| The 10 Best PC Game Trailers from E3 2012 Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:48 PM PDT It's E3 time again and, as usual, the consoles are getting most of the attention. PC gamers weren't left out in the cold, though, there were plenty of great looking games shown off for our favorite platform--you just had to look a bit harder. Let us save you the trouble of seeking them out; read on for the 10 PC game trailers you've got to watch from E3 2012. Click on each game's title to watch the full trailer! |
| World IPv6 Launch Gives Crowded Internet Much Needed Breathing Room Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:58 AM PDT  If you're reading this, you must be online, and if you're online, let us say 'Welcome to a larger Internet.' Today kicks off the World IPv6 Launch event organized by the Internet Society and intended to bring major internet service providers (ISPs), home networking equipment manufacturers, and web companies around the world together to enable and embrace the IPv6 protocol for their products and services.
Count Google among them. As the sultan of search points out, few could have imagined that the Internet today would serve nearly 2.5 billion people and 11 billion devices when it was launched operationally back in 1983. But that's what happened, and suddenly the Internet is running out of addresses. As constructed, there's room for around 4.3 billion addresses. Internet Protocol version 6 expands that number exponentially, to "about 340 trillion, trillion, trillion!," Google says. "Today's World IPv6 Launch, coordinated by the Internet Society, marks the day that participating websites, Internet Service Providers (ISP), and network hardware manufacturers switch on IPv6 permanently in parallel with IPv4," Google said in a blog post. "We're proud to be one of the founding participants; virtually all Google's services have been available over IPv6 for a while, but IPv6 access was only available to networks participating in the 'Google over IPv6' program. From now on, they will be made available to any IPv6 network on the Internet (well, almost any). IPv6 still has a ways to go in terms of widespread adoption. Most ISPs haven't embraced the new standard yet, and the same is true for many websites. Not all home network equipment supports IPv6 either, though some can be upgraded with a relatively simple firmware updates. Others will need to be replaced entirely. Are you ready? If you want to test your setup and infrastructure, head here. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Mozilla Firefox 13 Hits Release Channel, Brings New Homepage and Tabs Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:33 AM PDT  The latest and greatest version of Mozilla's Firefox web browser -- Firefox 13 -- doesn't alter the browser scene with earth shaking innovation or groundbreaking feature additions, nor have we come to expect such gargantuan leaps in browser development since Mozilla swithced to a rapid release schedule. That said, there is a new version of Firefox on the Release channel, and here's what it brings to the table.
First and foremost, Firefox's new default homepage offers quicker access to bookmarks, history, settings, and more. The other notable change has to do with tabs. When opening a new tab, Firefox presents users with their most visited pages. Other than those two additions, Mozilla mainly just sprinkled in a few changes to how the browser behaves and resolved a bunch of bugs, as it usually does with each new Firefox release. Restored background tabs are no longer loaded by default, a move intended to speed up the startup process, and smooth scrolling is now enabled by default. On the developer side, Mozilla said it made 72 total improvements to Page Inspector, HTML panel, Style Inspector, Scratchpad, and Style Editor. The complete list of changes is here, and you can download the latest Firefox release here. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Corsair Announces Flagship Neutron Series Solid State Drives Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:13 AM PDT  Jimmy Neutron, boy genius, would approve of Corsair's model name for its newest and best performing solid state drive (SSD) series to date. Corsair's new Neutron GTX branded SSDs are supposedly the first consumer drives in the industry to sport the LM87800 6Gbps SSD controller for Link_A_Media devices (LAMD), a company that develops system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for enterprise and mobile storage markets.
