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Hillary Clinton would like the Islamic State bounced off social media
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently spoke out regarding the Islamic State and other criminal groups using social media.
Speaking directly about the Islamic State, she had this to say: "We have got to shut down their Internet presence, which is posing the principal threat to us," when asked during a stop on her campaign to become president.
"You've got to look carefully at terrorist groups and criminal cartels and other illegal actors to figure out whether they can use the Internet to cause crimes, to cause harm, to wage terrorist attacks and we can't just let that go on unabated," Clinton said.
Continue reading: Hillary Clinton would like the Islamic State bounced off social media (full post)
Google shaking things up, so please say hello to Alphabet
Google has filed paperwork with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) in its plan to rebrand the public holding company as Alphabet Inc. The decision was made as Google looks to create a new operating structure, but that doesn't mean Google's businesses will suddenly disappear.
Services such as its search, maps, apps, YouTube, ads and Android will be listed as "Google business" under Alphabet. However, the company has branched out into a number of other business ventures, which will be better organized under Alphabet.
Expect the changes to be rolled out over the next few months, as current Google investors should be able to receive a detailed outlook how each business is operating.
Continue reading: Google shaking things up, so please say hello to Alphabet (full post)
Ghost Games speaks out regarding Need for Speed always-online function
Video game studios try to deliver a great gaming experience, especially for multiplayer gamers, though must walk a fine-line. There has been more always-online functionality included in even more games, but many gamers don't necessarily like it - not surprisingly, some gamers interested in Need for Speed weren't happy to hear the news.
"We've been pretty big with Autolog throughout the years and, as we know, it's a really powerful feature," said Marcus Nilsson, executive producer of Need for Speed, in a statement published in the Official Xbox Magazine. "This time around we're going to give it more of a human voice. It will treat your friend's play as if it is part of the narrative experience."
The game studio is quite excited about including a new automatic image sharing system, which also benefits from always-online:
Continue reading: Ghost Games speaks out regarding Need for Speed always-online function (full post)
Apple iOS making gains on Android in mobile OS war: comScore report
Apple had some news to celebrate following a strong showing in the latest quarter that ended in June, with 44.1 percent OEM market share, while iOS closed the gap to Google Android, according to the comScore research group.
Apple leads the smartphone market, gaining 1.5 percent, while Samsung (28.1 percent), LG Electronics (8.3 percent), Motorola (4.9 percent), and HTC (3.4 percent) all lost ground.
Android remained the most popular mobile OS, with 51.6 percent market share, though lost 0.8 percent - as Apple now accounts for 44.1 percent of the market. Both Google and Apple are fully dedicated to the smartphone and mobile OS market, and consumers can expect to see even more products from both companies in the years to come.
Continue reading: Apple iOS making gains on Android in mobile OS war: comScore report (full post)
Dark Souls 3 is a 'turning point for the series', says Miyazaki
At Gamescom 2015 the renown master of macabre Hidetaka Miyazaki sat down with Gamespot to discuss Dark Souls 3, revealing some hints on what's next for the series.
"Dark Souls is my life's work. Everything I came up with for Dark Souls 3 is based on my personal preferences," Miyazaki said, his words offering huge relief for fans who preferred the "Miyzaki touch" that was present in the original game. "Dark Souls 3 is also actually the turning point for the franchise. This project was launched by the previous From Software management, before I was appointed president. In that sense, Dark Souls 3 is the turning point for the series. As president of From Software, I am planning to launch several new projects. I can't quite specify exactly what they are. Those could be something sci-fi, but you'll have to stay tuned for more about that in the future."
This isn't the first time Miyazaki echoed these words; at E3 2015 he squashed reports that Dark Souls 3 would be the final game in the series, but provided no concrete details on what's next. What we do know is that Miyazaki will have full creative control over the future of the franchise, meaning that Dark Souls 3 will act as a bridge towards Miyazaki's new grand scheme.
Continue reading: Dark Souls 3 is a 'turning point for the series', says Miyazaki (full post)
HTC investors: company brand, factories and buildings are 'worthless'
It looks as though things have gone from bad to worse with Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC, with investors effectively saying HTC's "brand, factories and buildings were worthless", reports Bloomberg.
HTC's market price fell to $1.5 billion on Monday, below the $1.5 billion it had in cash at the end of June. Calvin Huang at Sinopac Financial Holdings Co. in Taipei told Bloomberg: "HTC's cash is the only asset of value to shareholders. Most of the other assets shouldn't be considered in their valuation because there's more write-offs to come and the brand has no value".
