General Gaming Article

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• No BS Podcast #202: Intel's New Atom, Adobe Creative Cloud, Windows 8 Sales, and More!
• Computer Cases Roundup
• Nvidia Release Game Ready Beta 320.14 Driver for Metro: Last Light
• EVGA's SuperNova 1000 G2 Modular Power Supply Strikes 80 Plus Gold Certification
• Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Force GS 360GB SSD, EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti, and More
• Microsoft Pops Its Top on Comparing Windows 8 to a Can of Soda
• ESPN Seeks Immunity From Wireless Data Caps
• Symantec: Targeted Attacks on Small Businesses Increased Three-Fold in 2012

No BS Podcast #202: Intel's New Atom, Adobe Creative Cloud, Windows 8 Sales, and More! Posted: 13 May 2013 08:20 PM PDT Now with HD video! Now that we have a fifth microphone and a video camera, everybody's in the pool. That's 20% more Maximum PC than typical, at no additional charge! (Shipping and handling fees may apply.) You can watch us interrupt each other on our official Youtube channel, which also has videos of our previous video podcasts, and an assortment of other free amusements! As usual, in episode 202 of the Maximum PC No BS Podcast, our host and Senior Editor Josh Norem wrangled the crew, which included Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang, Deputy Editor Gordon Mah Ung, Editor-in-Chief Katherine Stevenson, and Associate Editor Tom McNamara. Our Superhero Intern-Man Chris Zele was busy saving puppies from a burning building. This time, we covered: - Intel's completely overhauled low-power Atom CPU - Adobe going cloud-only with its "Creative Suite" programs - Windows 8 passing 100 million sales - Seagate entering the retail solid-state drive market - Rumors of a smaller Windows Surface tablet - And finally, Gordon whispering sweet nothings in your ear! If you want to catch future episodes, you can: Subscribe on iTunes Fan us on Facebook Tweet us on Twitter Check out our Windows 8 app in Microsoft's app store Email us at maximumpcpodcast@gmail.com Subscribe to our RSS feed Leave us a voicemail at 877-404-1337 x1337 Thanks for listening! We wouldn't be here without all of your support! -Maximum PC Staff

