General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Startup Eero Aims to Eliminate All Wi-Fi Issues, Including Dead Spots

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 02:42 PM PST

EeroReinventing Wi-Fi

If nobody ever bothered to reinvent the wheel, we'd all be riding around on four semi-circular stones with uneven surfaces and poor braking performance. Keeping that in mind, we won't necessarily dismiss a startup's attempt to reinvent Wi-Fi as we know it. In short, startup Eero wants to blanket your home in fast, reliable Wi-Fi that doesn't suffer from annoying issues like dead spots, buffering, and complicated passwords.

The startup is pitching its self-titled Eero box as the world's first home Wi-Fi system. This is to differentiate it from a router and/or network extender. Instead, it's a single piece of hardware, a little white box, that's designed to be placed in multiple locations in your home. According to Eero, three of them will cover a typical home.

Despite the attempt to bill it as something different, it's really a router and network extender in one, with smart capabilities. The way it works is you plug the first one into your cable or DSL modem, then take the the remaining boxes (two, if you own a "typical" house) and plug them into power outlets around your home. That's it.

Each Eero configures itself and automatically connects with one another to form a mesh network covering your entire residence. As you move about with your wireless devices, you'll always stay connected with a strong signal. In theory, anyway -- we haven't tested these claims (yet).

Other than widespread coverage, the main selling point is Eero's simplicity. It takes care of security, auto-updates itself, and even reboots itself if there's a problem.

We're definitely intrigued, and you can bet we'll put the Eero system through it's paces the first chance we get. In the meantime, it's available to pre-order today -- a single unit goes for $125, currently discounted from its regular $199 price, while a three-pack goes for $299, discounted from $499.

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MSI Throws Weight Behind NVMe, Adds Support to X99, Z97, and H97 Motherboards

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 02:02 PM PST

MSI X99X Gaming 7Another bottleneck bites the dust

Out with the old and in with the new, or in this case, MSI is anxious to bid a fond farewell to the Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) and get cooking with Non-Volatile Media Express (NVMe). To get the party started, MSI issued a round of BIOS updates for a whole bunch of motherboards based on Intel's X99, Z97, and H97 chipsets, making the company the first motherboard maker to fully support NVMe.

The majority of solid state drives currently on the market use the SATA 6Gbps interface, though PCI Express-based SSDs are beginning to gain ground. This is where NVMe comes into play -- by adding official support to its motherboards, MSI is essentially getting rid of boot drive headaches and improving performance at the same time.

NVMe was originally conceived with SSDs in mind, or more specifically, for NAND flash memory. It needn't concern itself with spinning platters and various housekeeping chores required for mechanical hard disk drives, resulting in lower latencies, higher transfer speeds, and less power consumption for SSDs. In short, it's a more efficient hold controller interface for accessing SSDs through the PCI-E bus.

Again, this won't affect very many people at the moment, as PCI-E SSDs are primarily found in the enterprise sector. But if you're living on the bleeding the edge and own a modern MSI motherboard based on one of the aforementioned chipsets, check out this page for the BIOS update you should be looking for. Once updated, you should be able to use NVMe devices as primary storage in Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 8.1 64-bit.

NVMe Graph
Source: MSI

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Newegg Daily Deals: Asus 23.8-Inch Monitor, Intel 530 Series 120GB SSD, and More!

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 12:37 PM PST

Asus VN248H-Pnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Not yet ready to invest in a 4K or 5K panel? Holding out for when 8K panels become mainstream? No problem, though that 15-year-old CRT is a bit of an eyesore, don't you think? While you wait for whatever super-duper-ultra-high resolution monitor it is you're after, a nice Full HD 1080p can the the bill for the immediate future. Agree? Then check out today's top deal for an Asus VN248H-P Slim Bezel 23.8-Inch Monitor for $135 with free shipping (nomrally $170 - use coupon code: [EMCANAP68] and $20 mail-in-rebate). This is an IPS monitor with wide viewing angles, MHL support, dual HDMI ports, D-Sub port, and built-in speakers.

Other Deals:

Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $50 with free shipping (normally $55 - use coupon code: [ESCANAP47])

G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory for $63 with free shipping

Intel Core i3-4160 Haswell Dual-Core 3.6GHz LGA 1150 54W Desktop Processor for $110 with free shipping (normally $120 - use coupon code: [EMCANAP55])

Intel 530 Series SSDSC2BW120A4K5 2.5-inch 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive for $75 with free shipping

Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Reportedly Pay Adblock Plus to Ignore Ads

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 11:56 AM PST

AdBlock PlusSecret deals come to light

You're not supposed to know it, but Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Taboola have been paying the developers of Adblock Plus to stop blocking ads on their respective websites, according to a paywalled article in the Financial Times. The deals are confidential in nature, though FT says it was able to confirm that they do in fact exist. If true, it raises some questions about the transparency of one of the most popular browser extensions ever made.