Q3 2015 isn't shaping up to be too good for HTC either, with the Taiwanese company forecasting 48% below analysts' estimations, after a 35% cut to projected revenues in the preceding period. There's one massive looming question I have: what about Vive? HTC's VR headset that it collaborated on with Valve, which could be the most exciting product HTC has ever made.
Continue reading: HTC investors: company brand, factories and buildings are 'worthless' (full post)
Ben Affleck has reportedly signed on for a new Batman solo trilogy
All signs are pointing to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice being a kick ass entry in the DCCU, but it looks like the film's crew and Warner Bros. executives have seen a screening of the movie, where the working cut of the movie had a standing ovation from those that saw it.
Ben Affleck has kicked enough ass in Batman v Superman that Warner Bros. wants Affleck to not only direct a solo Batman movie, but they want him for an entire Batman trilogy. Den of Geek has the rumor, saying that Warner Bros. was already interested in Affleck starring, writing and directing a solo Batman movie, but now Warner Bros. wants three Batman movies.
It also makes sense, as over the weekend Affleck's upcoming movies 'The Accountant' and 'Live by Night' were delayed, giving him room to work and be involved (obviously quite heavily) in the new Batman movies. The first solo Batman movie is rumored for sometime in 2018, but we should hear more about this closer to the release of Batman v Superman.
Continue reading: Ben Affleck has reportedly signed on for a new Batman solo trilogy (full post)
Intel's Xeon processors will soon be rolled out into laptops
Today's laptops are pretty damn powerful, where personally I use the ASUS ROG G751 gaming laptop as my personal workstation (heck, I'm typing on it right now) with a 34-inch 3440x1440 UltraWide display and a Acer XB270HU 2560x1440 144Hz G-Sync display plugged into it. But the CPUs inside are about to get a heck of a lot faster.
Intel has just unveiled the very first Xeon processor family for laptops, the E3-1500M v5, which is based on the Skylake architecture. These Xeon-powered laptops will also introduce some enthusiast and professional technologies, such as the new Thunderbolt 3 connector which supports dual 4K displays, USB Type-C, and much more from a single port.
The chipmaker isn't talking about all of the capabilities of its E3-1500M, but we do know that laptops using the Xeon processors will arrive in the fall.
Continue reading: Intel's Xeon processors will soon be rolled out into laptops (full post)
Ultra-low graphics mod transforms Skyrim into a Pixar wonderland
In an effort to dramatically improve performance, Skyrim modder UniqueUses created an ultra-low graphics overhaul that transformed the once-detailed continent into a majestic winter wonderland straight out of a Pixar movie.
The mod, officially called "Toon Skyrim", was showcased in a Reddit post that has seen some six-thousand upvotes, proving many gamers are eager to try it out. But UniqueUses still has a lot of work cut out for him before Toon Skyrim is ready for release--including fleshing out NPC's, fixing signs, and a number of tweaks across the board.
"I'm basically making my own potato texture mod, with an enb and weather that goes with it to help hide that ugly lod," the modder said in the post, using the term "potato textures" to describe low-def textures. "I like the potato texture style, but I think a lot of fixing up needs to be done for it to be playable. So I'm going to attempt to make things like signs and faces readable but still fit the potato style."
Continue reading: Ultra-low graphics mod transforms Skyrim into a Pixar wonderland (full post)
World's first 6-inch 4K AMOLED panel targets mobile VR market
EverDisplay Optronics (EDO) has crafted the world's first 6-inch 4K UHD Super AMOLED smartphone panel specifically aimed at optimizing the growing mobile VR sector.
EDO's new panel packs in up to 734 PPI in a compact scale with an Ultra-HD resolution of 3840 x 2160. While these specs are overkill for everyday smartphone use, they offer tremendous advantages to virtual reality applications and gaming.
Thanks to the low latency (a huge must for keeping the illusion of virtual reality) and optimized visuals like real darkness with superb contrast ratio and minimal hazardous high-energy blue ray, the panel is a perfect fit for VR. "Visually a person immerses himself into a faux real surrounding by means of VR devices," says EverDisplay Optronic's CEO Dr. David Chu. "To do so, it requires exponentially higher PPI in display, far beyond what current market offers. Using today's UHD (4K) display turn-on as a launch pad, EDO is determined to enter the VR market."
Continue reading: World's first 6-inch 4K AMOLED panel targets mobile VR market (full post)
Elder Scrolls VI won't happen for a 'very long time', says Bethesda
Rumors have been flying left and right about the next singleplayer Elder Scrolls game--could it be Elder Scrolls VI: Argonia, or even a Skyrim sequel?--but Bethesda's own Pete Hines has squashed these rumors, affirming that the studio won't be divulging any new details until long after Fallout 4 is finished up.
