Japan wants to build the world’s fastest supercomputer.

Japan was once the at the forefront of technological innovation both for ordinary consumers as in various industries like computing. In recent times, it has fallen behind other countries like China which currently own’s the fastest supercomputer in the world. However, Japan is hoping for a tech revival by building a superefficient supercomputer in 2017.

By building the world’s fastest supercomputer, Japan is hoping to help the country’s various manufacturers by providing a platform used to develop new technology and improve the current state of medical diagnostics, advance the field of robotics as well enhance driverless cars. Additionally, developing such a supercomputer would bring renown back to the once technologically-famed country.

Currently, China’s Sunway TaihuLight is the best supercomputer, capable of delivering 93 petaflops at an energy consumption of over 15 megawatts. One petaflop is equal to one million billion floating-point calculations per second.

In order to top the TaihuLight, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry will invest $173 million in Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).  Scientists are planning to build the supercomputer with a processing power of 130 petaflops by the end of 2017. Besides being 50 percent more powerful than China’s computer, AIST hopes to build the computer to be as energy efficient as possible.

Researchers are developing technologies that would bring the power consumption to under 3 megawatts. This would be extremely impressive and it would be ten times more energy efficient than Japan’s current computer, the Oakforest-PACS.

What sets Japan’s goal in regards to a supercomputer apart from other countries, is that they plan to optimize it for deep learning as well as various other AI applications. This unlike the goals of other countries who mainly use theirs from calculations in regards to atmospheric modeling or simulations of nuclear weapons.

The upcoming supercomputer will be called ABCI, short of AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure and it will be made available for a fee to Japanese corporations and startup companies for a certain fee after it’s completed. Currently, only the bidding phase for the project has begun and it’s scheduled to close on December 8^th.

What do you think about Japan newest technological endeavor?

Image source: Wikimedia

Netflix announced 4K streaming for PC.

Netflix has become one of the major video content streaming services on the market thanks to its combination of quality original content and a large database of third-party shows and movies. After becoming available in a large number of countries around the world, the next big step for the company is to popularize 4K streaming.

This goal may be easier said than done, at least in the current conditions which severely limits the number of users who can use the new feature. Netflix initially launched its 4K streaming service back in 2014 for specific TVs and streaming boxes such as Roku, Nvidia Shield, and Amazon Fire TV. Many users were left asking about a PC release, which Netflix mostly avoided to release due to DRM and piracy concerns issued by TV networks and Hollywood studios.

Now, Netflix has announced that their 4K streaming service is finally coming to Windows 10 computers. However, only users with computers that feature the seventh generation Kaby Lake processors from Intel as well as a 4K monitor will be able to enjoy the feature. Only this generation of processors have the required hardware decoding support for the 4K codec, 10-bit HEVC, used by Netflix 4K streaming.

Additionally, in order to address the concerns of networks and studios executives, Microsoft has implemented a hardware-based DRM measure called PlayReady 3.0.  Users are required to have a dedicated decoding hardware either on their GPU or their CPU, which prevents the video stream from being recorded in various software or through an external capture device.

If these measures weren’t enough, users will only be able to stream 4K content from Netflix only in Microsoft’s Windows 10 browser Edge, as it is the only one that supports the PlayReady DRM at this point. Edge will be required even if you are one of the select users who manage to fulfill all the conditions implemented by Microsoft and Netflix.

However, out of all the restrictions and DRM conditions that need to be fulfilled, the most restrictive must be the fact that Intel’s seventh generation of Kaby Lake processors are not widely available yet, not to mention their price. As such, Netflix 4K streaming on PC still remains a niche feature which will take a while to see a broad adoption.

Image source: Wikimedia

A $5 PoisonTap can easily hack your locked computer.

The struggle between security developers and hackers is very likely to never end. However, thanks to a new device called PoisonTap, hackers and actors with ill intents may have gained an upper hand in the ongoing struggle, if they can get the hands on it at least.

Although developers and hackers are at odds with each other, a big part of their jobs involves discovering new ways to hack and access computers. The difference lies in what they do with their knowledge. For example, Samy Kamkar, a very well-known developer as well as a hacker, was created a $5 tool he’s calling Poison Tap. It can be used to access password-protected computers in less than a minute as long as there is a browser running.