Eyeo, the German outfit that owns Adblock Plus, says its software has been downloaded over 300 million times around the globe and has more than 50 million monthly active users. Each one of them is welcome to read the software's FAQ, which says it has "strict criteria" about what it identifies as "Acceptable Ads."

Ads that are deemed acceptable must be static (no animations, sounds, etc) and clearly marked. They also have to follow a set of placement guidelines and follow a few other rules. Users of the extension don't always agree with Eyeo about which ads should pass muster, and many where angry when the company proposed whitelisting Taboola, an advertising network that's known to serve up racy content on occasion.

Despite the protests, Eyeo whitelisted Taboola, and like Google and Amazon, the company refused to comment. Microsoft, however, did issue a statement.

"Microsoft will always give consumers choice when it comes to advertisements. We are committed to working with partners who share our vision for relevant, impactful brand interaction and respect the integrity of consumer choice," Microsoft said.

FT says Eyeo doesn't charge small websites and blogs for its whitelisting process, but that large companies must pony up. How much? Eyeo wasn't willing to say.

Eyeo has to be careful with these deals, as users have the option of blocking all ads, which lessens the value of its whitelisting service to clients, or ditching the extension altogether.

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Razer Sharpens Blade Laptop with 3K Touchscreen, Faster Hardware

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 09:31 AM PST

Razer Blade 2015Refreshed Blade sees several upgrades

Razer's original Blade laptop is officially old news. That's because Razer today introduced a pair of refreshed Blade gaming notebooks, one with a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) IPS display and the other with a touch-enabled QHD+ 3K IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) panel. Both models feature updated internals, including a faster CPU and GPU, though no Broadwell inside.

The higher end model boasts a 14-inch panel and is still being billed as the thinnest and lightest gaming laptop in its size class. What that translates into is a 4.47-pound laptop measuring 13.6 inches (W) by 0.70 inches (H) by 9.3 inches (D).

Powering the display is a 4th Generation Intel Core i7 4720HQ processor (2.6GHz to 3.66GHz), 16GB of DDR3L-1600 RAM, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M graphics with 3GB of onboard memory. Other hardware and features include 128GB/256GB/512GB SATA M.2 SSD storage options, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI output, 2MP webcam, backlit anti-ghosting keyboard, and Windows 8.1 64-bit.

As before, the Blade comes housed in a precision-cut CNC aluminum chassis. Inside is a custom designed trckpad and the aforementioned backlit keyboard, which also sports programmable keys powered by Razer's Synapse software.

Pricing for the higher end model starts at $2,200, and you can place your order now. Alternately, the non-touch Full HD 1080p version features similar specs, but with half the RAM (8GB) and only a 256GB SSD option. That one's priced at $2,000 and is also available to order now, though ships in 3-4 weeks.

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Intel Skylake Chipsets May Receive a Significant PCIe Upgrade

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 08:49 AM PST

Intel BuildingLeaked slide shows next generation chipsets with more PCIe lanes

It's been several years since we've seen a meaningful upgrade to PCI Express in Intel's chipsets. For the most part, budget on up to high-end motherboards have been limited to eight lanes at Gen2 speeds, though it appears that's going to change once Skylake arrives. A leaked slide posted to a Chinese-language website indicates that Intel's forthcoming 100 Series chipset for Skylake will ditch PCIe's eight Gen2 lanes for up to 20 lanes running at Gen3 speeds.

Only the H110 chipset with stay at Gen2 speeds with six lanes. Here's how the others look:

  • H170: 16 lanes, Gen3
  • Z170: 20 lanes, Gen3
  • B150: 8 lanes, Gen3
  • Q150: 10 lanes, Gen3
  • Q170: 20 lanes, Gen3

These upgrades play into the push for solid state storage, and according to the slide, the 100 Series chipsets will provide up to four lanes of bandwidth for M.2 SSDs. And on the high-end Z170 chipset, it lists Intel Rapid Storage Technology as supporting up to three M.2 or SATA Express drives -- the Z97 supports just one.

In addition to upgrading PCIe, you can expect more USB 3.0 ports, at least on higher end boards. The Z170, for example, supports 10 USB 3.0 ports, and 14 USB ports total. Today's Z97 chipset also supports 14 total USB ports, though just six are of the USB 3.0 variety.

What the slides don't reveal are any potential upgrades to the chipset's CPU interconnect.

You can check out the slides here.

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MMORPG News

MMORPG News


WildStar: Diving into the Protogames Initiative

Posted: 02 Feb 2015 03:07 PM PST

Diving into the Protogames Initiative

WildStar is close to releasing its next big content update to the live servers, and we were recently given a good look at The Protogames Initiative. Chad Moore and Mike Donatelli were on hand to show us everything the patch looks to add to the world of Nexus and beyond.

