Latest News - Page 2827

NVIDIA's Tegra K1 processor is quite the performance powerhouse, with a quad-core processor with four A15 CPUs, up to 2.3GHz clock speed, and a 192 Kepler-based GPU cores for the graphics side of things. We've seen the Tegra K1 power NVIDIA's cheap, but very powerful Shield Tablet, but the company is already showing off the next version of its SoC.

At HOT CHIPS, a technical conference in the world of high-performance chips, NVIDIA has unveiled more details on the 64-bit version of its Tegra K1 processor. The 64-bit Tegra K1 is powered by the 192-core Kepler GPU, with NVIDIA's own custom-designed 64-bit, dual-core "Project Denver" CPU, which is fully ARMv8 architecture compatible. The big shift here is that the Denver part of the Tegra K1 is a dual-core variant, with a clock speed of up to 2.5GHz, but is 64-bit capable. The current Tegra K1 is a quad-core chip, with 32-bit capabilities. This makes the 64-bit Tegra K1 the world's first 64-bit ARM processor for Android, demolishing the competition when it comes to performance.

NVIDIA has used some clever optimizations, as well as its advanced technology in its Denver CPU cores, to deliver performance from its dual-core Denver-based Tegra K1 that rivals even four or eight-core CPUs that we find in our mobile devices today. Better yet, The 64-bit Tegra K1 processor offers PC-class performance, extended battery life, better gaming and multi-tasking, and much more. NVIDIA will see its 64-bit Denver-based Tegra K1 processor baked into mobile devices later this year, with the company also teasing that it is already working on support for the upcoming release of Android L on its 64-bit Tegra K1.

Some of you might remember a time when first-person shooters were the pinnacle of PC gaming, and John Romero was at the center of that for quite some time. He co-created Doom at id Software, and then went off to make, what he thought was going to be a big hit, Daikatana all the way back in 2000. Well, Romero is back, and he's teasing that he is working on another shooter.

During Monday night's recording of the Super Joystiq Podcast Gamescom Special, alongside special guests Mike Bithell and Brenda Romero, he said: "I'm working on several games at once right now. But [Brenda] had mentioned earlier that I'm working with a concept artist, and so I've got some cool imagery for the main character".

Brenda Romero chimed in, saying: "I'm concerned about how much you're going to say". John Romero replied with: "I haven't made a shooter since 2000. So I'm basically starting to work on another one". After he said that, the crowd of people supposedly went crazy with excitement.

Terrible news today, with the confirmation that U.S. comedian and actor Robin Williams, star of innumerable classic comedies such as 'Mrs Doubtfire', 'Jumanji', 'Dead Poets Society' and 'Good Morning Vietnam', has died at the age of 63 from apparent suicide.

The statement from the Marin County Sheriff's Office Coroner Division has confirmed the circumstances of the actor's death. Williams had been battling severe depression in recent years, according to his representatives.

Williams' wife, Susan Schneider released a statement to media saying "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings".

Flash Memory Summit 2014 - BiTMICRO's newest MaxIO SSDs pack a whopping 6TB of data into a half-length full-height PCIe form factor. The new MaxIO SSDs feature full data path protection and their proprietary DriveLight Management Software. The MaxIO series leverages Toshiba A19nm MLC NAND to provide 240,000 random read IOPS and 100,000 random write IOPS. Sequential performance weighs in at 1.1 GB/s read and 800 MB/s write. The MaxIO is exceptionally power efficient, requiring less than 30W active for up to 6TB of flash storage. The MaxIO also differentiates by running all of its processes, including ECC, on the SSD. Other alternatives utilize the host server to handle these basic flash management functions.

BiTMICRO tackles some of the inherent challenges of a large capacity SSD by separating their Talino controller architecture into a Split ASIC technology, placing the FTL (Flash Translation Layer) onto a separate processor. This allows the MaxIO to effectively manage the much larger LBA range of a high capacity device, while also enabling global wear leveling techniques to enhance endurance. Cramming as much capacity onto one device is critical in high-density applications that need the performance of an AFA (All Flash Array), but want to maintain the highest performance by keeping the SSD as close to the processor as possible. This helps to reduce any associated networking infrastructure. The drives are optimized for read-centric applications and features up to 1 DWPD of endurance during the five-year warranty period. We were lucky enough to speak with Zophar Sante and Stephan Uriarte about the differentiators and advantages of their new architecture in the video below.

