General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

User Experience Expert Pans Windows 8

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 09:05 PM PDT

Windows 8's release is still more than two months away, but millions of people have already downloaded Windows 8 preview builds and realized that Windows 8's tile-based, touch-friendly "Modern-style" UI (or whatever they're calling it this week) is not for everyone. But is it simply because the typography-inspired interface is far too different for most people to accept readily, or is there something fundamentally wrong with the interface? We know most of you'd love to weigh in on this matter — despite having done it umpteen times already — but before that we'd like you to read what a leading usability expert feels about the whole Windows 8 experience.

Raluca Budiu, a User Experience Specialist at the Nielsen Norman Group, recently shared her views on Microsoft's two-interface approach in Windows 8 with the Laptop Magazine. She feels Windows 8 is not quite as user-friendly as previous Windows operating systems when it comes to content creation and multitasking, even though it makes it easier to "share a news story through email or with friends on Facebook."

"Users will need to remember two different interfaces. They will learn Windows 8, but won't be able to forget Windows 7," Raluca Budiu, who has also worked at Microsoft, told the Laptop Magazine in an interview last week. "And they will need to keep track of which app goes with each framework. [It's] definitely a cognitive burden, but not an insurmountable one."

But it's not just the two-interface strategy that she has a problem with. She also has an issue with the Modern UI: "Most important, while Windows 8 embraces some important mobile design principles (such as giving priority to content), not all these principles are well suited for the larger non-touch screen of most PCs or laptops. Many apps waste a lot of space for huge images and give little space to text. The idea of hiding the controls to give priority to content may make sense on mobile, where screen space is so limited, but it doesn't make that much sense on a large screen, especially if users have to work harder to access hidden features."

Asked for her opinion on Microsoft's decision to put the Start Menu out to pasture, Budiu justified the decision. She believes that it had to be done for the sake of consistency, even though the current setup, which requires the user to switch back and forth between the desktop and the start screen in order to launch a new desktop app, is cognitively burdensome.

Microsoft Dances Around Topic of Disallowing Nude Photo Uploads to SkyDrive

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 10:07 AM PDT

Microsoft recently overhauled its SkyDrive cloud service with a brand new look and fancy feature updates, but one policy that remains is that users are not allowed to upload full or partially nude photos or drawings, a restriction that applies to both public and private folders. It's unclear how actively Microsoft scans private folders for what it deems to be inappropriate content, but as far as the fine print is concerned, SkyDrive's upload policy is one of the most restrictive around.

VentureBeat donned its detective cap and dug up some pertinent parts of the Windows Live code of conduct related to nude photography. The restrictions are pretty vast, and it doesn't matter if the images are real photos, cartoons, or drawn images, nor does it matter if they're hidden in a private folder. You're not allowed to upload them to SkyDrive, plain and simple.

When pinged for clarification on why the policies are so restrictive, Microsoft offered VentureBeat a canned response that didn't really answer the question. One thing the Microsoft spokesperson did say, however, is that "Any content we find to be in violation of our Code of Conduct is subject to removal -- and in rare cases, can lead to temporary or permanent shutdown of an account."

SkyDrive isn't the only game in town, of course, and others like Box, DropBox, and SugarSync appear to be more flexible in what users are allowed to upload, so long as they don't run afoul of the law.

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ECS Unveils X79R-AX Stealth Motherboard Concept

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 09:15 AM PDT

Whether you're a fan of the stealth design or not, you have to hand it to ECS for thinking outside the box on this one. The company posted on Facebook a picture of its X79R-AX Stealth, currently a concept motherboard unique in the fact that the majority of the printed circuit board (PCB) is hidden beneath a shroud that protects all the digital bits from damage, dust, and everything else.

"Not only is it aesthetically pleasing but functional, as well," ECS posted on its Facebook page. "The motherboard housing or shroud protects against damage to the delicate components and parts while acting as an umbrella to cooling systems (heatsinks and heatpipes)."

ECS claims overheating isn't a concern because "exhaust vents allow air to escape and store unit fans, if necessary." The question, however, is whether you'd actually buy something like this or not. ECS is asking people to voice their opinions, and so far reactions to the stealth design are mixed.

What do you think of the stealth design?

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Early Intel Chip Engineer Victor Poor Dies at 79

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 08:59 AM PDT

Another pioneer in the field of PCs has passed away, adding to what seems like an unusually large number of deaths in the technology sector during the past year or so. This time it's Victor Poor, a mostly self-taught engineer who began working at Intel in 1969 and helped develop the chip maker's first single chip microprocessor later known as the 4004. A marvelous piece of silicon at the time, the 4004 was a 4-bit CPU that made use of new silicon gate technology.

Poor also had a hand in creating the 8008, which would later lead to the 8088 family of microprocessors. The original IBM PC was based on the 8088, which helped Intel forge a trail of dominance that continues to this day.

According to a report in The New York Times, Poor retired in 1984 and took a liking to sailing, a hobby that led to his development of a wireless communication system called Aplink, which was widely adopted by radio amateurs, the U.S. military, and state and local emergency teams. It was one of just a few communication systems that worked after Hurricane Katrina hit.

