.

NVIDIA's revised security bulletin has provided some insight, with NVIDIA CEO and co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang saying: "Our GPUs are immune, they're not affected by these security issues. What we did is we released driver updates to patch the CPU security vulnerability. We are patching the CPU vulnerability the same way that Amazon , the same way that SAP, the same way that Microsoft, etc are patching, because we have software as well".

Huang added: "I am absolutely certain that our GPU is not affected".

In the last few hours over $50 billion has been wiped away from the global cryptocurrency market cap, down to just $628 billion (at the time of writing) from its record high of $835 billion on January 7.

Why the massive drop in cryptocurrency prices? Well, there have been massive stories that the Chinese government will be banning Bitcoin mining in the country, and with 80% of Bitcoin mined in China, this is huge on its own. But then news broke a couple of hours ago from Reuters that the South Korean government was pushing laws in to ban cryptocurrency trading on SK exchanges.

This has seen the drop of virtually every single cryptocurrency, with Ethereum going from its record high of $1400+ to $1230 in a matter of hours.

Just as my story about the Chinese government and authorities putting their boot down onto cryptocurrency miners in China, the South Korean justice minister said he's preparing a bill a ban on cryptocurrency trading through South Korean exchanges.

Park Sang-ki said in a press conference: "There are great concerns regarding virtual currencies and justice ministry is basically preparing a bill to ban cryptocurrency trading through exchanges".

There are no other details on South Korea's movements in banning cryptocurrency trading on SK exchanges, but it will be working directly with the government task force on it.

With the price of Bitcoin cranking up to $20,000 and now Ethereum breaking through multiple new all-time high prices and now steady at $1300, China is spoiling the party for cryptocurrency miners in the country.

According to local news sources, Chinese authorities had a notice being sent around telling them to "guide" an "orderly exit" for cryptocurrency mining operations, as they begin shutting down their mines. These sources said that the notice was issued by an inter-agency task force (The Dark Army?!*) assigned to looking into risks in internet finance.

Electricity prices are dirt cheap in the remote areas of China, where there the temperatures in those areas is also super-low. This is perfect for crypto miners as operating gigantic mines uses lots of computing power, and that all generates heat. So mining in remote China is a perfect blend: cheap electricity and low temperatures, it's like Christmas everyday for miners.