As always, stay tuned for the latest updates on TweakTown.

The Blackphone was announced as a way for security conscious consumers to use their device in peace, without the fear of their communications being compromised - and it has now been 'hacked' at the Black Hat event in under five minutes.

@TeamAndIRC managed to gain root access to the Blackphone at the DefCon hacking conference within five minutes by going through the Android Debugging Bridge, and without using a bootloader to boot. Blackphone still seems to be solidly secure on the surface nonetheless, and now the company has responded to the discovery.

Blackphone said it is perhaps not as big of a disaster as it sounds: the company underplayed getting access through ADB, claiming it is just a part of the Android OS that the firm opted to turn off, and that a patch is on the way. But another vulnerability uncovered by TeamAndIRC, the company said in a blog post, is "accurate" - and a patch was released in three days of its initial discovery. Blackphone went on to congratulate the hacker for finding the bug.

Criminals that compromise networks and steal large amounts of information are finding easier and more organized methods to quickly get rid of the data. Data dumps are one of the most popular products found on these underground forums, where buyers and sellers communicate in an organized fashion similar to an official business from the legitimate world.

Many cybercriminal groups are trying to steal bulk data, such as the Target and eBay breach, looking to offload the information as quickly as possible. Using organized underground hacker forums, many based in Eastern Europe and China, they are able to sell and trade the data.

"When we think about the markets themselves they are organized in a unique fashion," said Tom Hold, Michigan State University associated professor specializing in cybercrime. "At the individual level, we're talking about a process where we're seeing peers and colleagues; at the formal forum level, we're seeing a more formal organization that takes place."

Consumers are expected to control more than half of the estimated 5.2 million Chromebook units sold in 2014, according to research firm Gartner. The devices will see strong growth in the education sector - and while still not largely appealing to technology enthusiasts - the low-cost devices are building a stronger following.

Samsung led the Chromebook market in 2013 with 1.3 million units sold, and is expected to have 64.9 percent of the market by the end of 2014. Meanwhile, Acer has 21.4 percent, relying on the cost-effective ARM-based CPUs, while Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo have 6.8 and 6.7 percent control of the market, respectively.

" Competition in the Chromebook market is intensifying as more vendors launch Chromebooks, with eight models in the market in 2014,"said Isabelle Durand, Gartner Principal Analyst, in a press statement. " Now that the PC market is no longer growing strongly, vendors are searching for new business opportunities. They launched Chromebooks to revive interest in sub-$300 portable PCs once the netbook bubble had burst."

Microsoft has launched a new iOS app that aims at people who are into knowing what is going on with their favorite celebrities at any time. The app is called Snipp3t and it launched recently. The app lets users follow celebrities to get news in a timeline style format.

It sounds sort of like Facebook for celebs, only communications are a one-way street it seems. The news from the people followed via the app is offered in a timeline-style format with news specifically from those you follow mixed with more general trending posts.

Each of the events that are trending will have multiple media reports, images, tweets, and related videos. The app does connect via Facebook so users can sign in and share stories to the social network. The app is available now in the US and only on iOS with no word on more countries or Android/Windows Phone support.

Acer has just announced the new Chromebook 13, which is the industry's first Chromebook that is powered by NVIDIA's very capable Tegra K1 mobile processor. It's also the first Chromebook the company has made with a 13.3-inch display.

The company makes its new Chromebook 13 available with two display options, with the default 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 1366x768, but for those who crave more pixels, there's an option that crams a 1920x1080 resolution onto the 13.3-inch display. Acer's Chromebook 13 does have a star, with that star being the Tegra K1 processor, which features a 192-core GPU. This means that people will be able to have a super-fast device, with great battery life, with the ability to play some games, too.

Acer's new Chromebook 13 is both thin and light, at just 0.71 inches thick, and only 3.31 pounds. The Acer Chromebook 13 is completely fanless, so users will enjoy a near silent system. Acer has provided 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity, with the 2x2 MIMO antennae providing plenty of bandwidth for users. There a re also two USB 3.0 ports, and an HDMI port for some video output. We also have a 720p front-facing webcam, two built-in stereo speakers and a microphone.

If you are familiar with the ISEE-3 spacecraft we have talked about a few times around here, you might like this. Google has announced that it has launched a new Chrome Experiment that is called "A spacecraft for All" that allows you to follow the incredible odyssey of the ISEE-3 using Chrome interactive WebGL graphics and video.