According to Kamkar, PoisonTap is built on an extremely cheap Raspberry Pi Zero microcomputer. Anyone can connect it to a computer’s USB port and it will start an automatic process without the need of  the actual owner of the PoisonTap to know anything about how it operates.

Nonetheless, Kamkar has provided a detailed description of the process. When the device is connected to a computer, it emulates a network device and starts attacking all outbound connections just by pretending to be the source of the internet. As such, it manages to trick the computer into sending all of its traffic to the device.

Using this method, hackers can easily steal a user’s cookies from their own computer and use the information from them to log-in to the same sites as them. They don’t even need any password or username information to do it. However, the PoisonTap is unable to access information from websites using HTTPS web encryption.

Nonetheless, according to security experts who reviewed Kamkar’s invention claimed it was a new way to attack and bypass a computer’s security. It manages to exploit the excessive amount of trust Windows and Mac computers allow for network devices. They are designed in such a way that when a network device or anything that appears like one is connected, the computer automatically starts exchanging data with it.

As dangerous as the new hack sounds, you have to know that it has limitations. First of all, it’s not a remote hack. Anyone who gets their hands on a PoisonTap have to get access to your physical computer in order to hack it. Caution in not leaving your computer unsupervised is the best measure against such as hack.

Image source: Wikipedia

General Motors started production of the Chevy Bolt.

General Motors has announced that they will finally begin the mass production of the Chevy Bolt, an affordable yet very practical electric car. The assembly takes place in Michigan, in Orion Township, north of the city of Detroit.

General Motors has stated the Chevy bolt will first go on sale in California and Oregon before the end of the year, at the price of $37,495 without including a $7,500 federal tax credit which brings it down to around $30,000. After the initial launch in these two states, the car will see a gradual expansion in all of the United States.

In regards to its technical capacity, the EV Chevy Bolt will have a range of 238 miles per charge, coupled with its affordable price, will make it an attractive vehicle for many customers. However, although GM managed to beat Tesla’s Model 3 to production, the company estimates that it will sell only around 30,000 units in the first year of availability. This is less than the 10 percent of the pre-orders Tesla has for their upcoming and more affordable Model 3. Their car will only begin production in 2017.

Currently, analysts estimate that there are around 235,000 electric cars in the US. The competition for affordable EV will tighten as more companies want a share of the market. Nonetheless, the number will only increase year over year, though the current low cost of gas won’t push anyone away for standard cars. Last year around 100,00 electric cars were sold in the US, and IHS Markit industry analyst company predicts that by 2020, EVs will reach 300,000 annual sales, gradually increasing to 400,00 by 2025.

GM hopes that the affordable Chevy Bolt will become one of the main choices of the American consumer in regards to electric cars. The company did not say when the first consumer will be able to get their hands on the vehicle. GM has also stated that although they did not take online reservations as Tesla did, these has been strong interest about the car at their dealerships. In this regard, GM is better positioned to distribute the car to a wider audience thanks to vast infrastructure spread across the country.

Are you considering buying an electric car? If so, what do you think about the Chevy Bolt?

Image source: Chevrolet

Facebook Gameroom has been launched for Windows 7 and above.

At the recently held Unity developers conference in Los Angeles, Facebook Gameroom has finally been revealed as a Windows desktop gaming platform where you can find all social media games in one place. The app is currently in the beta version and can be downloaded on Windows 7 and above.

The Facebook Gameroom is a stand-alone platform that combines the social media connectivity in games with the dedicated gaming service like Steam. It allows users to play games from a variety of sources be it web, ported mobile or just native Gameroom games.

The new gaming platform is Facebook’s attempt to recapture the glory days of its business built on games wildly popular browser games like Farmville and to developers like Zynga. However, this all changed when users moved on to mobile games. Facebook is determined to bring back the casual gamer from mobile back to PC and its gaming app.

However, it has an uphill battle ahead of it. There are already major competitors on the market such as Valve’s steam with over 125 million active users, which features both a high number of high-budget and casual games.  There are also other, slightly, less popular platforms like GOG and EA’s Origin that offer a great but limited casual experience, which Facebook Gameroom hopes to capitalize on.

When it comes down to gaming platforms, all that matters is the content it offers. In this regard, Gameroom has a variety of games from different genres but it will need to add more on a constant basis. For this purpose, it will have to convince developers that the gaming platform is worth it, as it may benefit from Facebook’s already massive user base.