Computer Cases Roundup Posted: 13 May 2013 03:39 PM PDT 7 computer cases reviewed: Cooler Master HAF XB,Thermaltake Soprano, Corsair Carbide 200R, and more! If you thought that the only innovation in modern chassis design was the (long-awaited) switch from USB 2.0 ports to USB 3.0 ports at all price levels, you haven't seen anything yet.  The cases in our roundup this time around really run the gamut of features: From inexpensive cases that attempt to deliver a lot of functionality without fattening up the price tag, to simple-looking chassis that hide a wealth of must-haves, to some of the most eye-opening cases we've seen – that don't quite stack up once you look beyond their crazy offerings. In other words, it's a typical computer cases roundup. Just to lay out our criteria a bit, here are some of the elements we're typically looking for when we run the magnifying glass over a computer case: Features that take time and effort out of the installation or upgrade process, like screwless drive bays.  Minimal annoyances – like having to snap off a case's entire front panel just to remove its drive bay covers.  Adequate cooling, ideally positioned such that one's hard drives, video cards, and general motherboard area all receive a steady stream of air.  And, of course, strong cable management: Nobody likes to open up a case and find a Medusa. Beyond that, the great computer case race is anyone's to win.  As for how each manufacturer balances "cool" with "functional," you'll have to read on for all the gory details! Cooler Master HAF XB Don't call this case "stumpy."  It bites. Cooler Master's HAF XB computer case is a hybrid design that attempts to kill two PC birds with one stone: An open-air design for system builders who want to be able to swap out their components like a pit stop, and a standard, covered chassis for those who like having four walls and a roof around their system's precious parts from time to time.  For the most part, it works—but we would have love to have seen a few tweaks to make the system even easier to use for the frequent parts-swapper. The cube-like case leaves little room for error.  Its 17.5x13x16.5-inch size split into a top and bottom half on the inside: Your ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX motherboard rests up-top—pray you don't have a huge cooler overtop your CPU, as you get just under six and a half inches of vertical space (from the silicon on your motherboard) to play with if you have any intention of attaching a 20-centimeter fan to the case's top.  The bottom portion of the HAF XB is where you'll precariously thread your 7-inch-or-shorter power supply; connect up the case's two front hot-swap bays; stuff your optical drive in one of the case's two, tool-free 5.25-inch bays; or slap some SSDs in the four additional 2.5-inch bays provided. It's not very often you see a manufacturer going for the fabled, "cube design," but this is not your standard case by any stretch of the imagination. As for the hybrid bit we previously mentioned, Cooler Master has designed the open-air case to work just like that, with the case's sides and top bare to the world.  However, when you want to transform the chassis into a normal, box-like enclosure, you just need to reattach the case's sides and top with the provided thumbscrews. While the process is certainly easy for those who have ever screwed in a side panel before (that's most of you reading this), we wish that Cooler Master could have used the kind of thumbscrews that remain attached to the case (or panel) after you've loosened them.  Losing those at a LAN party would be a real nightmare.  That, or Cooler Master could have used quick-snap latches instead – an even stronger match for this Transformer of a computer case. The beauty of Cooler Master's split-insides concept is that you only have the annoyance of stringing cables around the lower half once. Most of the parts you'll likely manipulate sit up top. The case gives you a lot of expandability for its size— including room for seven PCIe devices in all and videocards up to 13.1 inches in length—as well as two USB 3.0 ports on the front and two beefy, 1,800-RPM, 12-centimeter fans directly behind that for air intake. If you're crazy enough to try water-cooling given the tight confines of this chassis, it does support a single 24-centimeter radiator on the front if you first remove these fans in addition to a single 12-centimeter radiator on the case's rear.  While indentations on the rear of the chassis indicated a place where tubing could have been threaded, Cooler Master oddly omits any rubberized holes for doing so. The Cooler Master HAF XB isn't for beginners.  You're going to get to pretend you're a surgeon when you try to thread wires around the inside of this tight chassis, even given the HAF XB's system-builder focus.  It's still a compelling case for tinkerers that comes with plenty of useful features, and one that's worth looking into for those afraid to (or uninterested in) making the switch to a fully open-air design. Just don't try to water-cool it.   Cooler Master HAF XB Plus Hot-swap drive bays, easy-to-access motherboard maintenance, excellent cooling Minus Removable panels need more than thumbscrews, tight chassis for huge CPU coolers and basic PSU installation $99, www.coolermaster.com CoolerMaster Scout 2 Cooler Master makes it easy to carry this case around.  There's no doubt in our minds that the design of Cooler Master's Storm Scout 2 chassis is going to draw eyeballs.  On the outside, it's a beautiful case – punctuated ever-so-slightly by red LED fan viewable through the case's windowed side panel and ever-so-dramatically by the case's unique, rubber-coated steel handle up top. Looks can be deceiving. From the outside, this case is a winner. But from the inside, we're a bit skeptical. The case's inside is less eye-catching. We love the three screwless 5.25-inch drive bays that merely require you to flick a switch from "open" to "lock" to secure your components in place.  However, we're a little turned off by the flimsier rails that Cooler Master delivers to secure up to seven, 3.5-inch hard drives in place; drive trays would have been better.  Additionally, four of the drive bays have to go if you're using a video card that's larger than 28.7 centimeters in length – and there's no easy way to just pull them out sans screwdriver. Thumbscrews are your new friends for the case's seven PCIe expansion slots, and you'll have to install both standoffs and screws for your motherboard.  That said, the Storm Scout 2 makes cable management easier with the five holes (three rubberized) Cooler Master cuts right into the motherboard tray–though they could have been a little bigger. Our biggest problem with the Storm Scout 2 is its cooling—not due to its potential, as the case supports up to nine fans in total (a mix of 12- and 14-centimeter fans, but mostly 12-centimeter).  Rather the case ships with just one fan preinstalled: The aforementioned 12-centimeter LED fan on the case's rear.  You can toggle the light on and off, as the flames shooting out from your hot components will be all the dramatic lighting you really need.  Two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports adorn the case's front, which you can hide with a little pull-down cover if you so desire.  It's another one of the many tricks Cooler Master stuffs into the Storm Scout 2's hat; we just wish we could have some more fans, too. CoolerMaster Scout 2 Plus Super-mobile case, easy cable management and good connectivity Minus Poor prebuilt cooling (one fan!), requires sacrifice of drive bays for larger videocards, flimsier rails for hard drive installation $99, www.coolermaster.com MSI Stealth You'll love this case's color scheme, we promise Were there an award for "best case color scheme," MSI's Stealth computer case wins by a mile from its lovely black and light-blue-accented aesthetic.  As for the case's design, however, MSI packs in a few problems to balance out the good bits. Just wait until you pop off the side of this chassis: a pretty world of black and blue awaits you. We never thought we'd have to struggle so much with this case just to get a simple optical drive secured into one of its three free bays.  That involves popping off the front panel just so you can remove the 5.25-inch bay covers–annoyance number one–and then somehow use the case's big, blue locking mechanisms of fail to roughly secure your drive in place.  Spoiler: They not very secure. MSI does provide full trays for the four hard drives the case supports, which alleviates our frustration somewhat. It also packs two graphics card stabilizers right above that–a fun and quasi-useful addition that allows the case to support video cards up to 31 centimeters in length, but some extra 2.5-inch bays might have been more useful in general. What the case lacks in big, fat cable routing holes (you get four small, thin ones), it makes up for in the ludicrous amount of space between the rear of the motherboard tray and the case's right side panel. You could hide a garden hose in this case, not just your power supply cables. A single 12-centimeter fan in the front balances out a similarly sized blue LED fan in the front, positioned directly next to the hard drive bays.  On the top of the case's front are two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and a special USB port that dovetails with your MSI motherboard's "SuperCharger" functionality for speedy device charging.  If you haven't drunk MSI's Flavor Aid, however, it's just a standard USB 2.0 connection. Great looks, polarizing design: The MSI Stealth chassis leaves us feeling a little blue. MSI Stealth Plus Lovely aesthetic, plenty of room for huge videocards, front-panel connectivity with an MSI-themed bonus Minus Videocard stabilizers seem silly, horrible 5.25-inch bay locking mechanism (and installation process) $99, us.msi.com Click the next page to check out our new kick-ass best-of-the-best case! ThermalTake New Soprano A soprano could sing inside of this case and you'd never hear it. Find a chassis that successfully combines practical noise dampening, useful features, and cooling can be a bit of a needle in the haystack sometimes—but in this case (pardon the pun), that's Thermaltake's New Soprano.  The solid construction of this chassis creates an upgrading or installation experience that's free of frustration.  Our only complaint with the case, if you could really call it that, is that it lacks pizazz. This case might look fairly simple on the outside, but it has just about everything you'd ever want or need. Trust us. That said, give us function over pretty lights any day. The jet-black exterior of the case uses a front-panel door to create a sleek, uncluttered aesthetic by allowing you to hide your components when you aren't specifically using them.  The door doubles as an excellent noise-dampener and, we argue, a heavier-than-you-might-expect blunt object for use when squaring off against midnight intruders or zombie hordes. Two USB 3.0 ports sit alongside two USB 2.0 ports on the top-front of the case; we're even more enthusiastic about the built-in hot-swap hard drive docking station for 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives that Thermaltake's constructed on the top of the chassis itself.  It's a delightful and unexpected addition to the case that brings a lot of additional connectivity without harming the case's overall look or feel. On the inside, Thermaltake uses four simple locking mechanisms to keep your 5.25-inch device held tightly.  