Neutron GTX SSDs are available in 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB capacities, each of which uses toggle NAND flash memory rated to deliver up to 90,000 random read and write IOPS. Sequential read and write performance are rated at up to 555MB/s and 500MB/s, respectively. There's also a toned version of the Neutron family that drops the GTX moniker. These drives are available in 120GB and 240GB capacities, offer up to 90,000 random read IOPs and 85,000 random write IOPS, and deliver read/write performance of up to 555MB/370MB per second. "All Neutron Series models incorporate LAMD's powerful on-the-fly error correction and advanced NAND management technologies which improve the endurance of onboard flash memory, giving the SSD's enhanced reliability and durability," Corsair says. "The Neutron Series GTX drives also include adaptive DSP technology which maintains superior performance throughout the lifetime of the SSD. Neutron Series and Neutron Series GTX models are backed with a 5 year warranty." Corsair says it will announce pricing upon product release, which is currently scheduled for July. Image Credit: Corsair Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Following Delay, HTC One X Available at AT&T Online, In Stores June 10 Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:52 AM PDT  A delay at U.S. Customs over a patent dispute (what else?) with Apple caused the HTC One X to arrive in the States a little later than HTC would have liked, but it's here now, and available to purchase on AT&T's website for $200 with a 2-year voice agreement and qualifying monthly data plan. Brick-and-mortar goers will be able to snag the One X starting on June 10, 2012 (this coming Sunday).
Sans contract, the One X sells for $550. Either way, it's available in gray or white and sports a 4.7-inch HD touchscreen, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 8MP rear-facing camera with dual-LED flash and 1080p video capture, 1.3MP front-facing camera, 4G radio, and non-removable 1800 mAh battery good for up to 8.5 hours of talk time and 12.6 days on standby. The operating system is Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). AT&T and HTC are putting considerable effort into hyping the One X device's built in camera with back illuminated sensor, f2.0 28mm lens, and burst photography mode. Another standout feature is the inclusion of Beats by Dr. Dre audio. Image Credit: HTC Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| LinkedIn: We're Investigating Reports of Stolen Passwords, Stay Tuned Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:34 AM PDT  If you're a LinkedIn user, you may want to consider changing up your password today, as well as those of any other accounts that share the same login credentials. While nothing has yet been confirmed, LinkedIn said it's currently "looking into reports of stolen passwords," reports of which are flowing through Twitter and other areas of the Internet, as well as on a Russian forum where one member claims he uploaded 6,458,020 hashed passwords.
"Stay tuned for more," LinkedIn tweeted this morning. There's some chatter that this could all be a hoax, but security professional and passwords expert Per Thorsheim isn't buying it. According to Thorsheim, many people have already confirmed that their passwords appear in the text dump, which is currently in the process of being decrypted. And according to one report, some 300,000 passwords have already been extracted. Our advice? Err on the side of caution and pick a new password (make sure it isn't one of these), and then change it again once LinkedIn sorts everything out. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Windows RT Laptops Powered by Snapdragon S4 Processors Currently in Production Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:10 AM PDT  Qualcomm on Tuesday unveiled an expanded portfolio for its Snapdragon S4 CPU family, breaking the processors down into four categories of concentration, including S4 Prime (HDTVs and set-top boxes), S4 Pro (Windows RT devices), S4 Plus (smartphones and tablets), and S4 Play (entry level mobile devices). Focusing on the S4 Pro series for a moment, reportedly there are Snapdragon S4-powered laptops running Windows RT already in production.
That bit of information comes from The Verge, which heard it straight from the horse's mouth -- the horse, in this case, being Rob Chandhok, Senior Vice President of Qualcomm. Chandhok told The Verge that Windows RT notebooks with S4 hardware inside are being built as Computex goes on. Qualcomm already has experience working with Microsoft, being the only chip maker serving Windows 7 and 7.5 devices. "We are using that partnership now to actually bring the Snapdragon processor family into the Windows RT launch that Microsoft will be doing in the future," Chandhok said at Computex, according to TomsHardware. Not counting upcoming notebooks, Snapdragon is installed in over 370 device models representing around 70 manufacturers. Image Credit: Qualcomm Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Napster Founders Create Airtime, a G-Rated Version of Chatroulette for Facebook Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:44 AM PDT  Could you imagine trying to pitch Chatroulette integration in Facebook to Mark Zuckerberg? It wouldn't fly, not when the billionaire 28-year-old is trying to open up access to his social playground for kids under the age of 13. But a clean version of Chatroulette? That's Airtime, a new live social video network put together by Napster founders Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning.
