Possible Twitch Data Breach, Company Advises Users to Change Passwords

March 25, 2015 By Michael Turner Leave a Comment

It was announced by Twitch that there has been a possible data breach and that users should change their passwords to avoid any data theft.

Twitch is a platform that allows gamers to live stream all of their games over the internet. It was introduced in June 2011 and it focuses on video gaming. It also broadcasts e-sports competitions and other gaming-related events. Twitch is now owned by Amazon, after it purchased the platform in 2014 for a whopping $970 million.

Twitch officials have revealed that the company’s servers might have been hacked and content, such as user’s private information may have been stolen by hackers. Included in that private information are also credit card numbers and credit card expiry dates. Because of this major security breach, Twitch is advising all of its users to change their passwords as soon as possible.

Twitch has explained that it expired all the passwords and stream keys, for the safety of its users and it has linked all of the user accounts to Twitter and YouTube. The next time users are going to try to log in, they are going to be prompted to change their passwords.

Twitch has also sent out mails to all the users who the company think might have been affected by the hack. In the email, the company says hackers may have stolen the user’s email address, the IP address of the last device used, the username and the last four digits of the users’ credit cards and expiration date. The first and last name, home address, phone number and birthday may also have been pilfered.

Twitch highlighted in the email sent to users that they do not process, nor store full credit or debit card information, so the number of the card is safe.

Twitch has not yet revealed how it managed to find the potential hack and the company also refused to estimate how many users have been affected by the security breach.

A little bit over one million of Twitch users stream their games online over the platform. An estimated number of 100 million people from around world are tuning in to watch these livestreams, it was revealed by Twitch in its 2014 annual report.

In terms of peak Internet traffic, Twitch is the fourth biggest website in the world, behind Netflix, Google and Apple. If the security breach did indeed happen, then there is a potential threat that could affect millions of people all over the world.

It was just last week that Twitch went offline for several hours. A spokesperson for the company revealed that the shutdown was due to an internal tech issue and it was in no way related to the hack.

Newest Virtual Reality Gadgets at the Beginning of 2015

March 24, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

If you are looking for an experience as close as possible to the real world, then a Virtual Reality gadget is the only thing you need. None if the activities that you are seeing or hearing are really happening while you are wearing a virtual-reality device, but you could swear that you are already there.

In such scenarios, you are affected by these immersive destinations and all of them are unveiling right in front of you. To the outside viewers, you are only a person with a technological system who sees the world through it.

1. Google Cardboard

The more down-to-earth device based on VR experiences that we encounter is Google Cardboard. It is, simply put, a virtual-reality headset designed for anyone of us. And it allows everyone else to have fun while being lost in their own world for just a little while, but without spending a lot of cash.

Google Cardboard is designed for use in brief sessions, so it does not have attaching straps to keep it on for a longer interval. Its viewing experience is also shown on your smart phone’s display. Different sounds come from the main sound system designed into the phone and it is functioning with the Android operating program and devices based on it, such as Android version 4.1 (Jellybean) and newer, and software especially designed for Google Cardboard.

The iOS from Apple is also working, but it is not fully supported, so activities might vary for different users. In addition, there are more then 250 applications for Cardboard available in the Google Play store, in contrast to a much wider variety of iOS programs listed in App Store especially for VR devices.

Rather than being designed from high-end components and materials, Google Cardboard carcass is made from darkish and corrugated pieces of cardboard and a few elements that can be bought in any shop. The DIY users can follow online tutorials for making one of their own. Complete offers, with a set of recommendations printed right onto the carcass, can be found in the specialized stores on the Internet.

Google specialists designed this device during their freethinking time — the time when the company encourages its employees to spend it for creative projects that present an interest to them.

In the place where the smart phone is used to perform as a VR viewer, Google Cardboard has its near field communication (NFC). When the telephone with NFC is inserted in the slot, the tag is able to recognize it. A distinct sound beeps in the Cardboard application that is used, and the software immediately switches on viewer mode, displaying two images on the stereoscopic landscape’s viewpoint. The phone is kept in its place with a Velcro band that is attached to the VR device.