Installing an optical drive requires you to remove the drive bay's front panels— easily done without having to rip off any part of the case's front.  Four screwless hard drive trays rest behind the case's secret weapon: A huge, blue-LED, 20-centimeter fan that delivers plenty of air over your drives without blowing out your eardrums to do so.  Above the primary 3.5-inch bays rests a single additional 3.5-inch drive bay and a single 2.5-inch bay for your solid-state needs (both not screwless). Thermaltake positions the thumbscrews for the case's seven expansion slots on the exterior of the case.  While that saves you a little room on the inside—giving the case space for a video card up to 12.2-inches in length—it also means that it's really hard to actually use your fingers to tighten or loosen the screws. Thermaltake pulls out all the stops to make it as easy as possible for you to install or upgrade parts—minus the expansion slots, which will require a screwdriver. Motherboard standoffs are built directly into the case–an excellent touch that saves would-be system builders a bit of time and hassle.  A huge hole on the upper half of the motherboard tray exposes your CPU area for easier installation of aftermarket coolers, and that's joined by five other holes on the tray itself (four rubberized) for cable management.  There's plenty of room between the rear of the tray and the case's right side panel, even including the acoustical foam that Thermaltake's attached to the panel to give your ears a respite. The only other fan in the case is a single, 12-centimeter exhaust fan attached to its rear, and the only other fan you can install beyond that would be an optional 12-centimeter intake fan on the case's bottom.  That's the trade-off of having a "sound-proof" rig: more potential for heat.  However, Thermaltake's done a masterful job of addressing this issue while building out a case that's packed with just about everything you'd want to have—assuming you care more about function than flash. Thermaltake New Soprano VO900M1N2N Plus Good cooling, great soundproofing, mostly easy installation, slick aesthetics Minus Expansion slots a little fussy with thumbscrews, case isn't extraordinarily "flashy" $119, www.thermaltakeusa.com Xclio Touch 787 Meet the future, and the past, of cases. This kills us—it absolutely kills us. The Xclio Touch 787 has one of the most innovative, fun-to-use, Star-Trekian features we've ever seen on a case.  And the substantial air-cooling on this case feels just a few miles per hour short of a category four.  It looks good; it's one of the few cases that we actually really enjoy interacting with on a daily basis. Words fail us. The touchscreen controls on this case must be seen to be believed. But why, oh why, does Xclio have no idea how to build hard drive mounts? Allow us to explain. The single most noteworthy and compelling feature of the Touch 787 is—as the name alludes—the giant touch-sensitive panel on front of the case's top. It looks as if it was ripped out of a standard Star Trek: TNG episode, and it functions about as well. After wiring up the panel with a standard Molex connection, you can tap its huge, circular buttons to turn the case's fans on and off; adjust their speeds to low, medium, or high; turn the fans' lights on and off; or lock and unlock the panel itself (to prevent accidental bumping). Call it gimmicky if you want, but the responsiveness of the controls – and pretty blue lighting when you've activated an option – is just downright cool. Unfortunately, Xclio seems to have spent most of its R&D on this case on just that— the panel. Or perhaps the fans, as this system comes with no fewer than ten 12-centimeter fans in total: One on the case's rear, two on the top, one in the front, and six (!) on the case's side panel. Cooling overkill? Yes. We appreciate the enthusiasm, but one large fan on the side panel (for example) could have pushed plenty of air at a lower RPM and noise level. All the standard features on this case are the same as what you'd expect to find in this price range: Cable mounting holes, motherboard tray cutouts behind the CPU, locking mechanisms for the case's three free 5.25-inch bays, et cetera. We're not going to waste words going over these, simply because the design of the case's 3.5-inch bays—or lack thereof— presents a critical flaw in any user's enjoyment of this wind tunnel of a chassis. It's too bad that Xclio didn't put some more thought into this case's internals. As is, they're not very good. To access the case's two actual hard drive bays, you have to unscrew and take apart a stupid bar of-sorts that runs vertically from the case's bottom to just under its 5.25-inch bays. Upon further inspection, however, Xclio actually wants you to mount your drives to this bar as well, just floating out there in mid-air. Presumably, Xclio wants to put nothing between the intake fan and your system's motherboard, but it's a bad design concept that's ugly for cable management, annoying to work with, and makes absolutely no sense whatsoever: It's the very definition of, "If it ain't broke…" If it wasn't for Xclio's choices in designing its mounting "system" for hard drives, we'd consider this case–loud and over-the-top as it might be–to actually be something worth considering if for nothing else than its uniqueness. The more we think about it, however, the more Xclio's design decisions tease the idea that they don't actually know how to build a functional case, just a really cool-looking one. Xclio Touch 787 Plus Amazing touch-panel controls, good cable management, more cooling than you'll ever need. Minus Very loud, horrible design for hard drive mounting, plenty of wiring to manage even before you put any parts into the case. $149, www.xclio.com Click the next page to read reviews on the budget computer cases. The Battle of the Inexpensive Cases Want a case on the cheap?  Be sure you don't get what you're paying for…  Here we go—a descent into the budget barrel.  It's understandable that you might be a little concerned about the quality of offerings you're going to see in the sub-$100 case market.  You have every right to be: Just go to your local geeky retailer of choice and check out some of the horrible cases on the shelves that get offered up at rock-bottom prices.  We wouldn't want to put our worst enemy's motherboard into those; why should you install yours? Of course, you can find some real diamonds in the rough, but you're definitely going to have to do a little digging to uncover quality, inexpensive cases – especially given the sacrifices manufacturers typically have to make in order to hit these low price targets. We've dragged up two of these budget cases to show you just what we mean by the differences you'll find at this end of the spectrum: Take a look! Antec One This case might be inexpensive, but there's so much more Antec could have done One… singular sensation is not this chassis.  The mid-tower Antec One feels a little flimsy in a few areas, which otherwise detracts from some of the better elements in this ultra-inexpensive case.  The Antec One comes with three 5.25-inch bays that use pre-attached locking mechanisms to keep your devices all snug and attached.  However, this is the kind of case that requires you to pop off the entire front panel in order to remove the grilled covers over the empty bays— be careful with that, as we definitely broke off some of the tabs on these covers when trying to remove them ourselves. The Antec is light enough that you could probably balance it on your fingers and spin it like a basketball. (You-Tube that, if you try). Antec positions the entrance for the case's five 3.5-inch bays on the opposite side of the chassis–the right of the case, if you're looking at it from the front, rather than the left.  This decision boggled us at first, but the more we thought about it, it makes sense: You would have to pop off both sides of the case anyway were you to install the drives from the left side of the chassis (using the provided rails) and this method allows Antec manages to build in some additional space for much-needed cable management.  It's just a little weird at first. The case's seven expansion card brackets don't come with screws pre-installed into the case; a bit of an annoyance for those looking to ensure that the flimsy tabs stay on at all times.  We do, however, like the recessed side pane that sits behind a huge hold cut out for the top half of one's motherboard: Cable-management and CPU cooler installations are a breeze. Antec slaps two 12-centimeter fans in the top-rear corner of the case; none over the hard drives.  You get two USB 3.0 ports on the case's front; that's it. That's the Antec One: A price-conscious chassis that's good in a pinch, but could be a lot better. Antec One Plus Hard drive bay design is odd at first, but functional; screwless 5.25-inch bays; good cable management Minus Lacks screws on PCI brackets, no cooling on hard drives, frustrating 5.25-inch device installation $49, www.antec.com Corsair Carbide 200R It's not "super" inexpensive, but it's worth saving pennies for Delightful.  Truly delightful.  That's the best way to sum up Corsair's sub-$100 Carbide 200R mid-tower chassis.  It's roomy, it's well-designed, and—most importantly— it doesn't invite any annoying features or ill-designed elements along for its inexpensive ride. The Carbide 200R doesn't win huge points for its looks, but there's a lot going on inside this chassis for its low price. All of the Carbide 200R's drive bays are completely screwless, a wonderful touch for those looking to make modifications to their system without busting out the tool kit.  Popping off the flat, solid panels covering the case's three 5.25-inch bays is easy and destruction-free— almost as easy as it is to slide and lock up to four 3.5-inch hard drives into the case's left-facing bays.  You can use screws to attach up to four 2.5-inch drives into a provided internal enclosure if you really don't want your solid-state-drives to jiggle. Motherboard standoffs are built directly into the Carbide 200R: Just slap down your board, grab a few screws, and you're set.  Five different cable routing holes cut directly into the tray make it easy for you to hide your ugly wires, and a large area cut out behind the top of the motherboard tray speeds along the (often agonizing) process of aftermarket CPU cooler installation. The case comes with a single 12-centimeter fan in the rear and the front.  While we would have preferred that the front fan was placed to push some air over your hard drives, at least it's able to direct much-need cooling on your video card (up to 11.8-inches long).  You can also stick up to five additional 12- or 14-centimeter fans around the case's top, side, and bottom, as well as one more 12-centimeter fan in the front (covering your hard drives). The case comes with two USB 3.0 ports on the front—more importantly, popping off the front panel to do any modifications to the Carbide 200R doesn't result in a tangle of wires coming with it.  It's these little touches, and more, that make this case such an inexpensive delight. Corsair Carbide 200R Plus Plenty of drive bays, lots of options for additional cooling, a great emphasis on reducing the amount of screwdriver time needed Minus Front preinstalled fan could have pushed more air over the hard drives directly, 2.5-inch bays still require screws $60, www.corsair.com