Unveiled at a special launch event in New York City with Jimmy Fallon, Jim Carrey, Ed Helms, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joel McHale, Olivia Munn, and Snoop Dogg providing the requisite star power, Airtime is a browser-based video chat service friends can use via their Facebook networks. Users are able to share live experiences and collaborate on project, and is purportedly "fun and safe." "There's something exciting about bringing spontaneity to the Internet," said Parker. "All of your interactions online are constrained by the people you already know. That wasn't always the case. If it weren't for the internet, Fanning and I would have never become friends. As we move from a social graph to an interest graph, there are great possibilities for our world. That's what we're trying to tap into with Airtime." Added Fanning, "We look at Airtime as if it were a smart and engaging host. "Airtime is a service that does everything it can to help you find the people that you should know, and then guide your conversations further. These are connections that wouldn't be possible in the real world. If you look at this from an idealistic standpoint, Airtime is something only technology can facilitate. And it is finally possible with the ubiquity of webcams, broadband connections and a highly developed identity layer. We've only scratched the surface with what the Internet can do today." In addition to chatting with your friends, Airtime will pair you up with people who live nearby, have similar interests, and with friends of friends. But unlike Chatroulette, Airtime plugs into your Facebook chat network and knows your identity, and while it can't stop unwanted nude encounters, it can drop the ban hammer in a hurry. Intrigued? If so, you can give it a test drive here. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Nintendo Talks Wii U Launch Titles, Gamepad Controls Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:20 AM PDT  It was a well known fact that Nintendo would use the E3 convention to showcase its upcoming Wii U console, and it did exactly that, wasting no time introducing a "massive lineup" of third-party games, including new games in the Super Mario Bros., Pikmin, Wii Fit, Batman: Arkham City, Scribblenauts, Assassin's Creed, and Just Dance franchises. It wasn't just about the games, however.
Nintendo covered a variety of topics, including the much-hyped touch-sensitive gamepad that has come to define the Wii U. "The GamePad doesn't just introduce a new type of game play, it redefines an entire dynamic. With asymmetric game play, multiple experiences are possible in the same game at the same time. That's transformative," said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. "While games are the focus of this year's E3, the Wii U story also includes the enhanced social connections and integrated entertainment experiences created by the GamePad. We're providing a glimpse of that with the introduction of Miiverse and by revealing partnerships with some of the biggest content providers on the planet." In addition to touch-screen and motion controls, the Wii U gamepad will include dual analog stick controls and can be used as a remote control for TVs, even when the console is powered down. On the social side, Nintendo is creating something it calls Miiverse, essentially an online hub for gamers to chit-chat about games and discover new content. "From here they can challenge their friends to play together, ask a question about a difficult level or discover new elements of their favorite games they never knew existed," Nintendo said in a statement. "After a notable achievement or other share-worthy moment, players can pause their game or application and seamlessly post messages to the Miiverse community." The Wii U is scheduled to launch sometime this holiday season. Image Credit: Nintendo Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Gaikai to Power Cloud Gaming Service on Samsung Smart TVs Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:22 AM PDT  Hitherto, OnLive has been widely viewed as the cloud gaming industry's poster child, but don't be surprised if it eventually ends up getting overshadowed by its lesser known rival Gaikai. This is because the latter is joining forces with the world's largest television manufacturer.
Samsung is bringing cloud gaming to its Smart TVs. Called Samsung Cloud Gaming, the service will be powered by Gaikai's game streaming technology. According to a joint press release issued by the two companies Tuesday, their partnership will make it possible to stream demos and entire games directly from the Samsung Smart Hub environment in Samsung's 7000 series and up 2012 LED Smart TVs. The Gaikai-powered service will soon be open to Samsung Smart TV-owning beta testers in the States. "Our vision is to provide the same access to video games that consumers enjoy with TV shows, movies and music. Our research made Samsung the obvious partner to turn this vision into a reality," said David Perry, CEO of Gaikai Inc. "Samsung is the largest TV manufacturer in the world and Gaikai is the industry-recognized fastest cloud-based streaming service for video games. Together, we will turn Samsung Smart TVs into a console-like experience capable of delivering the best-selling video games and other content instantly to consumers – no downloads, no extra hardware, no trips to the store." This is not the first deal of its kind for Gaikai, though. Earlier this year, the game streaming company announced a similar partnership with LG as well. |