2. Gear VR

Gear Virtual Reality, or Gear VR, has a large fan base in gamers or techies who are willing to pay for the latest gadgets, since they analyze every detail about devices like Galaxy S6 or Facebook’s Oculus Rift. VR technologies like these are advanced, for the passionate ones and might cost up to a couple of hundred dollars — but starting at reasonable prices without the extra elements —, while headsets from other top companies are still in a developing stage.

Gear VR is a gadget used in the tests presented in tech conferences and it is incredibly fun during its use. You can experience exclusive trips like walking through places in different locations at your choice and doing fun stuff live driving sports cars and traveling in entire unknown places.

The resolution and perception problems found in the previous versions of Samsung’s VR devices are reduced in the latest edition of Gear VR. While, at a brief glance, this new version does not seem to be very different from the others compatible with Galaxy Note 4, after the device is attached to its owner, the experience is indeed much improved.

To begin with, the whole device is significantly lighter, due to the aspect that Galaxy S6 is weighing less than Galaxy Note 4. The ties are more relaxed but still fit firmly, and there is a release on the left part of the headsets that decreases lens’ clouding. Overall, the company has really achieved the sensation of complete comfort for the person wearing it.

The other main problems resolved by VR Gear and Facebook’s Oculus is improving the display’s quality, which is a serious problem for all creators of VR devices, since there is needed a larger resolution for today’s gadgets, and even more in the future. But, for now, the 1440p in Gear VR looks really excellent.

Galaxy S6 has 5.1” screen that is smaller than its 5.7” predecessor inserted into the Galaxy Note 4, but this improvement indicates the pixels’ density is clearly greater — a 577 ppi in comparison to only 515. It might not seem like a lot, however it makes quite a difference when it is used in real life.

3. Morpheus

Last but not least, Sony reveals a prototype for a new VR headset, called Morpheus, that will be launched in 2016, this being model of the ear phones that will bring significant developments as opposed to previous models that have been released last year.

This version model has an improved display RGD OLED of 1920 x 1080 with a refresh rate of 120Hz for very low latencies and more ergonomic appearance for a simpler and relaxed use.

The gadget will be functioning with the PlayStation 4 console. The company is normally looking for creating a VR game that can be compatible with their Project Morpheus and they already have a VR movie studio room.

As a little drawback shown for this prototype is that things can bring light headaches sometimes when they are used, and redirecting in some programs can be a bit tricky without some experience.

Plus, the VR software might be consuming for the owner due to its massive technological advancements.

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

In-Depth Review of the Dell Venue 8 7000 Tablet

March 24, 2015 By Cristopher Hall Leave a Comment

Tablet sales have been slowly dropping all over the world and not just in Samsung’s and Apple’s back yard. Still, once in a while there comes a tablet that has some real potential of becoming a hit with the masses. One of those tablets is the new Dell Venue 8 7000. What makes the new tablet from Dell more interesting than the others is its interesting design, great camera and some other great specs and features.

Dell has been putting out Android and Windows tablets for quite a while now, but nothing really did stand out, which is why the Dell Venue is such a pleasant surprise. The new Dell Venue 8 7000 has the potential to do just that, stand out and put Dell on the tablet market.

Dell Venue 8 7000 Review

The Dell Venue 8 7000 was announced in October of last year and it became available in July of 2015. Before we start the review, let’s just swiftly present the new tablet from Dell, the Dell Venue 8 7000.

It is a $399 Android tablet with an incredibly sleek design (just 0.23 inches thick), a great OLED display, good battery life and an Intel RealSense 3D camera setup that delivers good pictures. The tech specs of the new Dell Venue 8 7000 even won a Best of CES Award, so it has all the markings of a great tablet are here. But is the new flagship tablet from Dell really a great tablet? Let’s see!

Design

One of the most impressive things about the Dell Venue 8 7000 is the fact that right now, it is the thinnest tablet available on the market. That’s right, the Dell Venue 8 7000 is even thinner than Apple’s iPad Air 2.

The Dell Venue 8 7000 has an incredible sleek design with barely any bezels (except for the one at the bottom). To operate the RealSense camera, you need to flip the 8.4-inch device, so that you don’t obstruct any of its three rear cameras or its speakers.

Having tested the Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet, we can safely say that it is a pleasure holding the device for longer periods of time. The grip is very comfortable and even if the device is very thin, it doesn’t feel like it is going to fall apart in your hands, while you’re using it.