Nvidia Release Game Ready Beta 320.14 Driver for Metro: Last Light Posted: 13 May 2013 01:29 PM PDT Enjoy a free and easy performance boost in Metro: Last Light. It doesn't matter if you're sitting pretty with a single Nvidia-based graphics card or rocking multiple GeForce parts in SLI, you should see better framerates in Metro: Last Light (launches tomorrow) after applying Nvidia's latest beta driver, version 320.14. Also included in the newest driver release are all of the performance optimizations and SLI profiles found in the recent 320.00 beta release, which benefits games such as Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, GRID 2, Tomb Raider, and several others. Nvidia put a lot of time and effort into optimizing its code base for Metro: Last Light, and it also put together an extensive graphics and performance guide related to the 4A Games' title. To provide a single example of the performance boost you can expect by installing the beta driver, Nvidia says Metro: Last Light will perform up to 10 percent better on a single GeForce GTX 660 graphics card and up to 9 percent running two GTX 660 parts in SLI. You can also expect double-digit percentage performance gains in Dirt: Showdown and Tomb Raider regardless of whether you're running a single GPU or multiple graphics cards. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

EVGA's SuperNova 1000 G2 Modular Power Supply Strikes 80 Plus Gold Certification Posted: 13 May 2013 01:10 PM PDT There's 80 Plus Gold in this here power supply! EVGA, a company that's best known for pumping out Nvidia-based graphics cards, is so confident in its new SuperNova 1000 G2 power supply that it's backing the unit with a 10-year warranty. Of course, we learned from watching Tommy Boy (NSFW) that guarantees are only as good as what's inside the box, and in this instance, EVGA is packaging a high-end power supply that's 80 Plus Gold certified with up to 90 percent efficiency under typical loads. The SuperNova 1000 G2 delivers up to 83.3A over a single +12V rail. Both the +5V and +3.3V rails are rated to deliver up to 20A (100W combined), and both are less important than the almighty +12V rail, which feeds power to the CPU, GPU, and certain peripherals. It's a fully modular power supply with heavy-duty components inside, including a vertical double layer main transformer and Japanese Nippon Chemi-Con solid state capacitors. Connectors bundled with the PSU include: 1 x 24 pin ATX 2 x 4+4 pin EPS12V 6 x 6+2 pin PCI-E 2 x 6-pin PCI-E 10 x SATA 5 x Molex 1 x Floppy The EVGA SuperNova 1000 G2 is available to purchase now directly from EVGA for $200. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Force GS 360GB SSD, EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti, and More Posted: 13 May 2013 12:44 PM PDT Top Deal: Solid state drive (SSD) prices fell off a cliff this past year, and if you're paying more than a buck per gigabyte for a consumer drive, you're getting a bum deal. You won't have to worry about that with today's top deal, which is for a Corsair Force Series GS 360GB SATA III Internal SSD for $280 with free shipping (normall $320).  This is a high-performance drive rated at up to 555MB/s and 530MB/s sequential read and write speeds, respectively, with plenty of capacity to comfortably run as a main OS drive. For other deals that include a plethora of an EVGA SSC GeForce GTX 650 Ti video card, D-Link PowerLine AV Mini Adapter Starter Kit and more, click the "Read More" button. Other Deals: Pioneer 3.5mm Connector Canal Water-Resistant Stereo Earbud Earphone for $12 with free shipping (normally $60 - use coupon code:[SMMRGEAR13]) EVGA SSC GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1GB Video Card for $140 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code:[EMCXRWX49]; additional $15 mail-in rebate) D-Link PowerLine AV Mini Adapter Starter Kit Includes 2 Adapters, Up To 200Mbps for $30 with free shipping (normally $130 - use coupon code:[EMCXRWX65]) Seagate Central STCG3000100 3TB Network Storage System for $179 with free shipping (normally $220; Free Wireless Router with Purchase)

