Latest News - Page 2790

Acer and ASUS have been the two big manufacturers standing behind NVIDIA's G-SYNC refresh rate technology, with Acer and its 4K 60Hz G-SYNC monitor, and ASUS and its 1440p 144Hz G-SYNC monitor, but according to new reports, Acer is preparing its own 2560x1440, or QHD 144Hz G-SYNC gaming monitor.

The QHD monitor would use the same AU Optronics 'M270Q002' panel that is baked into the ASUS ROG Swift, which means it'll bring along most of its features, too. So we should see Ultra-Low Motion Blur (ULMB), 8-bit color with 16.7 million colors, a 1000:1 static contrast ratio, 350 nits of brightness, 170/160-degree viewing angles, and W-LED backlighting. Acer will provide its 'Eye Care' technology, which uses flicker free light, being better on your eyes.

We should see Acer unveil the monitor at CES 2015 in January I'd say, with a release schedule of Q1 2015.

The PC version of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is finally being shown off in the form of world-first screenshots from NVIDIA, unveiling the first 1080p in-game screenshots from the PC version of the stealth game. NVIDIA has listed "what's new" for the PC version of MGS V: Ground Zeroes, below:

Better yet, NVIDIA has side-by-side screenshot comparisons between the PC and PS4 versions of the game, which you can check out here. To be honest, the PC version doesn't look that much better, especially considering just how beefy a GeForce GTX 980 SLI setup can be versus the all-in-one APU baked into the PlayStation 4.

The legal battle between NVIDIA and Samsung is really heating up now, with Samsung firing back at NVIDIA with a lawsuit, complaining to the US International Trade Commission to block sales of NVIDIA's GeForce and Tegra products.

We don't know which parts Samsung took under consideration, but the dispute does name many third-party device makers that sell GeForce-powered goods. Video card designers would be hit first, with companies like EVGA now in hot water. Tegra-based devices would be affected too, which isn't as big as the GPU side of things, but it's still going to affect NVIDIA if it happens.

Bloomberg spoke with NVIDIA, which said that it hadn't looked at the complaint just yet, but the company "look[s] forward" to going to the ITC with its own dispute.

We've been all over the Ubisoft scandal over the last year or so, since Watch Dogs began experiencing its delays and problems, but it's great to see more of the mainstream sites out there tackling this glaring issue. Forbes contributor Erik Kain has come out with a very damning article, titled ''Assassin's Creed: Unity' Makes A Strong Case For Video Game Recalls'.

His article talks about everything game-related, with multiple games like Watch Dogs, Battlefield 4 and Assassin's Creed: Unity all being released before they were ready. Kain does say that "Ubisoft obviously has the ability to release great video games. Far Cry 4 is great as was Far Cry Blood Dragon and Child of Light and the Rayman series", but Assassin's Creed: Unity has "undermined much of the good will the publisher built with its consumer base recently", and I'd have to agree.

Kain finishes his article saying: "It's time to make that right. Refund anyone who has purchased the game. Recall the copies still on shelves. Fix the game before releasing it to the public. Half-finished, buggy releases like this have no place in today's industry". This statement right there is something that I'm sure many of you will agree with.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is now out, with the franchise itself generating over $10 billion in sales for Activision, but the studio is now going after people who are uploading glitch videos and game-breaking issues onto video-sharing sites like Machinima and YouTube.

Activision is flagging the videos for possible copyright if they show off glitches in the new first-person shooter, with Machinima saying Activision is very trigger happy with takedowns right now. YouTubers and other video-sharing users aren't happy, even if Activision claims they're only going after glitch videos that highlight cheats and exploits in their powerhouse title.

Activision explains: "We're excited that so many fans are having fun playing the game and posting videos of their gameplay. We love watching the videos ourselves. Occasionally, some folks post videos that promote cheating and unfair exploits. As always, we keep an eye out for these videos-our level of video claims hasn't changed. We are appreciative of the community's support in helping to ensure that everyone has the best playing experience possible".

Companies are struggling to try to teach their employees appropriate use of work-owned PCs and laptops, as they struggle to keep their networks secure. During typical business hours, 36 percent of survey respondents say they browse social media, while 34 percent enjoy online shopping. Meanwhile, 42 percent play online games and 36 percent use their work laptops to search for a job - all while at home.

"People seem to understand that at work there's a little bit more protection," said Sergio Galindo, GFI Software general manager, while speaking to SCMagazine. "They don't do riskier stuff at the office. They're doing riskier stuff (at home) and then bring this equipment that was exposed at home back to the office."

Companies are more focused on trying to keep employees safe from social engineering-based phishing attacks, which lead systems and networks to be compromised by malware and other threats.

The Seattle Police Department will move forward to outfit officers with wearable body cameras, after the deal hit a hiccup due to a large number of open record requests by an anonymous programmer. The programmer operates a YouTube video that posts 911 calls, surveillance and police footage, embracing a beneficial open record laws.