At Gamescom 2015 Bethesda's VP in Marketing Pete Hines squashed the Elder Scrolls VI rumors, saying that it will be a "very long time" until a new TES game is announced and that the team is currently "100% committed to Fallout 4".
Speaking of Fallout 4, the team still has a lot of work on their plate with optimizing mods for consoles, tweaking bugs and fixing up the massive crafting system. Considering how huge Fallout 4 is--there are reports that it could take up to 400 hours to beat--this will be a lofty goal with post-release updates to keep the studio busy for some time.
Continue reading: Elder Scrolls VI won't happen for a 'very long time', says Bethesda (full post)
Latest gameplay video on Star Citizen teases Quantum Travel mode
The latest gameplay video on Star Citizen shows off a bunch of stuff, including Quantum Travel mode, the ZeroG mode that has you floating around your ship, and some of the multiplayer goodness, too.
The 13-minute video also features some combat, with some scanning technology being used to find bogies, as well as some aerial fighting through space which is always awesome. We get to see some of the different ships on offer, with different view points into space, and your enemies, depending on where you sit in the ship.
After watching the video, some of the shadows don't look too good, but the overall lighting when you get out of your quarters is super-impressive. The walking around effect is going to take some getting used to, and RSI has some serious optimization to go on the performance, but we are talking about a game that is still in development.
Continue reading: Latest gameplay video on Star Citizen teases Quantum Travel mode (full post)
MSI's custom GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning is coming soon
It looks like MSI is preparing what could be the best GeForce GTX 980 Ti on the market with its 980 Ti Lightning card, a beast that the company was teasing at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany over the last few days.
MSI confirmed they were making their GTX 980 Ti Lighting, with no prototype card on display. We should expect the MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning card to sport the usual custom PCB, beautiful design and kick-ass cooling. Rumor has it MSI is going to have a stock GPU clock of 1217MHz resulting in a Boost clock of 1342MHz, but I would dare say we should expect more than that considering the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP! Extreme Edition is clocked higher than that, without a custom PCB.
We should hopefully have the MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning in for review as soon as its released, so we'll keep you updated on what could be the most exciting GM200-based card yet.
Continue reading: MSI's custom GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning is coming soon (full post)
Metal Gear Solid V is 1080p 60FPS on PS4, 900p 60FPS on Xbox One
With just mere weeks away from release Konami has revealed the full specs for its AAA stealth espionage blockbuster Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain across all platforms, giving gamers a quick look of what kind of performance values that can be expected for next month's launch.
PlayStation 4 flavors of MGSV will hit a fluid resolution to frame-rate ratio of 1080p 60FPS, whereas Microsoft's Xbox One will be rendered at not-so-surprising native 900p at 60FPS. The PC variants are predictably beefier, with support of a maximum 4K resolution (3840x2160) output but is also capped at 60FPS.
The last-gen PS3 and Xbox 360, which were put on the back burner of development, will be both internally scaled at 720p and see their frame rates halved at just 30FPS. All-in-all these rates are wholly consistent with Ground Zeroes' cross-platform specs.
Continue reading: Metal Gear Solid V is 1080p 60FPS on PS4, 900p 60FPS on Xbox One (full post)
Microsoft's Hololens will support online multiplayer via Xbox LIVE
Although VR is largely regarded as the hot new tech for gaming, Microsoft's Hololens has huge potential to make AR a very real combatant against devices like the Oculus Rift. One of the key paths to doing so revolves around seamless multiplayer interaction through AR, and Microsoft has tapped its online juggernaut service Xbox LIVE to power these experiences.
At Gamescom 2015 Microsoft Games Evangelist Jaime Rodriguez revealed that the Xbox LIVE API would be fully functional across every device in the Universal Windows Platform, which includes Windows Phones, Windows 10 PC's, Xbox One consoles and the new Hololens AR headset.
This effectively means that Xbox LIVE online multiplayer could eventually be available on the AR-ready Hololens. Imagine playing Minecraft with friends across the globe via holographic images overlayed across your home, hacking at projected trees and building titanic castles in the sky...I'm getting excited just thinking about it.
Continue reading: Microsoft's Hololens will support online multiplayer via Xbox LIVE (full post)
Microsoft wants to 'support Steam and help run great on Windows 10'
Although Windows 10 is touted as a boon for gaming as a whole, PC gamers worried that Microsoft would eventually break away from Steam integration and force users to the Windows Store. So far that hasn't happened and Microsoft continues to leverage marketplaces like Steam and GOG for the new OS, but what does the future hold?