Microsoft Pops Its Top on Comparing Windows 8 to a Can of Soda Posted: 13 May 2013 09:56 AM PDT Can of soda comparison is just hyperbole, Microsoft says. Richard Carlson advises against sweating the small stuff, and if you're Microsoft, that means not getting your knickers in a knot over sensationalistic journalism, especially when it comes to Windows 8. That's not to say Windows 8 isn't without its fair share of legitimate criticisms and concerns, but is it fair to compare the touch-friendly operating system to Coca-Cola's failed New Coke formula from yesteryear? Frank X. Shaw, Corporate Vice President of Corporate Communications at Microsoft, had a thing or three to say about the recent comparison. "In this world where everyone is a publisher, there is a trend to the extreme – where those who want to stand out opt for sensationalism and hyperbole over nuanced analysis," Shaw stated in a blog post. "In this world where page views are currency, heat is often more valued than light. Stark black-and-white caricatures are sometimes more valued than shades-of-gray reality." Shaw was responding to comments in a recent Financial Times report, in which the author quoted an analyst comparing Windows 8 to New Coke, the difference being that Coca-Cola did a better job of listening to its customers and quickly reversed course. Seeking sanity in what Shaw likely sees as an insane comparison, he reiterated that's Microsoft's sold 100 million copies of Windows 8 to date. He called that a "good thing," noting that it's also a good thing to listen to consumer feedback and act on it. But to compare Windows 8 to New Coke? He was having none of that. "Windows 8 is a good product, and it's getting better every day," Shaw added. "Unlike a can of soda, a computer operating system offers different experiences to different customers to meet different needs, while still moving the entire industry toward an exciting future of touch, mobility, and seamless, cross-device experiences." Anyone else suddenly thirsty for a carbonated beverage? Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

