| Nvidia Supposedly Working on New PC-Streaming Device Posted: 15 Jul 2014 04:59 PM PDT  Another contender for the living room
Looks like Nvidia isn't done trying to get into the living room. According to the BBC, Nvidia is developing a new device that will play PC games on televisions, making use of the developer's GeForce Experience software. It will also run Android software and, BBC reports, will have a "budget-priced separate controller." Purported to be powered by Nvidia's Tegra K1 chip, the unnamed device boasts a 192-core GPU and was shown last month running a demo of the Unreal Engine 4 on the Android L mobile operating system. While it will run Android games natively, it is also rumored to have the ability to stream PC games via Nvidia's GeForce Experience. However, if the device makes use of the software, then it would be restricted to the company's more recent cards. Aside from the additional cost of purchasing a new GPU to take full advantage of the device, it would also be in contention with Valve's own in-home streaming service. Not to mention that it would go up against Valve's Steam Machine which has been pushed back to 2015. For now, Nvidia has declined to confirm the existence of the new device. Could this device be a sequel to the Nvidia Shield, which hasn't been very successful, or will this be a brand new product? Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| 8 Technologies We Want Posted: 15 Jul 2014 02:27 PM PDT 4TB SSDs, CrossFire/SLI cross compatibility, and more! For as much as technology has evolved over the years, there's still plenty of things we still want. Where are our stock 4GHz Intel processors? Where are massive 4TB SSDs? *Sigh* A tech enthusiast can dream, we suppose. What is one technology that you want? Let us know in the comments below! |
| SteelSeries Rolls Out Rival Dota 2 Edition Gaming Mouse Posted: 15 Jul 2014 10:42 AM PDT  Comes with an in-game item
If you're obsessed with Dota 2, perhaps you'll be interested in a new rodent from SteelSeries. It's the SteelSeries Rival: Dota 2 Edition Gaming Mouse, which is a themed version of the peripheral maker's Rival Optical Mouse. The new mouse, which is being handed out this weekend to attendees of the International 4 Dota 2 Championship in Seattle, comes with an exclusive in-game item, Hell's Glare for Doom. "We believe that Dota players deserve the best, so we set out to give fans a mouse with a design they would love without sacrificing the functionality they require," said Tino Soelberg, SteelSeries CTO. "We extensively tested our Dota 2 Edition of the Rival Optical Mouse with professional players from Natus Vincere, Invictus Gaming and Fnatic which has resulted in one of the most powerful mice we've ever built – and to make it even more special for the Dota 2 community, we've added a unique in-game item." The themed mouse features a stone-gray body, six programmable buttons, blood-red rubber grips, 50-6,500 adjustable CPI, 1ms response time / 1,000Hz polling rate, themed illumination modes, and a soft-touch coating. 
SteelSeries is accepting pre-orders for the Dota 2 mouse, which runs $70 MSRP. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Asus ROG Announces Online Overclocking Competition Posted: 15 Jul 2014 10:21 AM PDT  Prizes and money up for grabs
Want to put your overclocking skills to the test? If so, you have good timing -- Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) just launched its ROG OC Showdown, which is essentially an overclocking competition exclusive to anyone using an Asus, ROG, or TUF Z97 motherboard. Unfortunately, that requirement rules out a large portion of the overclocking community, but if you happen to already be invested in an Asus foundation, here's a chance to win some swag or money. In cooperation with HWBot.org, the competition will run from July 15th to August 15th, 2014. The grand prize winner will receive a future ROG X99 motherboard, and $1,000 will be given for any world record broken during the competition, up to three. There will also be three Stage winners who will each receive a choice of any ROG Maximus VII series board or ROG Matrix R9 290X graphics card, and three Stage runner-ups who will get a choice of Maximus VII Formula or Maximus VII Impact motherboard. The competition will focus on maximum CPU frequency, SuperPI 32M, and 3DMark Sky Diver. There are a handful of rules, such as being able to only use one processor and one Asus-brand graphics card. For more information and/or to participate, click here. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: Samsung 840 Evo 500GB SSD, Intel Core i5 3570K, and More! Posted: 15 Jul 2014 09:58 AM PDT |
| Comcast Apologizes for Overzealous Rep Who Made Cancelling Service a Nightmare Posted: 15 Jul 2014 09:24 AM PDT  And the worst customer service award goes to...
