| Most Relaxing PC Games Posted: 16 Oct 2013 04:30 PM PDT 
Calm things down with these PC games Though gaming is a hobby that holds different meanings for everyone, you can't deny it has a certain cathartic quality about it, especially when it comes to blowing off steam after a particularly hectic day. For some gamers, that means frantically blowing heads off of Nazi zombies, and for others it means exploring pixelated landscapes or managing a fictional city in a stress-free environment. For those looking to unwide with the latter group, we've compiled fifteen of the most relaxing PC games we could find. The titles cover a wide variety of genres and interests. So put those chainsaws and shotguns away for a minute and try to relax with these awesome, non-violent games. Do you have a favorite relaxing game to unwind with? Give us your recommendations in the comments below. |
| Manufacturing Defect Forces Intel to Delay Broadwell Until Q1 2014 Posted: 16 Oct 2013 04:11 PM PDT  The transition from 22nm to 14nm isn't as smooth as Intel hoped
Intel this week told investors that the road to 14nm won't be without its bumps. Specifically, Intel has decided to delay its next generation processor architecture, codenamed Broadwell, until the first quarter of 2014, pushing the launch back by a quarter. Broadwell is based on a 14nm manufacturing process, which is quite a bit smaller than Haswell's 22nm process, and getting there has proven difficult. Intel Chief Brain Krzanich said the chip maker ran into a "defect density issue" negatively impacting yields, CNET reports. When something like that happens, Intel issues a series of fixes, but in this case, the fixes initially didn't improve things to Intel's satisfaction. However, Intel is confident it's resolved any issues facing Broadwell, hence a relatively short delay to market. "We have confidence the problem is fixed because we have data it is fixed," Krzanich said. "This happens sometimes in development phases like this. That's why we moved it a quarter." By transitioning all the way down to 14nm, Broadwell should allow for even smaller and thinner mobile devices, like Ultrabooks and tablets. Not only is it physically smaller, but it also consumes less power to allow for longer battery life and less stringent cooling needs. This delay, even though it's slight, comes at an unfortunate time as Intel gears up to do battle with ARM in mobile. At the same time, going down to 14nm puts Intel about a year ahead of the competition. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Roccat's First Mechanical Keyboard is Now Available in the U.S. Posted: 16 Oct 2013 01:12 PM PDT  A full featured plank for gamers
German peripheral maker Roccat continues to extend its product catalog onto U.S. shores and has now made available stateside its first ever mechanical keyboard series. Roccat's Ryos lines of keyboards use Cherry MX black key switches (linear, medium stiffness, and non-clicky), which are preferred by some gamers for their smooth key action. One of the three keyboards (Ryos MK Pro) also features individually illuminated keys, allowing for some nifty effects. If you wanted to, you could dedicate a section of the Ryos MK Pro's backlighting to coincide with your in-game character's health meter, to name one example of the possibilities. You could also configure certain keys to flash when you get hit by an object or enemy. The Ryos MK Pro packs dual 32-bit ARM Cortex processors (the second processor handles the per-key illumination) and 2MB of flash memory to store over 500 macros. There are eight dedicated marco keys, including three thumbster keys. Roccat's other two keyboards are the Ryos MK and Ryos MK Glow, the latter of which sports full backlighting in the color blue. Otherwise, they both are powered by an ARM chip, have 2MB of memory, dedicated macro keys, and the ability to interact with other Roccat devices via Easy-Shift[+] technology. The Ryos MK and MK Glow are available now for $100 and $140, respectively. The Ryos MK Pro will be available in November for $170. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| AMD May Extend Never Settle Game Bundle to R200 Series Graphics Cards Posted: 16 Oct 2013 12:06 PM PDT  AMD isn't finished giving away games
Traditionally speaking, bundled games with graphics cards have run the gamut from pretty crappy to totally awesome, with most skewed towards the former. Consistently leaning towards the latter, however, have been AMD's Never Settle bundles, in which Radeon HD graphics card owners have been rewarded some sweet titles. For the first time, it looks as though AMD's Never Settle Forever promotion will extend beyond the Radeon HD 7000 Series. AMD supposedly confirmed with wccftech.com that the Never Settle Forever bundle will soon include R200 Series graphics cards as well. If so, this will be a sweet deal that works the same for the new cards as it does for the older ones. By that we mean there will be three different reward tiers, including Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Those who quality for the Bronze tier can select one free title, those with a Silver badge can pick out two, and gamers who go for the gold will be able to select three titles from a catalog of up to nine different gamse. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Microsoft is Sending Mixed Messages Regarding Security Essentials AV Protection Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:32 AM PDT  He said, she said
