| Maxthon Cloud Browser Floats to Windows Phone Platform Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:49 AM PDT  A mobile platform hat trick
With today's addition of the Windows Phone platform, you can now download and install the Maxthon Cloud Browser (MCB) to devices based on any of the top three mobile operating systems (Android and iOS being the other two). It's designed to make navigating the web from multi-devices a little easier, and one way it does that is by syncing your favorites online so that they're accessible to other devices using MCB. It also sports a patent-pending implementation of tabs, whereby Windows Phone users can swipe up and down to go forward and backward in browsing history, a feature no other Windows Phone browser offers, Maxthon claims. Other features include Favorites optimized for mobile touchscreens, Quick Access live tiles, and a pop-up address bar that appears via a simple gesture. "With mobile devices becoming the first screen for most of the world's population, we here at Maxthon understood the importance of making our leading cloud browser available on all mobile platforms," said Jeff Chen, CEO of Maxthon. "We listened to our users and developed a Windows Phone browser with unmatched features and usability to bring the best browsing experience to all Windows Phone users." You can download Maxthon Cloud Browser for free from the Windows Phone Store. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Nvidia GeForce 331.58 Drivers Now Available to Download Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:03 AM PDT  Enables GeForce to Shield streaming (beta)
After a busy week announcing new graphics cards like the GeForce GTX 780 Ti and services such as G-Sync and Gamestream, Nvidia today rolled out a new batch of GeForce R331 Series drivers. The GeForce 331.58 drivers are WHQL certified and are recommended for top notch gaming performance in Batman: Arkham Origins and Battlefield 4. The drivers also enable streaming from GeForce systems to the company's Shield handheld gaming device, a feature that's in beta. Installing the drivers can net you up to 13 percent better performance. Some examples Nvidia provided include: - Up to 11 percent better performance in Dirt: Showdown
- Up to 9 percent better performance in Metro: Last Light
- Up to 8 percent better performance in Sleeping Dogs
- Up to 13 percent better performance in Sniper Elite V2
All of the above examples apply to GeForce GTX 770, 780, and Titan graphics card owners. In addition to performance boosts, Nvidia made the usual round of SLI profile updates and additions. Finally, the new drivers add support for 4K Surround, Nvidia says. For more information, check out the Release Notes (PDF). Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Consumer Electronic Devices Only Have 3 Months Before Facing Obsolescence Posted: 21 Oct 2013 09:32 AM PDT  Something newer and better is always looming
Every PC builder faces the same question when picking out new parts: Should I buy Product X or wait for Product Y? That's because there's always a faster graphics card around the corner, a more capacious solid state drive on the horizon, or a new CPU architecture on the verge of being announced. No matter how long you play the waiting game, it's impossible to stay ahead of the curve for any real length of time. The same is true for consumer electronics, though would you have guessed that three months is the average lifecycle of a mobile device? According to Digitimes and the sources from the upstream supply chain it spoke with, gadgets like tablets, smartphones, and notebooks enjoy a mere three months on the market before something better comes along. The life expectancy of mobile devices used to be twice as long, but "fierce competition" means consumers are almost constantly being inundated with newer products. This can be problematic for vendors who risk getting stuck with old inventory that they just bought. To prevent that from happening, vendors have turned to short-term orders to the upstream suppliers rather than inking long-term contracts like they used to. The way products are sold is changing, too. For example, within the last few months, every major wireless carrier in the U.S. has implemented a frequent upgrade program that allows customers to trade-up their smartphone for a newer model at least once a year. It will be interesting to see what other trends emerge as a result of this. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Gartner Predicts PC Shipments Will Decline 8.4 Percent in 2013 Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:06 AM PDT  Low cost tablets are trending
Lower cost tablets seem to be eating away at traditional PC sales. According to market research firm Gartner, combined desktop and notebook PC shipments are on pace to reach 303 million units in 2013, representing an 11.2 percent decline from 2012. If you throw ultramobiles into the mix, the outlook is a little better, though still in a downward swing to the tune of an 8.4 percent decline in shipments. In stark contrast, tablet shipments are expected to balloon 53.4 percent this year to 184 million units. Continued price drops in the 7-inch category are what's fueling the growing demand. As it stands, 47 percent of the 21,500 people Gartner surveyed said they own a tablet that measures 8 inches or less. This sounds like more gloom and doom for the traditional PC market, but if you focus on the shipment numbers instead of the rate at which each category is growing or declining, things aren't as bad. Let's compare: - 2013 desktop, notebook, and ultramobile shipments: 321.6 million units
- 2013 tablet PC shipments: 184.4 million units
- 2014 desktop, notebook, and ultramobile shipments: 321.4 million units
- 2014 tablet PC shipments: 263.2 million units
Assuming nothing disrupts the current trend, the fast growing and wildly popular tablet segment will eventually catch up with combined traditional and ultramobile PC shipments, though not for at least a couple more years. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Facebook Posting Errors Force People to Communicate Face to Face Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:30 AM PDT  Social network turns shy
Menlo Park, we have a problem. Users are reporting issues with posting status updates to Facebook this morning, as apparently a sitewide error is disrupting the service. Not only are some users hampered from posting status updates, they also can't send messages, upload photos, or even "Like" posts. In other words, for those affected, the interactivity portion of Facebook is not working. I haven't seen the error myself, but according to Mashable, those affected will see a pop-up message that reads, "There was a problem updating your status. Please try again in a few minutes," when trying to post something to Facebook. The problem seems to have first occurred early this morning. By about 9 AM CDT, the Chicago Tribune noted that "some functionality has returned," like being able to post to business pages, but that commenting was still hit or miss. In addition, it says birthday wishes aren't working. The website Down Right Now (not to be confused with Down For Everyone or Just Me, both of which are handy bookmarks) indicates Facebook is likely experiencing a "service disruption," and based on user complaints, it appears to be a worldwide issue. Facebook hasn't commented on the problem. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: WD Elements 2TB Portable USB 3.0 Drive, HP LasterJet Pro Printer, and More! Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:12 AM PDT |
