Archivi giornalieri: 22/06/2012
3DMark DirectX 11 Tech Demo Teaser Released (video)
Futuremark has released a new 3DMark tech demo video showcasing and providing a glimpse of the upcoming 3D benchmark, which is currently still in development, and has yet to be officially named.
The video after the break provides a glimpse of the new DirectX 11 test and doesn’t yet represent the final quality that will be shipped with the new 3D mark once its officially released, Futuremark explains.
“Our 3DMark DirectX 11 tech demo brings this scene to life with intelligent tessellation and advanced volumetric lighting using real-time light scattering,” -”The visible particles and clouds of smoke in the scene react to other objects using fluid dynamics simulation. Post processing, ambient occlusion and various lens effects complete the look. The music and audio design is by Pedro Macedo Camacho, who also created the soundtrack for 3DMark 11.”
The next 3DMark will be the world’s first unified graphics benchmark utility allowing the testing of DirectX 9, DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 capable hardware through the DirectX 11 API. Futuremark is hoping to release its new 3DMark version later this year after Windows 8 has arrived. As always we will keep you updated as news come to light.
Source: Hot Hardware
Sharkoon Skiller Budget Gaming Keyboard Launched
Gamers looking for a keyboard on a tight budget might be interested in the new Sharkoon Skiller gaming keyboard, which has this week been launched and is now available to purchase for around $19 or €15.
The new Sharkoon Skiller gaming keyboard comes equipped with 18-key rollover, interchangeable WASD and cursor keys, and software for creating up to ten keyboard profiles, which can use its programmable keys and profile memory.
The software supplied with the Sharkoon Skiller gaming keyboard allow gamers assign the standard keys with frequently used individual functions or macros, to suit their games. Sharkoon explains:
“With its programmable keys and profile memory, the Skiller is an extremely versatile companion that quickly adjusts to all changing areas of operation: Through the enclosed software all standard keys can be assigned frequently used individual functions or macros. The configuration supports the creation of up to ten profiles, each with three sub-levels. This allows an optimal keyboard layout for a variety of different applications and gaming environments to be created with only a little bit of effort.”
The Sharkoon Skiller gaming keyboard measures 485 x 212 x 25 mm, weighs 603 grams and is supplied with a 150 cm long USB cable.
Source: TweakTown
Flipboard Now Available For Android
Flipboard has been an extremely popular application on Apple’s iOS platform, and the team behind the app have just released Flipboard for Android, it is compatible with Android devices running Android 2.2 Froyo and above.
Flipboard for Android comes with some new features which include support for Google’s social platform Google+, as well as support for many other social networks that include Facebook and Twitter.
Flipboard’s award-winning experience lets people see everything in one place. By bringing together the world’s stories and life’s great moments, you can stay up to date with the things that matter most. Flip through the news from your Twitter timeline as well as from outlets like the BBC, USA Today and The Verge. See everything from posts and photos shared by friends on Facebook and Instagram to videos from Stephen Colbert and pop culture nuggets from Rolling Stone. Find inspiration for your travel, style and life from places like National Geographic, Oprah and Cool Hunting.
You can find out full details about Flipboard for Android over at the Google Play Store.
Lunatik TakTik Shockproof Rugged iPhone Case (video)
Lunatik the creators of the TikTok and LunaTik Apple Nano watch straps, have unveiled a new project on Kickstarter this week inn the form of the rugged Lunatik Taktik iPhone case.
Which has been designed to provide your iPhone with extreme shock and drop protection. The new Taktik iPhone case includes a shockproof suspension system that provides a 9mm impact truss around the edgers of your iPhone.
Which has then been encased in an aluminium case, complete with Gorilla Glass lens protector. Protecting your Apple iPhone from dust, and water damage. Watch the video after the jump to see it in action.
Source: Kickstarter
AMD launches Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, demands rematch with NVIDIA
If you’ve been missing out on the graphics card wars of late, then here’s a quick rundown. AMD launched its high-end $549 Radeon HD 7970 at the end of last year, and it reigned comfortably for a few months until NVIDIA came out with the masterful GeForce GTX 680. That would have been the end of the matter, at least for this product cycle, except for one crucial factor: time. Having reached the market so much earlier, AMD has now had six months to not only tweak its drivers but also its 28nm silicon. That process has already culminated in 1GHz cards at the low- and mid-ranges, and today it leads to the (slightly predictable) announcement of a Radeon HD 7970 ‘GHz Edition’ — priced at $499 and expected to be available from a range of board makers from next week. To keep you amused in the meantime, there’s plenty of detail in the gallery below and after the break.