Dell surprised a lot of people when they launched this tablet, and we admit that almost no people to whom we have showed it, guessed it came from Dell. The majority of them thought HTC, because it does look a tiny bit like an oversized HTC One. We, and so should Dell, took the HTC One resemblance as a compliment.

Dell Venue 8 7000 Technical Specifications

The new Dell Venue 8 7000 has some impressive stuff under its hood. It has a crisp 2,560 x 1,600, 8.4-inch display with a pixel density of 361 (Apple’s iPad Mini 3 has 326). What makes the display really impressive is the fact that it’s OLED, which gives great viewing angles and amazing colors.

The tablet is powered by a quad-core 2.3 GHz Intel Atom Z3580 processor with Intel HD Graphics. It comes with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded to a whopping 512GB through a microSD card. It’s also got multitouch, up to 10 fingers, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS and microUSB v2.0.

The Dell Venue 8 7000 weighs 0.67 pounds, which makes it lighter than its Apple counterpart, the iPad Mini 3, which weighs 0.73 pounds. It has all the right ports, in all the right places and on its left side, the power button and the volume one.

What’s so Cool about the Camera?

We’ve kept mentioning the camera, but what is so cool about this RealSense camera on the Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet? Well, it’s a camera like you’ve never seen before. While Dell calls it 3D, the term isn’t really accurate. Intel’s RealSense camera is more of a depth-sensing camera.

The camera on the back are actually three cameras: the main 8MP camera coupled with two stereoscopic 720p cameras on each side of the main one. This allows the tablet to collect several layers of depth information.

When you take a picture in the depth-sensing mode (you need to be in this mode, otherwise the picture will just be a normal photo), you’re actually taking more shots of the same thing: one photo has the focus in the background, another in the foreground and so on and so forth. Thanks to this depth-sensing mode, you’re able to do some fascinating things with your photos.

Use the Dell Gallery to adjust the focus in the photo after the photo has been taken. Because the photo is actually more photos mashed up into a single photo, you can add effects selectively (think about a child being in color and the background in black and white). It saves plenty of hours tinkering in Photoshop, that’s for sure!

You won’t always need to shoot your photos in depth-sensing mode, but it’s a great feature to have.

Battery Life

Battery life is actually a big selling point for the Dell Venue 8 7000. While Dell says the tablet is good for around 10 hours of battery life, we clocked it at around 12 hours of video playback which took us by surprise. We thought it would be below the 10 hours that Dell estimated, but it appears that Dell isn’t just being honest, they’re being pessimistic. We found that the Dell Venue is only outperformed in the battery field by the Sony Xperia Z3 tablet and the Apple iPad Mini 3, both having a battery life of around 14 hours of video playback. This means that the new Dell tablet is not going to leave you when the going gets tough, in terms of battery, naturally.

Operating System and Features

The Dell Venue 8 7000 is an Android tablet. Dell did the right thing by sticking to Android and more than that, not tinkering with the Android by adding their own spin to it. The Dell Venue 8 7000 comes preloaded with Android KitKat 4.4 and it has zero alterations to the operating system.

A Dell spokesperson revealed that in a month or so, the new Dell Venue 8 7000 is going to get upgraded to the latest Android OS, Lollipop, which was unveiled last year in June and made available in November of 2014. We think that Dell opted for KitKat because it was safe and reliable and the moment Lollipop gained Dell’s trust, it got introduced into the Venue 8 7000.

The Dell Venue 8 7000 comes with some apps pre-installed, which is something that not many people like. Rest assured, all those apps can be uninstalled. The tablet comes with The Weather Channel, MaxxAudio, McAfee Security, UnoFriends, Polaris Office, Ice Age Adventures, Skitch, Flixster, Evernote, Vine, Evernote and Dropbox (with a whopping 20GB of free storage for one year). That’s pretty much all the bloatware that’s present on the tablet!

The coolest feature of the Dell Venue 8 7000 is its Dell Gallery, that is set up to sync with your Picasa, Dropbox and Facebook account.

You can view all your photos by locations and dates taken and if you sync your Facebook to your tablet, then you’ve got a third gallery automatically tagging recurring faces and making separate albums for each person in your photos. Naturally, you can deactivate this feature and tag the photos yourself. The gallery is cool, easy to navigate and very intuitive.