Poor, 79, died on August 17, 2012 of pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Florence Ann Poor; a son, Meredith; daughters Noreen Poor and Shirley Jean Schmidt; and a sister, Dixie Lee Hagerth.

Image Credit: Intel

IDC: Microsoft is Planning to Build 3 Million Surface Tablets

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 08:14 AM PDT

If the choice is to go big or go home, Microsoft is opting for the former with its Surface tablet strategy. Much to the chagrin of Acer and other hardware partners who wish Microsoft would bow out of the tablet race completely, the Redmond software giant is reportedly gearing up to the splash the mobile market with more than 3 million Surface devices to be sold through its own retail store locations and other outlets.

"Probably a little over 3 million, both x86 and ARM," International Data Corporation (IDC) analyst, Bob O'Donnell, told CNet in a phone interview. "If they build a few million units there's no way they can sell it through Microsoft store only. So I think they'll sell through traditional retail also."

There's still the question of cost, to which O'Donnell also addressed with CNet. Estimates are all over the place, including a recent rumor suggesting Microsoft finalized plans to sell Surface starting at $199, but like many analysts, O'Donnell doesn't see that happening without some kind of subscription model attached.

Realistically, however, O'Donnell doesn't see Microsoft going in that direction, as he believes that type of pricing model would be difficult to pitch on the PC side.

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Confidential Memo Outlines Significant Changes Headed to Hulu

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 07:52 AM PDT

Several changes to the way Hulu operates could be in store for the streaming video service, according to a leaked internal memo deemed confidential. The three-page document indicates a desire by parent companies News Corp. and Disney to take control of how Hulu operates, and specifically in regards to freeing up current-season content from the shackles of exclusivity so that previously restricted programming could be licensed to third parties, such as YouTube.

According to Variety, which published portions of the leaked memo, there's a bit of uncertainty as to whether current Hulu CEO Jason Kilar is part of the streaming service's future plans or not. Based on the bullet points in the memo, it appears likely Kilar will be given a pink slip, though Hulu and its managing partners have declined to comment on the situation.

In addition to ending current-season content exclusivity, the memo reveals plans to end content parity.

"ABC.com and Fox.com will be able to hold back certain content to differentiate their own sites from Hulu, which was once entitled to everything on the networks' sites," the memo states.

You can also expect more ads if Fox is granted its wish to increase the number to four per commercial break on Hulu.com.

Synaptics ForcePad is the TrackPad Evolved for Windows 8

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 07:07 AM PDT

You can think of the Synaptics ForcePad as a highly sensitive pressure plate for Ultrabooks and other thin and light devices. Rather than rely on mouse clicks like the majority of standard trackpads, the ForcePad detects up to 1000 grams of pressure from all five fingers and responds accordingly. This type of force detection technology has benefits that go beneath the surface.

According to Synaptics, ForcePads are up to 40 percent thinner than traditional trackpads. Why does that matter? Well, they're cheaper to produce, for one. But more importantly, a reduction in thickness leaves more room for larger Ultrabook batteries underneath, or OEMs could simply build a thinner chassis.

There are no moving parts to wear out or break down, and on the usability side, force detection technology leads to some interesting use scenarios. One of the examples Synaptics shared was being able to fast forward a movie at different rates of speed by pressing harder or softer on the right side of the ForcePad. Simply lift up your finger and the movie starts playing again. In games, you would be able to control moving vehicles or aircraft by pressing on either side.

In addition to advancing trackpad technology, Synaptics is also working on a new kind of laptop keyboard called ThinTouch. The new keyboard reduces key presses from 3-6 millimeters to just 2.5 millimeters, resulting in thinner planks and, by extension, skinnier Ultrabooks. Synaptics is also adding a capacity touch sensor to the entire plank, opening up a world of possibilities for developers.

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Origin's EON17-SLX Laptop is Ready to Dance with Dual GPUs

Posted: 20 Aug 2012 06:37 AM PDT

Before anyone asks, the answer is yes, Origin's new EON17-SLX laptop with support for up to two discrete GPUs has enough horsepower to carry Crysis on its back while lugging around a sack of eye candy. Even without dual graphics cards, the EON17-SLX is, on paper, a pretty potent system with the requisite hardware to properly drive a 17.3-inch display with a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) resolution.

Pricing starts at $1,882 and for that, the EON17-SLX comes equipped with an Intel Core i5 3320M dual-core processor, AMD Radeon HD 7970M graphics card, 4GB of DDR3-1333 memory, 320GB hard drive, 8X DVD burner, 7.1 channel audio with THX TruStudio Pro technology, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, media card reader, USB 3.0 ports, backlit keyboard, 2MP webcam, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Upgrade options abound, depending on your budget. You could, for example, deck out the EON17-SLX with up to an overclocked Intel Core i7 3920XM quad-core processor, 32GB of RAM, dual hard drives or SSDs configured in RAID 0/1, a TV tuner, and of course up to two Radeon HD 7970M or GeForce GTX 680M graphics cards in Crossfire (AMD) or SLI (Nvidia).

Origin EON17-SLX Product Page

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