Acer is skeptical of Surface tablets, thinks Microsoft isn’t playing nice
We were worried that Microsoft might wind up with frenemies in the PC industry after introducing its Surface tablets. There hasn’t been a lot of backlash so far, but the Windows 8 tablets clearly rankled some Acer executives — they’re lashing out at their OS partner in a very public fashion. Acer’s EMEA senior VP Oliver Ahrens is accusing Microsoft of trying to copy Apple’s business model and thinks the Surface line will struggle to get any traction. It could lead to a “defocus” at Microsoft as the software giant forgets the PC builders that got it to the top, he says. Meanwhile, frequently outspoken company founder Stan Shih isn’t even convinced that Microsoft is serious about the whole affair. To him, Surface is just an attempt to spur tablet designers into action that will fade away if and when Microsoft deems it a success. It’s entirely possible that either executive is right knowing Microsoft’s very mixed track record in hardware. Just consider the source before you cast too much doubt of your own: Acer isn’t exactly great with tablet market predictions.
T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on (video)
T-Mob’s variant of the Galaxy S III made its in-store debut on this very day, and we just had a chance to go hands-on with the flagship smartphone. The carrier brought the handset down to the Metropolitan Pavilion for Pepcom’s baseball-themed shindig and we just had to get our greasy paws all over its shiny Pebble Blue shell — and it is a serious fingerprint magnet. Aside from that, though, it’s hard to take issue with such a slim and marvelously engineered device. The plasticky build quality does leave something to be desired, but it’s something we’ve become accustomed with Samsung devices. We’ve also got to give it to Sammy for getting carriers, including T-Mobile, to leave well enough alone. Other than the innocuous logo on the back there are no physical differences between this version of the S III and its 4.8-inch cousins on other networks. There’s no keyboard, redesigned corners or rejiggered buttons. Truth is, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between Big Magenta’s variant and the international version.
HP unveils 2311x IPS LED-backlit monitor and two new LCD displays: prices start at $140
Though we’ve already seen HP’s 23-inch 2311xi IPS LED backlit monitor — the first of its consumer monitors to feature in-plane switching technology — it’s getting a second turn in the spotlight today as the company fleshes out its new line-up of displays. Accompanying the 2311x is the 20-inch 2011xi IPS LED backlit monitor, which for $170 offers 178-degree viewing angles and a 1600 x 900 resolution. Both versions will start shipping in the US on June 24th.
HP is also updating its selection of LED-backlit LCD monitors. The 20-inch W2071d and 23-inch W2371d sport resolutions of 1600 x 900 and 1920 x 1080, respectively, and both include VGA and DVI-D inputs. The 20-incher will go for $140, while the 23-incher costs $200 — no word on availability yet.
Canon updates 5D Mark III firmware, concedes it won’t get continuous autofocus for video
Canon has released an updated firmware for the 5D Mark III that adds support for the forthcoming 40mm f/2.8 lens and fixes a variety of small power and auto-exposure issues. What was absent was the long-promised support for continuously autofocusing video, which the company confirmed to The Verge has now been ditched from the camera’s spec sheet. It looks like if you were hoping to helm your own tense medical drama with one of these, you’d better start looking for the receipt.
Microsoft: Surface was developed in an ‘underground bunker’ at first, we can play the secrecy game too
We commonly associate extreme secrecy around a product design with Apple, but it now looks to be in vogue with all the major technology companies: just days after Samsung revealed the Galaxy S III’s secret sauce, Microsoft has explained to TechRadar that it developed its surprise new Surface tablets under a similarly tight watch. A special wing of Microsoft’s hardware unit initially worked in an “underground bunker,” according to the division’s Stevie Bathiche, before moving to a more conventional building with an ‘airlock’ door — the company was just that concerned that Bob from Accounts Receivable might spoil the whole thing. As we all know by now, that level of secrecy proved effective almost until the last minute and let Microsoft design to its heart’s content; we still don’t know if other PC builders were aware. The practice is a sharp break from Microsoft’s tendency to telegraph its strategy well in advance, and it emphasizes just how much importance Redmond places on its self-developed Windows 8 hardware.
Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video
We can count on one hand the number of times a waterproof camera was the only suitable option for any given photo shoot, but drizzle and even flash monsoons can strike at any moment, especially in some locales. Most clothing and other analog gear can survive such attacks of mother nature nearly unscathed, but smartphones and cameras are another story altogether — unless they’re coated in head-to-toe weather sealing, of course. Pentax may not be a top player in any digital imaging category, but the company does have a few serious DSLR contenders, and should be taken seriously for anyone in the market for a new ILC. The manufacturer’s latest swappable-lens model, the K-30, is quite a respectable beast, and a fairly solid value at $900 with an 18-55mm kit lens. Beneath that steel and polycarbonate black housing there’s a 16.3-megapixel APS-C sensor with shift-based stabilization, a 100-percent FOV optical viewfinder, a color-adjustable 921k-dot 3-inch LCD and a bevy of manual control options, for stills and video alike.