"We are not intending to compete with Steam," Xbox's senior director of PC gaming Kevin Unangst told PC Gamer. "If anything, we want Steam to be even more successful-they've done great things for PC gamers in terms of having a single store. Over time do we want more developers to come over to our store and offer it in addition to Steam? Absolutely. But our goal right now isn't to do anything else other than support Steam and help it run great on Windows 10."
Unangst goes on to highlight the reasons why Games for Windows LIVE failed and what he learned from the approach. "Games for Windows was a prior approach where it was more, at that time, like 'how do we take things?'" the Xbox exec iterated. "We knew we wanted to help make great multiplayer, we knew we wanted to bring things over... but it wasn't the right approach. It was the approach of 'let's just take those things and transplant them'."
Continue reading: Microsoft wants to 'support Steam and help run great on Windows 10' (full post)
Star Wars: Battlefront wins big at Gamescom 2015
EA's latest interstellar AAA juggernaut Star Wars: Battlefront dominated Gamescom 2015's annual award ceremony with no less than five wins, including the prestigious "Best of Gamescom" category. The live-action reveal of Battlefront's new Fighter Squadron mode, which lets players relive classic space dogfights from the films, likely helped persuade the panel judges.
"Visually, it's extremely exhilarating. The skies are crawling with enemy ships, and you see sparks and explosions from ships about to be taken down," DICE's Associate Designer Peter Forsman said about the new mode. "On top of that, you've got this great music, sound design, and gameplay, making the whole thing feel like an authentic Star Wars dogfight."
Out of the total 18 nomination categories, Star Wars: Battlefront won five of them, which is more than any other game on the ballot. following Gamescom categories: Best of Gamescom 2015, Best PC Game, Best Online Multiplayer Game, Best PlayStation 4 Game and the Most Wanter Consumer Award. Runners up include Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Microsoft's Forza Motorsport 6 with two wins apiece.
Continue reading: Star Wars: Battlefront wins big at Gamescom 2015 (full post)
Saitek is building peripherals exclusively for Star Citizen
Cloud Imperium Games has just announced it has partnered up with peripherals maker Saitek on some exclusive products for Star Citizen, including joysticks, keyboards and headsets.
In order to help with the huge immersion in Star Citizen already, specifically made peripherals are only going to add to that. Saitek partnered up with CIG on the peripherals to not just being 'stylized' but they will be uniquely designed to the look and feel of the hardware used in Star Citizen.
There will be a 'connected theme' of keyboards and joysticks so that there's an entire control solution for the hardcore Star Citizen fans. The keyboards and mice that Saitek are working on won't be reskinned peripherals, they will be an entire system of peripherals that can be used in a modular way, which has me excited just typing it in for you to read, let alone using them myself.
Continue reading: Saitek is building peripherals exclusively for Star Citizen (full post)
Crono Labs is working on a monitor-mounted PC case
Many people use their monitor VESA mount in order to attach it to an arm, but what about screwing in a case instead? Marketed as an easily manageable and upgradable all-in-one type solution, even a case carry handle is included in order to help you transport your whole system around the office, to LAN parties or to a friends place.
Set to be released on Indiegogo soon as a finance campaign, we have been contacted by Crono Labs with some pre-release renders of exactly what the final product should look like.
The Crono Labs C1 case doesn't have much public information available just yet, but it looks like a Mini-ITX sized chassis and we know that it comes complete with the IO ports pointing towards your desk in order to increase cable management from your monitor to the components. Crono Labs further stated that you should expect around 80% less dust in your system too, this is due to the case being raised off the ground.
Continue reading: Crono Labs is working on a monitor-mounted PC case (full post)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will include split-screen gameplay on PC
Treyarch has come out swinging during Gamescom this year, announcing that Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 on the PC will include some great support, with studio boss Mark Lamia teasing earlier in the year: "If you've really invested in your rig, we want it to pay off". During Gamescom, Treyarch provided a breakdown of what to expect on the PC version of the game:
It's great to see "strong GPU scaling" as well as "SLI and Crossfire optimizations" included in Black Ops 3, but one of my favorite additions that Treyarch are putting into the game is the FOV slider. An interesting node is the framerate cap slider, which is a different thing to see these days. Treyarch added: "As we add more optimizations and advanced graphics features, we're re-evaluating our recommended spec, so stay tuned. Rest assured that our goal is to provide the best performance across the widest range of machines possible".
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will reach the Xbox One, PS4 and PC on November 3, while the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will come out at a later date.
Continue reading: Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will include split-screen gameplay on PC (full post)