"Under the law, they get requests regardless of whether or not I go away, and they view what I do as part of the solution," the programmer said. The programmer dropped the requests as part of an agreement that will have the police department provide him with video footage of police interactions and arrests with the public.

Police agencies are interested in wearable video cameras for officers as a better method to clear officers - and possibly press additional charges - on suspects. The Seattle Police Department has been under federal monitoring for more than two years, due to excessive force complaints against officers.

GameStop is unhappy that Microsoft and Sony are selling video games directly to consumers, cutting out retailers. Gamers enjoy the ability to purchase and download digital games, delivering titles instead of needing to go out and purchase physical copies. The Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus services help deliver games directly to consumers, providing game discounts and putting extreme pressure on GameStop and other companies.

"We want to help ensure that our industry does not make the same mistake as other entertainment categories by driving the perceived value of digital goods significantly below that of a physical game," said Tony Bartel, GameStop President, during the company's investor call.

GameStop will have to find a way to work with its partners to ensure digital game sales don't cut into its profits too much - and that will mean approaching Microsoft and Sony to see how they can strengthen their business relationship.

The US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) is working on a pocket-sized drone that can fly for 20 minutes, giving ground troops real-time video of the surrounding area. Soldiers would be able to easily carry the drone as part of the Cargo Pocket Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (CP-ISR) program.

Soldiers in the UK have tested the PD-100 Black Hornet palm-sized helicopter, manufactured by Prox Dynamics, and similar drone technologies would be able to benefit US soldiers. Besides the extremely small size of the drone, being able to transmit footage directly to ground soldiers would be extremely beneficial.

"The Cargo Pocket ISR is a true example of an applied systems approach for developing new Soldier capabilities," said Dr. Laurel Allender, NSRDEC acting technical director recently said. "It provides an integrated capability for the Soldier and small unit for increased situational awareness and understanding with negligible impact on Soldier load and agility."

Intel's Retail Edge Program's end-of-year benefits have been released. If you're an employee of certain technology companies (mobile phones included), you can join up to this project and reap the sale rewards. This information has been provided through Chiphell's online forum.

There are two main deals on offer, seeing Intel clear out their Core i7-5930K 3.5 GHz processor's for as low as $159 US, alongside their Core i7-4790K 4.0 GHz for a crazy $79 US.

If you think you're eligible for this program, you can register through your employee's certification to the Intel sales network. Once tasks are completed, you add 'points' to your account, allowing you to reach certain levels of discounts ranging from Producer, to Rockstar and finally Rock Legend - providing the best pricing.

Sony have just launched their latest offering to the ever-growing smart watch market. Even though originally claiming that they weren't interested in entering the Android Wear market in the beginning, they've decided that they want a slice of the market.

Sony's flagship watch comes with the following specifications:

The Smartwatch 3 is designed in a 'low-key' styling, not meant to be so much as of a fashion statement when compared to the Motorola 360, for example. As you may have noticed, the Smartwatch 3 comes in a few very bright color offerings including pink and yellow - not for the feint if heart. Alongside this, Sony's product comes with a silicone wrist strap - giving the feel that this product is designed for an athletic and/or younger audience.

TKTechNews has just informed us of a new Sony Xperia Z Ultra flat mobile phone to be released in 2015.

Set to contain a 5.9-inch touchscreen, ensuring that it's the 'perfect fit' for most consumers - not to big, nor too small. Sony's new smartphone offering is rumored for release in black or white color options.

However, we've also received information of a possible Xperia Z4 Ultra. This is rumored to contain a 6.4-inch display supporting a 2K resolution (2560 x 1440), with 4K also a realistic possibility. As far as hardware specifications are concerned, nothing is confirmed but it is rumored to contain similar architecture to the original Xperia models, with a focus on updating the inbuilt camera.

Amnesty International's Detekt is a free, open source tool that will help allow journalists and human rights activists if they are being targeted by surveillance spyware. This is the first time Amnesty International and several non-profit coalitions have released something publicly.

"Governments are increasingly using dangerous and sophisticated technology that allows them to read activists and journalists' private emails and remotely turn on their computer's camera or microphone to secretly record their activities," said Marek Marczynski, Amnesty International Head of Military, Security and Police, in a press statement. "They use the technology in a cowardly attempt to prevent abuses from being exposed."

The global market for surveillance technologies is estimated to be worth $5 billion per year, and is climbing even higher.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has been on a tear, after being founded in 2010 and releasing its first smartphone in 2011. The company is now the No. 3 smartphone maker in the world, trailing behind only Samsung and Apple, with company officials already having their sights set on further growth.

"I believe that no one thought the Xiaomi from three years ago, which just made its first phone, would later rank as the third largest player," said Lei Jun, Xiaomi founder and CEO, recently said. "India is becoming our largest overseas market. Within five or 10 years, we have the opportunity to become the number one smartphone company in the world."

The smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and Xiaomi will likely need to expand its consumer smartphones to the United States and Western Europe to fully move forward.

