General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


No BS Podcast #205: E3, Ivy Bridge-E, and Those Next-Gen Consoles

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 11:56 AM PDT

Watch Dogs Electronic Entertainment ExpoDownload the next-generation podcast today!

With Mecha-Intern Chris Zele busy battling new challenger intern Julian-Zilla for desk space, the podcast was left to the gang of five staff editors: Deputy Editor Gordon Mah Ung, Associate Editor Tom McNamara, Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang, Editor-in-Chief Katherine Stevenson, and podcast host/Senior Editor Josh Norem.

In episode #205 of the No BS Podcast, the crew talks about the huge E3 tradeshow, where Sony and Microsoft fully unveiled their curiously PC-like consoles. Also in the mix: The future of the LGA 2011 socket, and new swear words from Gordon that you can try out on your friends and family! (Note: Maximum PC can not be held responsible for the curse words you say to your friends and family). 

Note: We apologize for the low quality sound in the first couple of minutes. We had to use the camera's audio in the beginning because the mics were experiencing some issues.

Editor's Picks:

Tom:  Dishonored

Gordon: Seidio Active Case

Josh: Firefox, All India Radio

Jimmy: Bioshock Infinite

Katherine: Google 2-Step Authentication

If you want to catch future episodes, you can:

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Email us at maximumpcpodcast@gmail.com

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Leave us a voicemail at 877-404-1337 x1337

Thanks for listening! We wouldn't be here without all of your support!

-Maximum PC Staff

Logitech Harmony Ultimate Hub Turns Android and iPhone Devices into Killer Universal Remotes

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 09:59 AM PDT

Logitech Harmony Ultimate HubTeach an old smartphone new tricks

Today's smartphones are essentially mini PCs. They're fast, well equipped, and can handle all kinds of different tasks, from productivity chores to gaming and everything in between. Heck, you can even make a phone call on one if you really wanted to. Thanks to Logitech, you can also control your television with your iPhone or Android device, provided you drop on a C-note on the company's new Harmony Ultimate Hub.

The Harmony Ultimate Hub is a puck shaped receiver that helps consolidate your multiple remote controls into a simple smartphone app. It's already included as part of the Logitech Harmony Ultimate and Logitech Harmony Smart Control products, and now it's available as a standalone item.

Downloading the accompanying app is free, and with it you can consolidate up to eight different remotes. Harmony is compatible with over 225,000 home theater devices, turning Wi-Fi signals from your smartphone into IR and Bluetooth commands.

The Harmony Ultimate Hub is available now for $100 MSRP.

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New Norton Public Betas Now Available, Compatible with Windows 8.1

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 09:37 AM PDT

NortonKeep the bad guys at bay

Let's face it, nobody actually likes paying for security software, and if you're adamant against it, there are certainly plenty of freebie options at your disposal. The benefits of a paid suite, however, are that they typically offers more robust features and you only have to worry about managing a single program versus several. There is a third option. If you want the best of both worlds and aren't afraid to trust your security to pre-release programs, beta releases are your calling card, and Symantec has some new options to choose from.

Symantec just released public betas of the latest versions of its Norton 360, Norton Internet Security, and Norton AntiVirus products, all up for grabs for free. What's more, Symantec claims each one was designed for compatibility with Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8.1.

There are three notable areas of improvement in the betas. The first is in offering stronger protection though improved effectiveness of reputation-based (Norton Insight) and behavioral-based (SONAR) engines. Secondly, Symantec said it lowered memory usage and improved file copy speeds. And lastly, Symantec tweaked its Norton Identity Safe technology for better stability, improved form-filling, better cross-platform functionality, and more.

If you're interested in any of this, you can grab the free betas from the Norton Beta Center.

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Lenovo Launches Miix and Several Other Touch Friendly Devices

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 08:24 AM PDT

Lenovo MiixLocked and loaded with half a dozen devices

Microsoft could use an ally in the OEM space as it tries to push Windows 8 onto the masses, especially with companies like HP flirting with Chromebooks, and it may have found one in Lenovo. Embracing what Windows 8 has to offer, Lenovo late last night announced half a dozen touch-enabled devices, including the Lenovo Miix, a hybrid tablet/laptop with a 10.1-inch HD (1366x768) IPS display.

The Miix runs on an Intel Atom dual-core processor and has 64GB of built-in storage, microSD card slot, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and up to 10 hours of battery life. It also sports a quick-flip detachable folio case with an integrated AccuType keyboard so that users can switch between tablet and laptop mode on a whim.

"Users don't want to choose between a laptop and a tablet. They want both without compromise, and Lenovo Miix delivers," said Bai Peng, vice president and general manager, notebook business unit, Lenovo Business Group. "Bringing touch to our laptops is about more than adding a touch-enabled screen. It requires a rethink of the way we interact with our devices, starting with the expectations of customers for a fluid, intuitive user experience. With these devices, touch becomes mainstream."

Lenovo also refreshed its Ultrabook family and announced a number of touch friendly models, including the IdeaPad S400 Touch, S500 Touch, and S210 Touch, along with the U330 Touch and U430 Touch. All of these will be available in summer ranging in price from $429 to $899. The Miix will also debut later this summer starting at $500.

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Newegg Daily Deals: Patriot Viper 3 16GB RAM, Samsung 840 Series 250GB SSD, and More!

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 07:28 AM PDT

Patriot Viper MemoryNewegg

Top Deal:

One of the easiest and cost effective upgrades you can make to your system is RAM, especially if you're heavy into content creation chores. Today's top deal just happens to be for Patrot Viper 3 16GB (2x8GB) 240-pin DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) Desktop Memory for $108 with free shippping (normally $140; additional $20 mail-in-rebate). It's the best of all worlds, offering plenty of capacity, a fast frequency, and tight timings (9-9-9-24).

Other Deals:

Samsung 840 Series 250GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive for $160 with free shipping (normally $190 - use coupon code:[EMCXPWN23])

AMD FX-8350 Vishera 4.0GHz (4.2GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor for $180 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVX22])

Seagate STBD4000400 4TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive for $170 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVX23])

Plextor M5P Xtreme Series 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive for $200 with free shipping (normally $250; additional $10 mail-in rebate)

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