ESPN Seeks Immunity From Wireless Data Caps Posted: 13 May 2013 09:26 AM PDT Mega sports site is working on a homerun deal with wireless carriers. ESPN, the cable sports network that's mostly owned by Walt Disney Co., is reportedly knee-deep in discussions with at least one major wireless carrier in the U.S. to subsidize wireless connectivity for its users, meaning that its content wouldn't count towards a user's data cap. Sports fans would then be free to view as many videos on ESPN as they want without worrying about how much data they're chewing through. No specific deal is yet in place, though one of the proposals floating around is that ESPN would pay a carrier a sum to ensure that its mobile content wouldn't be counted against a user's monthly data cap, The Wall Street Journal reports. Whether or not the deal ultimately comes to fruition will depend on the economics of it all, as well as any objections raised by telecom regulators. There are different ways ESPN could go about this. Outside of paying a fee, ESPN could agree to share advertising revenue with wireless carriers in exchange for data cap immunity. It's a potential win-win-win situation in which ESPN could garner more viewers and site hits, wireless carriers could increase their pocketbooks, and wireless subscribers would have the peace of mind in knowing that last night's game highlights won't count against their data plan. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Symantec: Targeted Attacks on Small Businesses Increased Three-Fold in 2012 Posted: 13 May 2013 08:35 AM PDT Small business owners are viewed as easy targets among cybercriminals. Symantec on Monday published its 2013 Internet Security Threat Report, Volume 18, which provides an overview and analysis of the past year in global threat activity. One of the things Symantec noticed was that cybercriminals are paying more attention to small businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Targeted attacks against these organizations jumped 31 percent in 2012 compared to the year before. "While small businesses may feel they are immune to targeted attacks, cybercriminals are enticed by these organizations' bank account information, customer data, intellectual property, and the knowledge that they often lack adequate security practices and infrastructures," Symantec says. It's not just small business owners who need to be on top of their game. Symantec notes in its report that "threats to online security have grown and evolved considerably in 2012," adding that it's "seen constant innovation from malware authors." Overall Symantec noted a 42 percent increase in targeted attacks, 5,291 new vulnerabilities, and an average of 604,826 identities exposed per breach in 2012, to rattle off just a few of the stats. For more on the topic, grab a PDF reader and comb through Symantec's more than 50 pages of a data contained in its report. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

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MMO Updates

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• Leaderboard: Who's your favorite MMO music composer?
• Player panel submissions open for SOE Live 2013
• LotRO patching to Update 11 today
• TUG offers design video and new Kickstarter reward tiers
• Cutting to the heart of extraction in The Repopulation
• The Stream Team: MLT edition, May 13 - 19, 2013
• The Daily Grind: Have you ever been sidetracked by game music?
• MMO Week in Review: Quarterly financials
• EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls?
• NCsoft sales down from last quarter, up from last year
• Diablo III restores auction house, donates duped proceeds to charity
• Rise and Shiny revisit: Mabinogi remains magical

Leaderboard: Who's your favorite MMO music composer? Posted: 13 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, Leaderboard, Music I've got MMO music on the brain today, and with apologies to our dedicated music column, I'm going to devote this episode of Leaderboard to some of my favorite massively multiplayer composers. If you're not already aware, video game music has ceased to be cheesy, synth-dominated midi riffs and now sounds as good, if not better, than many of the orchestral marches composed for epic films and television. With all that said, let's keep it simple. Who's your favorite MMO music composer? Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard! Continue reading Leaderboard: Who's your favorite MMO music composer? Leaderboard: Who's your favorite MMO music composer? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Player panel submissions open for SOE Live 2013 Posted: 13 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: EverQuest, EverQuest II, PlanetSide, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Vanguard, Free Realms, DC Universe Online, EverQuest Next, PlanetSide 2, Dragon's Prophet Last year, SOE threw a new ingredient into its convention mix -- player panels. The result was such a hit that the studio is not only bringing them back this year, but extending their availability; Sunday has been added to the player panels schedule, and that means there are plenty of openings! Do you have a subject involving any SOE game that you think would be of interest and benefit others? Maybe you are a whiz at livesteaming or you have primo tips and tricks on cosplay to dispense. What about sharing your fan site or holding a raid clinic? Whatever your idea, submit your proposal by 3:00 a.m EDT June 1st for consideration. If selected, you and up to three other panel members will receive All Access passes to SOE Live 2013 (no other expenses are covered, including food, travel, or add-ons). Panel selection -- which is not on a first-come, first-served basis -- will be completed mid-June. Player panel submissions open for SOE Live 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Player panel submission announcement