It doesn't pay to be a jerk in this day and age of the Internet. Look at Donald Sterling, who was banned from the NBA for life over racist comments he made in a conversation with this girlfriend. At least in his case, he didn't know he was being recorded. As for a Comcast customer service rep who raked a subscriber over the coals when the called in to cancel service, he should have known better. This is one of those cases where you have to listen to the conversation yourself to fully appreciate the level of insanity taking place. In short, tech blogger Ryan Block, former head honcho of Engadget and founder of community website gdgt, called Comcast to cancel his service. What happened next is a torturous inquisition on why he wanted to leave. The 8 minute recording picks up after Block had already been on the phone for 10 minutes before he decided to record the conversation on his end. Through it all, the rep on the other end of the line aggressively inquires Block's motive for cancelling service while pointedly ignoring his request to disconnect. When the rep finally (and supposedly) obliges, he refuses to give a confirmation number. Naturally, the call has has gone viral and just as predictably, Comcast is now looking into the matter. "We're investigating the situation and certainly want to apologize to the customer," a Comcast spokesperson told Motherboard. "This isn't how our customer service representatives are trained to operate." Let's hope that's true. In the meantime, here you go: Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CyberPowerPC Launches Portable Zeusbook Edge X6 Gaming Laptop Starting at $1,389 Posted: 15 Jul 2014 08:47 AM PDT  Lightweight gaming laptop with an optical drive in tow
Boutique builder CyberPowerPC today announced the availability of its new Zeusbook Edge X6 notebook for gamers. In case you haven't noticed, gaming laptops are trending into thin and light territory these days, and the X6 is no exception -- it weighs just 4.75 pounds and measures 0.82 inches thick. That's a sliver more than Origin PC's EVO15-S, another lightweight notebook announced today, though the X6 brings an optical drive to party. Even with an optical drive, the X6 is CyberPowerPC's thinnest and lightest gaming laptop to date. It's also fairly well equipped for the money -- it boasts a 15.6-inch Full HD 1080p IPS display, Intel Core i7 4710HQ processor, 8GB of DDR3-1600 memory, Nvidia GeForce GTX 870M graphics, 1TB hard drive, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2.1 channel speakers, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, GbE port, SD card reader, HDMI, VGA, mini DisplayPort, and Windows 8.1. If you need more power and have the budget to accommodate, you can upgrade certain parts of the X6, most notably the RAM and storage. For example, you could upgrade to 16GB of RAM and a 500GB Samsung 840 Evo Series SSD, which would bring thte total cost to $1,749. CyberPowerPC's Zeusbook Edge X6-100 is available for presale and will ship in the first week of August. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| VIA Toughens Up Android, Launches Ruggedized Viega Tablet Posted: 15 Jul 2014 07:43 AM PDT  Not your ordinary Android slate
VIA today unveiled its new Viega ruggedized Android tablet. Armed with a 10.1-inch display, the Viega features IP65 certification and rocks a durable design that protects it from spills, rain, dust, shock, vibration, drops from up to two meters, and more. It has tempered glass to prevent cracks in the panel from cutting your workday short when you're out in the field, and an "extra long-life polymer batter pack" that's good for up to 9 hours of runtime. A 1.2GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 SoC with NEON technology runs the show, Other specs include 1GB of DDR3 RAM, 16GB eMMC flash, optional 2MP front and 5MP rear cameras, micro SIM slot, microSD card slot, two micro USB ports, micro HDMI output, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC support, stereo speakers, and Android 4.2. "As more and more enterprises seek to increase productivity and improve customer service by equipping their staff with mobile devices, they are quickly learning that it is critically important to deploy customized solutions built to withstand the demands of their target environments rather than standard off-the-shelf products," said Epan Wu, Head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "With its rugged design, enhanced security features, and customization support, the VIA Viega addresses this need and provides the longevity support that enterprise level customers require." No word yet on when the Viega will be available to purchase or for how much. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Origin PC Kicks Off Thin and Light Gaming Notebook Line with EVO15-S Posted: 15 Jul 2014 07:17 AM PDT  Gaming goodness packed into a laptop that's less than five pounds and under an inch thick
You kids these days have it easy in so many ways, especially when it comes to technology. Back in the day, you'd have to spend a king's ransom for the privilege of owning a gaming laptop that you'd have to bend at the knees when picking up, as is recommended for all big and bulky objects. And now? Let's just the say the landscape is much different. This is underscored by Origin PC's new EVO15-S gaming laptop, the first in a new series of thin and light laptops for gamers. Weighing in at just 4.36 pounds and measuring a scant 0.79 inches thick, the EVO15-S features a 15.6-inch Full HD display (an optional 3K panel is coming soon) powered by an Intel Core i7 4710HQ processor, 16GB of DDR3L-1600 memory, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 870M graphics. It also boasts dual 128GB SSDs in a RAID 0 array flanked by a 1TB (7200 RPM) hard drive for storage chores, Killer E2200 Game Networking, Intel dual-band Wireless-AC 7260, dual-fan cooling system, three USB 3.0 ports, media carder reader, 720p HD webcam, backlit multi-color keyboard, and custom paint and laser etching options. Origin PC's EVO15-S is available now starting at $2,199. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