Unfortunately, the Gameroom will be limited to small, casual games only, at least for now. Currently, games on the platform can’t be any larger than 200 MB, but it will consider larger games of up 500 MB on a case-by-case basis. This means that mode advanced games are automatically ruled out.

Facebook will earn 30 percent as revenue from in-game payments. The company will very likely use its social media platform to promote certain games, and customers can use Facebook’s features like Live video to stream their gameplay.

What do you think about the Facebook Gameroom? Will you try it out?

Image source: Facebook 

Razer Blade Pro will launch in the coming month.

Razer, the popular gaming products manufacturer, is launching its newest device, its specialized laptop for gaming called the Blade Pro. It has some amazing functions and features that will enhance the gaming experience. Its specs are top notch, as we have to come expect from Razer.

The company claims that the Razer Blade Pro sets a new standard for notebook, which can even replace the desktop system. It promises gamer the full desktop experience with the portability of a ultra-thin laptop.

A gaming device will always live or die on the ever-evolving market, depending on its specs. In this regard, the Blade pro has a quad-core Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor running at a standard frequency of 2.6 GHz, which hopefully you can even overclock it. Probably the most important part of a gaming rig is the GPU. Razer’s new product delivers in this department thanks to the top of the class Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards. Load times and storage problems won’t ever be an issue on the Blade Pro as it features a PCIe SSD HDD with storage capacity from 512 GB up to an incredible 2 TB.

Heat management is an essential part of a gaming system, even more so in gaming laptops. Fortunately, the Razer Blade Pro has an innovative solution to an old problem. The company took a page from the book of supercomputers and has decided to implement vapor cooling known as phase-change cooling systems. Additionally, the laptop will include 32 GB of 2,113 MHz DDR4 RAM.

In regards to connectivity, the Blade Pro will include the Killer DoubleShot Pro network card for dependable Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet. It will also feature a Type-C USB Port and a Thunderbolt 3 jack. The 4k 17.3-inches display will truly make for a memorable gaming experience.

The Razer Blade Pro’s main selling point may be the amazing mechanical keyboard that truly offers a desktop-grade gaming experience. It includes anti-ghosting capabilities and optimized reset points for both casual and pro gamers alike. One distinct feature of the new Razer gaming laptop is that it breaks away with standard models by having the touchpad where a the NumPad is usually found.

Finally, the Razer Blade Pro will be officially released next month and unfortunately, the price isn’t as unbelievable as all the specs that Razer managed to cram into it, as it costs $3, 699.

Image source: Razer

AT&T announced a new broken screen repair service.

AT&T as a provider as well as its customer service isn’t very well liked. However, their newly announced project might change some people’s minds. Especially so, if you find yourself with a broken screen on your phone but do not want to wait a few days to get it repaired.

Even when people have insurance for their phone in case the screen is damaged, it is a frustrating process. It involves filing a claim, the money in your assurance account are used for the cost of the replacement, and you even have to wait a few days to get your phone back. If you don’t have insurance then you need to find a repair shop and hope it can replace your screen, at quite a considerable cost.

The previously showcased situation may be completely avoided in the coming months. AT&T has recently announced a new broken screen repair service for their customers. The service involves purchasing one of the following insurance plans: Mobile Insurance, Mobile Protection Pack Standard or Business, and Multi-Device Protection Pack. All of the programs are offered thanks to AT&T partnership with Asurion.

The new broken screen repair service will become available on November 15. As soon as it’s launched, anyone who has a broken screen on one of the few selected devices supported by the service only needs to pay $89, which is deductible. As the transaction is over, as soon as a technician is available in your area, they will come and repair the screen on the spot. AT&T has stated that although same day repairs aren’t guaranteed as it depends on the demand, most people will get their one-day repairs. AT&T will also offer a 12-month guarantee on all repairs.

The new program although cheaper than other services which take longer and cost around $150 to $225, only includes high-end smartphones like iPhone 6 and above, Galaxy Note 4, S5 and S6. The newest models require more expensive parts and won’t be included in the launch offer.

Additionally, the broken screen service repair will only be available in 14 cities when it first launches. Another 24 areas will be included until the start of December.

Did you ever have brake your smartphone’s screen?

Image source: Pixabay