ISEE-3 is a spacecraft that launched in 1978 with the original mission for studying the sun; it was retasked after launch to study a comet. A group of amateur scientists established contact with the satellite to get it back on its original mission, but the spacecraft thrusters failed to get the craft back into the correct orbit. The spacecraft did recently fly past the moon for the first time in decades.

"In a new Chrome Experiment called A Spacecraft for All, you can follow the unlikely odyssey of the ISEE-3 using Chrome's interactive WebGL graphics and video. You can re-live its story, read its re-activated data instruments, learn about its current position and trajectory - and explore space along the way. It's all designed to make space science simple, fun and accessible enough for anyone eager to learn - whether you're a PhD or grade school student", says Suzanne Chambers, executive producer and space cadet, Creative Lab New York.

I'm sure that all of us have been to the movies at one time or another and sat there thinking it would be awesome to play video games on that massive screen. Revue Labs has announced that it is working with Cinemark theaters to bring gaming action to the big screen. You might not be able to sit back in your chair and play Battlefield 4 yourself, but you will be able to watch live gaming tournaments.

What Revue Labs wants to do is bring competitive gaming to the big screen and hold tournaments in the theater. Gaming footage would be shown on the screen and the event will be streamed over the web. The very first event will use the game Titanfall.

Revue Labs says that if it all goes well at the first event, similar events will come to other locations around the country. It's unclear exactly where and when the first event would be held.

Cybersecurity experts Jakob Lell and Karsten Nohl have demonstrated a new vulnerability that makes it extremely difficult for users to defend against USB-based attacks. The current USB standard's vulnerability makes it hard to defend against attacks, even if manufacturers should begin developing additional security layers.

Specifically, empty USB flash drives can contain malware even if formatted - a troubling sign for many of the companies that rely on flash drives to transfer data.

"USB is ubiquitous across all devices," said Mike McLaughlin, First Base Technologies, in a statement to BBC. "It comes down to the same old saying - don't plug things in that you don't trust. Any business should always have policies in place regarding USB devices and USB drives. Businesses should stop using them if needed."

The world's largest online retailer, Amazon.com is not a 800 pound gorilla that you want to get into a war with, especially if your business model includes selling goods online. But hot on the heels of protracted disputes with book distributors such as Bloomsbury and the on-going war with Hatchette which has spilled onto the pages of America's biggest newspapers, Amazon now has a new target - which is ironically home to the world's biggest super heroes.

For some weeks, Amazon have blocked the pre-order of upcoming Disney Blu-ray and DVD's, including 'Guardians of the Galaxy', 'The Muppets: Most Wanted' and 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier', despite the latter being released in a matter of weeks. Whilst Amazon is no doubt loosing sales to competitors for the time being, it is believed that the financial ramifications of the dispute go far beyond the availability of a few titles, however large they may be. At any rate, both companies are keeping negotiations in house for now.

Earlier this year, Warner Bros Home Entertainment was embroiled in a similar dispute with Amazon, which saw the company block similarly lucrative titles from pre-order, including 'The Lego Movie' and '300: Rise of an Empire'.

The State of Virginia has the fastest Internet service in the United States, according to Broadview research published by the Akamai State of the Internet Report. Overall, Internet speeds lagged in the Midwest and southern states compared to the west coast and northeast.

Ironically, the Akamai report pegs California at the No. 20 spot, a headache for Silicon Valley companies that have continually tried to boost the speeds of Internet to local residents.

Top 10 states with fastest Internet:

Following the success of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, we can expect a remastered version of Sleeping Dogs for next-gen consoles and PC in October. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition includes all of the DLC released so far, as well as improved gameplay, graphics and more.

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition will be running at 1080p on both the Xbox One and PS4, "tuned gameplay", upgrades to the audio and visuals of the original game, 24 DLC packs and more. The included DLC is worth $85, and pre-order customers will receive a limited edition art book, as well as a boxed retail copy of the game.

Square Enix will be releasing Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition on October 10 for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

The next-gen Call of Duty is nearly here, with the PC's required specifications being released for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. You'll need 40GB of HDD space, an Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 or AMD Phenom X3 8750 CPU minimum, 6GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, or AMD Radeon HD 5870 or better to play Activision's next-gen COD. But, these specs are identical to those of the last entry of the first-person shooter, Call of Duty: Ghosts.