LotRO patching to Update 11 today Posted: 13 May 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Free-to-Play Turbine has released the official patch notes for Lord of the Rings Online's Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand this morning, and in them, you'll find an explanation of the changes coming to the game with today's update. In addition to a new launcher, new Wildermore region, continuation of the epic storyline with Volume III: Book 10, and an improvement to mounted combat, the most important thing to come to any LotRO patch since launch is the removal of Lalia from the cursed Barrow-downs. Seriously. Bob's aggro-magnet daughter and her cloak have retired from frustrating players and she now owns her own shop in Bree. Where she sells MISERY. Just kidding. I think she sells Beanie Babies or something. Be sure to check out the entire patch notes in the official forums. LotRO patching to Update 11 today originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Update 11 Patch Notes

TUG offers design video and new Kickstarter reward tiers Posted: 13 May 2013 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crafting, Crowdfunding, Player-Generated Content A couple weeks ago we introduced you to an aspiring sandbox game with a focus on exploring and building that hit Kickstarter. Titled The Untitled Game (a.k.a. TUG), the open-world venue plans on using technology and social sciences to directly involve players in the design. And after listening to community feedback, developer Nerd Kingdom has introduced three new reward tiers for backers as well as a video that spotlights design features such as crafting, companions, and more. The new tiers offer digital beta or alpha access as well as in-game extras like tattoos on your character and a baby sabre tiger companion. Prices range from $30 to $65. Folks can also get gift packs to share that give bonus copies of the game in addition to the personal copy. Check out all the details on the latest update post. And be sure to watch the design video after the break. Continue reading TUG offers design video and new Kickstarter reward tiers TUG offers design video and new Kickstarter reward tiers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: TUG Kickstarter update

Cutting to the heart of extraction in The Repopulation Posted: 13 May 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Sandbox, Crafting, The Repopulation If you want to craft items in The Repopulation, you're not going to go down to the science fiction equivalent of Ikea and buy the Martin Plasma Rifle. You're going to get out into the wild and get the resources you need. There are two systems for gathering items in The Repopulation, and the newest development blog for the game discusses one of the ways to grab those resources: Extraction, also known as "digging useful components out of corpses." Since the game doesn't feature levels, there's a more organic system to gathering these resources. Players first decide how difficult the extraction should be, with higher difficulties resulting in higher-grade resources. More difficult extractions take longer, however, and as a result, players have a higher chance to fail unless they've practiced harvesting a particular species. For more details on the specifics, check out the full development blog on the official site. Cutting to the heart of extraction in The Repopulation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Extraction blog