One Configuration to Rule Them All

At this moment, Dell is offering its customers just one configuration for the Dell Venue 8 7000: the 16GB model that costs $399. This actually acts as a pro, instead of a con, because it gives its owners the ability to upgrade to as much GB as they want, without shelling out too much money. With the microSD card, you can upgrade to a whopping 512 GB, so it actually doesn’t make any sense for Dell to offers more configurations.

In terms of accessories, we recommend you buy a case (that costs around $40) that will help prop the Dell Venue 8 7000 up, so that you avoid covering the speakers and the screen.

Another pretty cool folio that you can buy for $90 actually adds a built-in Bluetooth keyboard, which is going to prove useful to those who use their tablets for writing mails and documents.

Dell Venue 8 7000’s Competition

Any tablet buyer will go through at least a couple of tablets before deciding on one, so this is why we believe that the taking a gander at what the competition has to offer isn’t just important, it’s mandatory!

So who is the Dell Venue 8 7000’s competition? The main competitor is Apple’s iPad Mini 3, of course. Both tablets are incredibly slim, with Dell being just a smidge thinner. T

hey’re both priced at $399 and have 16GB of internal storage, but the Dell has a crisper screen. When it comes to battery life, even though the Dell Venue 8 7000 is a beast, the iPad Mini 3 has a better battery life. But camera is where the Dell comes out a winner!

Another very similar tablet to the Dell Venue 8 7000 is the NVIDIA Shield Tablet and the Samsung Tab S. The NVIDIA is aimed at gamers and the Samsung, is an all-around decent tablet.

Samsung users (and they are quite a lot), will probably prefer the Samsung tablet, but if you love Android, you could try the Dell Venue 8 7000, just because the Galaxy Tab S is almost one year old and Samsung is getting ready for a refresh.

Final Thoughts

While the new Dell Venue 8 7000 isn’t what one would call a cheap tablet, it is one that is worth every penny. The thin and sleek design, paired up with the long battery life, great HD screen and flawless build quality make the Dell Venue 8 7000 one of the best Android tablets you can buy at the moment.

Intel’s RealSense 3D camera may look like a gimmick to some, but if you’re a photography fan, we are absolutely certain it is going to delight you. Cameras on tablets have always been very poorly received and we believe that the new Dell Venue 8 7000 is going to change that. It’s not just a point-and-shoot camera, which helps users feel like they’re actually involved in the whole picture-taking process.

Sure, it’s not a perfect tablet as the speaker and rear camera can often be blocked by fingers, but it’s just a drop in a vast ocean of coolness, with the Dell Venue 8 7000. Another thing that many users, including ourselves have noticed is that the Dell Venue 8 7000 can get pretty hot during use. Only time will tell if performance is affected by this.

In conclusion, the Dell Venue 8 7000 is an impressive slim and smart tablet that we believe is going to sell and captivate its users.

Grenoble, France Implements Cité lib by Ha:mo

March 24, 2015 By Kenneth Scott Leave a Comment

The city of Grenoble, France is one of the most technological forward-thinking cities in the world. It uses smart alternatives for pretty much anything and now it has implemented an innovative electric car-sharing system that will revolutionize urban transportation. The project, a multi-partner one, is called Cité lib by Ha:mo and it works by making available for the people of Grenoble electric cars that can be borrowed from various points in the city and used for as long as needed, and then returned to their charging points.

Cité lib by Ha:mo is a joint effort between Metro, the French electricity company EDF, Sodetrel, by Toyota and Cité lib, the Grenoble car-sharing operator. The project Cité lib by Ha:mo is made up of 70 four and three-wheeled electric cars, COMS and TOYOTA i-ROAD. The cars have available a whopping 120 charging stations, stretched out throughout the city.

Toyota Motor Corporation, Takeshi Uchiyamada, stated that the company is very excited to be working aside the residents of Grenoble in solving the city’s urban traffic problems. He continued to say that all the partners who helped make the project have the same aspiration of creating a future urban mobility. Uchiyamada concluded that urban mobility solutions will also be a key growth area for tech car giant Toyota in the near future.