Defiance: Syfy's Season 3 Begins Production

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 05:34 AM PST

Syfy

Defiance fans of the Syfy show and the Trion MMO will be happy to hear that production on Season 3 has begun in Toronto. According to reports, several new cast members will be introduced with Season 3 and the series will take up where the cliffhanger left off in Season 2. The town is under siege and facing an invasion by an alien race, the Omec.

World of Tanks: Wargaming Announces Partnership with Vevo

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 05:21 AM PST

Wargaming Announces Partnership with Vevo

Wargaming.net has announced an interesting partnership with Vevo, the premium music giant. Under the terms of the agreement, Wargaming will sponsor both rock and metal music genres through Vevo.

World of Warcraft: This Month in WoW

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 05:00 AM PST

This Month in WoW

Blizzard has posted a new blog update that gives World of Warcraft players a look ahead at what they can expect to find in game during February.

Archlord 2: Latest Update Deployed, Level Cap Increased

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 04:40 AM PST

Latest Update Deployed, Level Cap Increased

The latest update for ArchLord 2 has been deployed, the first content update since the launch of the Eternal Strife expansion that arrived in late December. With the new patch, players can expect a new level cap of fifty-one, new territories and a new dungeon.

The Repopulation: January Update Focuses on Alpha 4 Patch News

Posted: 03 Feb 2015 04:21 AM PST

January Update Focuses on Alpha 4 Patch News

The Repopulation site has been updated with the latest developer notes. This time, the team centered around the first Alpha 4 update that is expected to hit live service later today.

General: Patch 6.1 Preview

Posted: 01 Feb 2015 03:12 PM PST

Patch 6.1 Preview

With Patch 6.1 on the public test realm there's tons to talk about this week. Let's check out some of the big additions and changes heading to Warlords of Draenor.

Crowfall: Persistent Characters, Destructible Worlds

Posted: 02 Feb 2015 10:26 AM PST

Persistent Characters, Destructible Worlds

The Crowfall team is ready to begin to flesh out what sets its game apart from all the other MMOs in the world. Today, it is said in a new blog post, marks a transition in the dissemination of information. To start the conversation, the article discusses the idea of persistent characters but destructible worlds. By this, players take part in a world's "season" that progresses through a cataclysmic end that ultimately destroys the world on which it has taken place.

General: SOE Goes Indie - Now Known as Daybreak Game Company

Posted: 02 Feb 2015 10:07 AM PST

SOE Goes Indie - Now Known as Daybreak Game Company

Sony Online Entertainment has been acquired by an investment management firm that specializes in technology, media and entertainment companies. Called "Columbus Nova", the move effectively makes SOE an independent games development studio. Of keen interest is the fact that, as an indie developer, SOE will now be able to create games across multiple platforms including XBox, mobile and more. As part of the acquisition, SOE will now be known as Daybreak Game Company.

Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns and Character Progression

Posted: 01 Feb 2015 03:07 PM PST

Heart of Thorns and Character Progression

Players have been waiting for this moment, but that wait is finally over. The first expansion to Guild Wars 2 is finally announced! Even though not everyone could make it to PAX, Twitch allowed tens of thousands of players to tune and and soak up the excitement, and boy did we soak it all up. ArenaNet not only announced the long awaited expansion, but also gave some info regarding the features of Heart of Thorns, which seem to focus around character progression.

DC Universe Online: SOE's Lucky 13th DLC Features Group Content & a Big Story

Posted: 02 Feb 2015 08:32 AM PST

SOE

During a recent live stream event, we had the opportunity to check out some of the fantastic group content that DC Universe Online's thirteenth DLC, Amazon Fury Part II, will bring to players. Senior Creative Director Jens Andersen and Design Director Jesse Benjamin hosted the hour-long event that featured a sneak peek at new raids and operations that are tailor-made for four to eight players.

General: 5 Things We Want From Dragon’s Dogma Online

Posted: 01 Feb 2015 03:01 PM PST

5 Things We Want From Dragon

When I first played Dragon's Dogma back at its launch in 2012, I felt like I had stumbled across something that would surely go down as a cult classic. It was rough around the edges, had some quirks that wouldn't appeal to everyone, and lacked a true multiplayer mode. As it turns out, I wasn't far off.

General: Realm Zero Enters Alpha, Looks for Backers & Testers

Posted: 02 Feb 2015 07:51 AM PST

Realm Zero Enters Alpha, Looks for Backers & Testers

The Realm Zero team has reached out to let us know that the game is currently in alpha testing and is in need of new testers to help prepare the way for beta testing and eventual final release. To gain access to Realm Zero, fans will need to head to the game's GoFundMe.com page and make a contribution.

Blackguards 2: Patch to Be Delivered on Thursday

Posted: 02 Feb 2015 07:42 AM PST

Patch to Be Delivered on Thursday

Daedalic Entertainment has announced that the first patch for Blackguards 2 will be delivered to users on Thursday, February 5th. The patch will address several key issues, including story progression issues, balance issues and many bug fixes and alterations.

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