Tech savvy users know that it's not necessary to pay for antivirus protection. The question is, how reliable is Microsoft's own Security Essentials software? In our own tests, Security Essentials has performed fairly well in terms of protection, though its slow scan speed and limited feature-set don't put it at the front of the pack when compared with other free (and paid) AV solutions. What's confusing, however, is Microsoft's own opinion on the matter. There's an interesting article over on How-To Geek linking to some statements Microsoft recently made, and they're a bit contradictory. The first one points to comments Microsoft made to Dennis Technology Labs (DTL), a testing firm affiliated with PC Pro's publisher. Holly Stewart, senior program manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, told DTL that Microsoft had an "epiphany" a few years back that it needed to protect all Microsoft customers. Hence, Security Essentials emerged as a capable, free antivirus solution for Windows users. However, Stewart goes on to call Security Essentials a "baseline" AV, and by its nature and focus, it will "always be at the bottom" of AV tests. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement and it strongly suggests that a third-party AV is needed for proper protection. After Stewart made those comments, Microsoft felt compelled to post a blog entry reiterating its commitment to anti-malware protection. "We are fully committed to protecting our consumer and business customers from malware," Microsoft explains. "Our strong solutions provide the comprehensive defense needed against malicious code and attacks. Our support of anti-malware partners helps in building a strong and diverse ecosystem to fight malware." According to Microsoft, its investments over the past year have resulted in stronger protection with fewer false positives and fewer misses. In other words, Microsoft is saying that contrary to Stewart's comments, Security Essentials is awesome. Confusing, isn't it? That's part of the reason why Maximum PC conducts an AV roundup each year. If you missed our last one, be sure to give it a read. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Lenovo Launches 8-inch Miix2 Tablet with Bay Trail-T, Windows 8.1 for $299 Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:00 AM PDT  A tablet for work and play
While Microsoft is still trying to sell the public on its Surface tablets, third-party OEM partners are forging ahead with their own Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 products, including Lenovo, which just unveiled its Miix 2, an 8-inch slate running Windows 8.1 with an Intel Bay Trail-T quad-core processor inside. It's also an aggressively priced tablet at just $299, and combined with its feature-set, this could be the Windows 8.1 tablet to beat. The Miix2 features an IPS display with a 1280x800 resolution (16:10), 10-point multitouch support, and 178-degree viewing angle. It has two cameras, including a 2MP front-facing lens and a 5MP rear-facing camera. It also boasts 2GB of LP-DDR3 memory, 32GB/64GB of eMMC storage, microSD card slot, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G connectivity, and up to 7 hours of battery life. That's a pretty decent foundation for a Windows 8.1 slate, and as an added bonus, it also comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013. 
The Miix2 will be available later this month for $299. Optional accessories such as a stylus and cover that doubles as a stand will also be available. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Enermax Gives Ostrog Mid-Tower Chassis a Pink Makeover Posted: 16 Oct 2013 07:43 AM PDT  Pink is the new black?
We received an email from Enermax letting us know that its Ostrog computer case is now available in pink (limited edition) with a white internal coating. At the bottom of the email is a taglines that reads, "Pink is the new black," which is news to us. More appropriate, however, is the timing of the launch, which just so happens to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). There's nothing in the materials we received to indicate Enermax was aware of the connection, but even if unintentional, it works. It might also work if you're in the market for a pink chassis, whether it's for yourself or a build for that special lady in your life (girlfriend, daughter, mother, etc). Color scheme aside, the Ostrog features screwless optical drive installation, seven expansion slots, bottom mounted PSU slot with rubber shock dampening pads, a removable dust filter (also at the bottom), removable hard drive cage to accommodate longer graphics cards, support for CPU coolers up to 174mm, cut-outs and bumps for cable management, and USB 3.0 support. 
The Ostrog Pink is available from Fry's for $70. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 Motherboard, Dell UltraSharp 21.5-inch LCD, and More! Posted: 16 Oct 2013 06:51 AM PDT |