The entire electric car-sharing system is made available through an app, naturally! The app is called Station Mobile and it will tell you where to find your electric car, what is the best route for your needs and how to use the city’s public transportation system to get to the Cité lib by Ha:mo vehicles. The cars can be reserved through the app and paid for with a special card at the charging station, where the person picked it up.

What makes this project valid and possibly very successful is that it chooses to work together with buses and trams and does not seek to eliminate them. The Grenoble public transportation system is a very successful system and by adding the electric vehicles, it has just been made even better.

The electric vehicles themselves are very compact and, Grenoble citizens are saying, cute. They even tilt when conform to the curve of the road, which takes some getting used to, but in the end they serve their purpose very well.

So how much does this innovative electric car-sharing service cost? Cité lib by Ha:mo is also called 3, 2, 1 euros, because it costs three euros for the first 15 minutes you use the car, two euros for the second 15 minutes and one euro for each 15-minute increment after that. You can even subscribe to an annual transport card, which is cheaper, two euros for the first segment and just one euros for each 15-minute increment after that.

Cité lib by Ha:mo’s infrastructure isn’t just people-friendly, it’s also environmental-friendly and great city management. Experts believe that Cité lib by Ha:mo will significantly decongest traffic in the city of Grenoble and the surrounding areas.

Director of Public Markets for EDF, Jean-Pierre Frémont, stated:

Energy transition leads us to create and develop innovative solutions for low-carbon mobility in order to improve the quality of life of people in local communities. That is the very meaning of this unique trial project for EDF and its partners.

Cité lib by Ha:mo doesn’t seek to replace the public transportation system, such as buses, trams and trains, but wants to work with them to reduce traffic congestion, which is why its success is almost guaranteed.

USB Type-C has Arrived on the Tech Market

March 21, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Finally, USB Type-C is the new connector that was created for huge production. It will be made with reversible ends, presenting the same little connector on both of these ends. However, this tiny piece of technology is a lot more for modern smart phones, laptops or tablets.

Right now there are several primary categories:

Type-A – the unique and rectangle-shaped type used by many USB keys or external drives, basically almost everything
Type-B – a little used rectangle model generally found on the rear of printers. This is a dying model
Micro USB – small and near-universal type used by mobiles and tablets. It is an increasing trend in today’s industry of portable devices

The modern Type-C represents a decrease in charging time, quicker transfer of data between devices and, thanks to its little connections, a smaller scaled mobile phone can now be created by those interested. The plug of Type-C is suitable for the USB 3.1, this meaning a very quick data transfer. Since now Apple has made a Type-C slot on the new MacBook, we can only anticipate seeing it on every device.

The big offer for most customers is going to be the much faster charging. USB Type-C can provide energy up to 100 W at 20 V. This means that a bigger gadget will be charged now from the USB, such as a laptop or a monitor. Say farewell to the funky AC plug that we have been carrying around for so long until now.

In the day to day use, this means quicker charging for any device that can be connected to a power source. The USB is suitable for compatible smart phones, tablets and now even desktops or laptops. This can be performed while transferring large chunks of information at the same time, a feature that previous devices many times could not handle.

This might also mean that the technical need for an individual energy slot (with its large innards integrated) will now be gone, enabling producers to make even more compact models of laptops.

The only issue with a new USB is its need for any other device to be compatible with it. While such gadgets will be smaller, due to the more compact slots for the USB, it will also mean that the older kits become obsolete.

USB will provide an adapter, but if the connector based on Apple’s Lightning takes more spaces on the market, these adapters will not be used for a very long time. And, just like the Lightning, Type-C must work either with a connector end of 8.4mm x 2.6mm.

There will be so many adapters, so the USB Type-C will become suitable for anyone who is willing to use it instantly. Type-C is made with similar-sized end as the little connectors of the USB 2.0 cables used today, except they will be like this at both ends. It is the 18-pin connectors that, as it was stated by their producers, will last at least 10,000 cycles in the same way the Micro-USBs do.