The Stream Team: MLT edition, May 13 - 19, 2013 Posted: 13 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Livestream, Miscellaneous, The Stream Team Nothing beats an MLT, especially when the tomato is nice and ripe! Except maybe Massively TV. MMmm mmmm. Now there's something you can really sink your teeth into -- the wild and crazy antics of your favorite Stream Team hosts! And they've got a menu for all tastes this week, from space adventures to dragons to WWII planes. Of course, it all comes with a side of reruns and a dessert highlight to complete your meal. So pull up a chair and grab yourself a helping or two... or 10. Hey, there's no limit here; enjoy as much as you like! While you're enjoying the spread, be sure to join in the after-dinner chat in Outtakes. Continue reading The Stream Team: MLT edition, May 13 - 19, 2013 The Stream Team: MLT edition, May 13 - 19, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Have you ever been sidetracked by game music? Posted: 13 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Daily Grind, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Music You know what sucks? Hearing a cool piece of game music and having no idea what it's called or where to hear it again, that's what. I mean, it sucks in a first-world-problems sort of way, but still. It happened to me over the weekend as I was playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. My Imperial Agent was toodling along, doing the nefarious things that Imperial Agents do, when the most dastardly fanfare I've heard this side of the Imperial March came blaring out of my speakers. It was glorious. Naturally, I haven't heard the phantom track since, even after much fumbling about trying to recreate the in-game circumstances during which it originally played. I even turned to the soundtrack CD that came with the collector's edition that's been gathering dust in my closet since 2011. It wasn't on there, of course, since soundtrack producers have some unwritten rule about leaving off half the soundtrack (and jumbling the tracks they deign to include) when they make an album. I've also been unable to find the track on YouTube's extensive SWTOR soundtrack playlists. So, what say you, Massively readers? Has a piece of game music ever derailed a play session? Which one? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: Have you ever been sidetracked by game music? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MMO Week in Review: Quarterly financials Posted: 12 May 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Week in Review, Miscellaneous At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post. Every three months, we gawk at the revealed financial health of various gaming companies, collectively cheering and jeering and sometimes both. This week, we fixated on NCsoft's mixed fortunes, Star Wars: The Old Republic's vindicating free-to-play success, and World of Warcraft's 1.3 million subscriber losses. Blizzard was further vexed this week by a duping bug that saw the Diablo III auction house taken offline for several days before its restoration sans rollback. Read on for a roundup of the rest of this week's top MMO stories. Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Quarterly financials MMO Week in Review: Quarterly financials originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls? Posted: 12 May 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, Opinion, EVE Evolved, Sandbox, Subscription A few weeks ago, the EVE Online community went nuts for EVR, CCP's exciting new virtual reality dogfighter developed for the upcoming Oculus Rift gaming headset. The game demo was produced by a team of just a handful of developers in just seven weeks using nothing but their spare time, but attendees and press at EVE Fanfest 2013 were nevertheless blown away during test sessions. Though EVR isn't going to be integrated with the EVE universe, Senior Producer Andie Nordgren stated in her Keynote address that CCP will be looking into more immersive flight and combat mechanics for some the game's ships. This comment has sparked a lot of discussion over the possibility of finally getting some direct flight controls in EVE. The lack of direct twitch-based controls in EVE is often cited by gamers as a big part of the reason they can't get into the game. There's no active dodging of missiles, manual ship targeting, or really complex tactical maneuvers in EVE, but that's kind of the point. Most ships in EVE are colossal lumbering hulks more akin to today's seafaring battleships than fighter planes, and combat with them is more a game of strategy and teamwork than a battle of reaction speeds. But that isn't exactly true of all ships; interceptors and fast microwarpdrive frigates move at several kilometres per second and are so agile that pilots can already pull off some interesting tactical maneuvers. So isn't it about time we made the combat for those ships a bit more visceral and immersive? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the fast-paced world of interceptors and explore how twitch controls and weapon aiming could possibly be implemented without killing the server. Continue reading EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls? EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCsoft sales down from last quarter, up from last year Posted: 12 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Aion, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage 2, MMO Industry, Guild Wars 2, Blade & Soul, Miscellaneous A recent earnings report suggests that NCsoft's sales have slipped from Q4 2012 to Q1 2013, although the studio is quick to point out that the showing was "solid" particularly when compared to sales from a year ago. While sales were down 35% and net income was down 49% from the last quarter, sales were up 31% and net income was up 322% year-over-year. Guild Wars 2 accounted for 21% of sales in the first quarter, in addition to Blade and Soul's 9%, Aion's 16%, and the usual Lineage cavalcade (Lineage 1 represented 38% of sales alone with its subscriptions). While 64% of NCsoft's sales were in Korea, only 13% were in North America and 8% in Europe. The decrease in NA and EU contributions was due to "the reduction in Guild Wars 2 package sales," according to the report. All of NCsoft's subsidiaries posted drops in sales from last quarter except for NC Taiwan. [Update: Also of note in the earnings call is the news that NCsoft's Nah Seong Chan says the company is "preparing an expansion pack" but has yet to decide when it might launch. Very interesting news indeed as ArenaNet said as recently as March that it was not working on an expansion. Thanks to Mike and Robert for the tips!] NCsoft sales down from last quarter, up from last year originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: NCsoft earnings reports

Diablo III restores auction house, donates duped proceeds to charity Posted: 12 May 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Bugs, Consoles, Diablo III Is there a light at the end of Diablo III's auction house woes? Blizzard is putting its best foot forward in an attempt to make it so. After a nasty gold duping exploit and the subsequent suspension of all services, the Diablo III auction house is back online -- and Blizzard is looking to save face with its return. Production Director John Hight gave a lengthy explanation of what happened with the situation and why Blizzard responded the way it did. "Only a relatively small number of players had the billions of gold necessary to exploit the bug, and only 415 of those players chose to use this exploit for personal gain," Hight wrote. "We elected not to roll back the servers in the Americas and are instead working to remove duplicated gold from the economy through targeted audits and account actions (as indicated above) without taking away progress that our players rightfully earned." Hight said that the studio is donating all proceeds from auctions conducted by dupers to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Diablo III restores auction house, donates duped proceeds to charity originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Diablo III forums

Rise and Shiny revisit: Mabinogi remains magical Posted: 12 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Video, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, Virtual Worlds, Mabinogi, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Sandbox I try to take deeper looks at certain titles at least once a year. These are special games that prove to me that MMORPGs are still the best gaming you can participate in, pixel for pixel. Mabinogi is one of those titles. It's also one of those titles that almost makes me want to quit writing about games. Ironically, the more you write about games, the less time you have to play specific titles, games that could easily suck away hours of your life every day. These are virtual worlds with open character development and grand, sweeping storylines. If I had the time, I'd probably spend most of it in Mabinogi. During this week's revisit, I knew I had to accomplish several things. First, I needed to clean up my quest list. Mabinogi is wonderful in the way it offers a player tons and tons of content and storylines, but they can be visited in a non-linear fashion that leads to confusion. Second, I wanted to revel in the glory that was the newly free extended inventory. Third, I wanted to check out the new systems and tweaks that have come along since I last dived into the game. Continue reading Rise and Shiny revisit: Mabinogi remains magical Rise and Shiny revisit: Mabinogi remains magical originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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