As you can see, every single point is identical between the 'next-gen' Advanced Warfare, and the previous entry in the series, Ghosts. Considering Ghosts didn't look that great, and didn't run all that well on the PC (even with its relatively mild requirements), I don't think we should be excited about the technology side of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare on PC.

There's an update coming for Battlefield 4 next month that will offer core gamelpay improvements, with soldier movement in the game getting a tweak as well. DICE says that it is tweaking the soldier movement so that it "closely matches the one in Battlefield 3, but without compromising the visual fidelity".

The developer has also said that the changes will make it easier to get yourself out of "undesirable firefights". The new update will also see a refresh to the HUD of the game, which will, from September onward, "only show what is important". Players will have more options to select what they want to see, or not see during the battles in BF4.

DICE is also doing some work on the vehicles, weapon balance and making reviving another soldier a little easier. The new update will see a players defibrillators paddles make a sound when they're fully charged, and ready to revive a teammate. The developer has also promised improvements to the Rush, Obliteration, Obliteration Competitive, Capture the Flag and Carrier Assault game modes. The new update is expected sometime next month, but between now and then, if you don't own the game, enjoy a week free thanks to Origin's Game Time.

Twitch has landed itself in some hot water in the last 48 hours, with some changes after its acquisition by YouTube. 24 hours ago, the company announced it was undergoing some serious changes that would see the use of unauthorized music in Twitch streams silenced for 30-minute periods.

Emmett Shear, Twitch's CEO, took to Reddit to answer some questions from users. The new rules about the use of unauthorized music don't apply to live broadcasts, and it will not affect games that feature original compositions. Reddit users were firing off some good points, that will see Rock Band playthrough videos muted because of the music that is copyrighted within the game.

The company was quick on pushing through changes though, where Twitch took to a blog explaining the new changes, that come after the news of the changes from yesterday. The maximum time limits applied to highlights have now been removed, and the company has said it is rolling out an "appeal" button for videos that have been flagged as violations. What do you think of these changes? Do you think Twitch has been sucked up into the big bad world of mega corporations that is Google?

The X99 chipset tease continues, with GIGABYTE now offering its X99 Gaming G1 Wi-Fi motherboard up to gander at. GIGABYTE has used a truly gorgeous black-and-red theme on its X99-powered motherboard. There's also some hints of white, grey and green across the board.

The company is using a full 4-way PCIe layout, with 8 DIMM slots, 10 SATA 6Gbps ports, two of the SATA feature SATA Express capabilities, which goes hand-in-hand with the M.2 slot smack bang in the middle of hte PCIe slots. There's also a mini-PCIe slot which looks like it contains the Wi-Fi module, with an antenna that is connected through the rear panel near the audio ports.

At the bottom of the motherboard, it looks like there are two USB 3.0 headers, two USB 2.0 headers and a Thunderbolt header. The X99 Gaming G1 Wi-Fi also looks like it has a Sound Core 3D audio chip with filter caps, PCB separation, an EMI shield on the codec, an audio gain switch and switchable op-amp. Up in the top right, we have multiple buttons and switches for the usual dual BIOS/selectable BIOS functionality, and much more. We should expect the GIGABYTE G1 Gaming Wi-Fi motherboard to be higher up on the X99 food chain for GIGABYTE, with more boards to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Flash Memory Summit 2014 - The SSD industry is moving fast, and several companies with core SSD controller IP have been purchased by larger companies. As SSDs become more mainstream some of the smaller players, such as SMI, JMicron, and Phison, have become more prevalent in the SSD market.

We took a few moments to speak with Iri Trashanski from Marvell Technology Group about the state of the SSD controller industry. Marvell has one of the broadest lines of SSD controllers in the industry, and they recently announced their latest NVMe SSD controller. The NVMe 88SS1093 also features 3rd generation NANDEdge LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) technology. LDPC is the newest form of error correction that requires less space on the drive and also provides more error correction power. LDPC also allows for varying levels of error correction during different stages of the SSD life cycle.

The 88SS1093 features 4GB/s or 2GB/s endpoints, dependent upon host system customization, via a x4 PCIe 3.0 connection. The leaner command set and multiple queue/pair mechanisms within the NVMe stack will provide higher performance and lower latency in comparison to older interfaces.