Rob Crooke, the Vice President and General Manager of the NVM (Non-Volatile Memory) Solutions Group at Intel, announced the impending release of 3D NAND at Intel's Investor Meeting. Incidentally, the presentation was running on an Intel 3D NAND SSD to demonstrate the progress Intel has already made in integrating their new 3D NAND into a workable device. The launch was a bit light on technical details of the new 3D NAND, but now that images from the presentation are available we are posting more information.

The first Intel SSD was developed in 1992 and featured a whopping 12MB capacity, and continued die shrinks have led to 128Gb dies. The transition to mainstream Intel SSDs began in 2008, and the initial revisions utilized 2D planar NAND. The continued path of NAND development has led to denser designs that sped adoption by lowering the cost per bit. Samsung released the first 3D NAND product in 2014 with 128Gb of density, and Intel's 3D NAND is slated for release in 2015.

Intel helped pioneer the SSD market, and their continued innovation has led to a huge chunk of SSD data center market share. These statistics reflect the current market share of major industry SSD manufacturers. The chart is incomplete and only lists two competitors with NAND fabrication capability. Intel includes the market share of the WD subsidiary HGST in their overall market share numbers due to the HGST and Intel JDA (Joint Development Agreement). The JDA provides Intel NAND to HGST, and in turn HGST collaborates on engineering and manufactures the SAS SSD products.

It looks like console gamers are having fun with the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4, as both next-generation game consoles outpace their predecessors. Since both consoles launched in November 2013, both consoles have a 73 percent higher installation base, than the Xbox 360 and PS3 over the first year of introduction for both consoles.

As the United States economy continues to recover, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo hope to see gamers spend more on gaming hardware - and new game titles - as hardware companies, game developers, and retailers are finding success.

During its Q3 financial earnings call, GameStop reported new hardware sales rise 147.4 percent, with thanks largely to the Xbox One and PS4. The gaming market is very much alive and well, and with numerous anticipated game launches in 2015, gamers will have plenty of new titles to choose from.

Bandai Namco's Project Cars video game will run at 60 frames per second on the Microsoft Xbox One when it is released on March 17, 2015. Game developer Slightly Mad Studios wanted to reach 1080p resolution for the Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4, but didn't confirm if that goal was reached just yet.

"You've played it in Dubai, London, Madrid, and Paris, but for those that couldn't jet-set around the world, sit back and take a more leisurely look at Project Cars on Xbox One, running at 60 frames per second," according to Bandai Namco.

The game will launch for the Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Wii U, and PC. It was originally scheduled for a November 2014 launch, but was forced to delay the game without specific details offered to gamers.

Acer has launched the 32-inch ultra-high-definition B326HK monitor, aimed at both consumers and business workers. The IPS display has 178 degrees of horizontal and vertical viewing, with connectivity via DVI, HDMI with MHL charging, mini DP, USB 3.0 and DisplayPort. The screen supports a 3840x2160 UHD resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, and 6ms response time, Acer says.

"Our newest 4K display available in an ergonomic 32-inch model was built for those who want to view games, movies, videos and other graphic intensive content on a big screen," said Ronald Lau, Acer America senior business manager of peripherals. "The UHD resolution delivers incredibly vibrant images with very sharp detail and an adjustable stand makes viewing as comfortable as possible."

The Acer B326HK display is available now with a $999.99 MSRP price tag.

At least 38.6 percent of companies suffered a major IT disruption due to employees visiting non-work related websites and other questionable material on work-owned electronics, leading to malware and other IT issues, according to a survey conducted by GFI Software.

Almost half of employees, 48 percent, report using Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, or some other personal cloud-based solution to store company information - something that isn't necessarily shocking, but a concern for companies trying to keep data secure. If their employment ended, 35.8 percent admitted they would try to save company data, including customer lists and confidential data, despite knowing it is illegal to do so.

"Data protection is a big problem, and one that has been exacerbated by the casual use of cloud file sharing services that can't be centrally managed by IT," said Sergio Galindo, GFI Software general manager. "Content controls are critical in ensuring data does not leak outside the organization and doesn't expose the business to legal and regulatory compliance penalties. Furthermore, it is important that policies and training lay down clear rules on use and reinforce the ownership of data."

Using 3D printing technology to create replicas of the human heart presents the opportunity to save babies' lives, according to a new study submitted to the American Heart Association. Surgeons have the ability to better treat congenital heart defects, while also being able to strategize where they cut tissue and make other improvements.

The ability to 3D print hearts gives surgeons the opportunity to prepare prior to surgery, but it's unsure if heart replicas will help increase success from surgical outcomes. A clinical trial would give medical experts the chance to work on enough cases to see how 3D-printed hearts could help, especially among young children with complicated heart defects.

"From the first two cases straight out of the gate, we've had this dramatic impact," said Dr. Matthew Bramlet, pediatric cardiologist at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Illinois and study co-author.