USB Type-C has perfect compatibility with 10Gbps bandwidth transfers. In other words, it means that extremely large files that would take several DVDs, such as full movies or full gaming installer kits, can now be moved from one device to another in literally a single second. With Wi-Fi information being used more but still being limited, a new type of USB conventional technology will cause a revival of wire connection use, since extremely high-speed transfers are needed for current activities such as game playing or mobile devices linked to TVs. The Type-C connectors have been made so they can be compatible with future improvements in data speed, so the product itself does not need to be modified again for a long period of time.

The USB Type-C is already making its appearance in our life. The new 12” MacBook from Apple, for example, is missing all but a couple of slots: for the new Type-C and a 3.5 mm headsets port. The users concerned that this move indicates that no other device will be able to be linked to the MavBook must not be so worried, since there are other USB Type-C plugs that can help them obtain the most of their old wired equipment, like the simple USB to USB Type-C adaptors.

Also, Google has recently revealed its modern Chromebook Pixel with exclusive features for Type-C. However, it does not have just a single Type-C slot, but it has one on every side, this making this gadget more practical than the MacBook. The company has already promised that they will upgrade these USBs as more producers worldwide begin to look at the Type-C as a conventional tool for multiple uses and integrate it into their leading devices.

Image Source: ArsTechnica

A Comprehensive Review of the New Chromebook Pixel

March 21, 2015 By Roxanne Briean 2 Comments

Google’s previous Chromebook Pixel represented an amazing model of laptops. But, they were extremely expensive too — so costly that they became the laughing stock for technical specialists. Now Google is offering us the new model Chromebook Pixel, and what do you know: this is a better, less costly and so tempting laptop for a passionate fan.

General Design

We could say that this piece of technology is stunning, but not in the sense that you would expect. Just like its previous versions, Chromebook Pixel is an incredibly simple gadget of steel with essentially no marketing anywhere.

Instead of its logo, Pixel has small little bars of vibrant lighting along the edges of the lids, and small marks that are labeled with “chrome” on a very minimalist hinge.
However, make no error regarding this type of easy to use gadgets: the Chromebook is not something you can call “fragile”. The thicker and squared model is made in a very obvious way that places it apart from the teardrop design of similar products.

Chromebook Pixel is a rather rough looking, but still handsome piece of engineering, a laptop that is satisfied to have a little extra weight if this means enough space for USB slots.
Speaking of slots, you will discover on it elegant Type-C USB slots on each of the sides — the same type that you can see on the newly released MacBooks. These little details make a big difference: if you have not found out, Type-C USB represents the future of ports, connecting almost everything on the market.

Like a traditional USB slot that is incorporated on every gadget, the Type-C can take care of energy and information, but in an improved way. It is as quick as the USB 3.0, but it can be also used to charge the computer instead of powering only peripheral gadgets.

Technical Specifications

Pixel, basically, is the Chromebook concept in its ideal type: this is a completely developed, very attractive device with a resolution of 2560 x 1700 assuring high quality display for the touch screen, 8 GB of RAM with an i5 Intel Core processor from the fifth generation, all of them on an affordable platform under 1,000 dollars.

For those who are willing to pay more, there is also a $1,300 edition (Pixel’s initial starting point) that has incorporated the i7 version and 16 GB of RAM on it. Both of these products are available from now on in Google’s online store and they seem to be a great offer for a device that is mainly an Internet browser.

Like the MacBook, Chromebook Pixel does not have DisplayPort and HDMI, since Type-C USB can also manage video display. But, if MacBook has just one slot and the remedy for issues like simultaneous slow charging and external display is an impossible one, Pixel has a couple of Type-C slots, one on each part of the device.

You can use any of them for powering the laptop, while you connect the other to video gadgets — however you have to buy the Type-C-to-HDMI and DisplayPort adapters to connect them to the monitor.

You do not need extra plug-ins for the other peripheral devices, though: Pixel has also two fully functional USB 3.0 slots, the 3.5mm headset connector and the SD cards reader to use at maximum capacity the 32 GB of hardware space on the basic model (and 64 GB on a more costly version). That might not seem like it is enough for tons of programs, but, usually on the Chromebooks, the users prefer to not save a lot on the memory disk.

Chromebook Pixel has a Type-C USB charger (with approximately the same dimensions as MacBook chargers, with the Type-C slot on the side, instead of the MagSafe) that provides enough energy to take the device from zero to full capacity in under 1.5 hours. For the most patient users, they can even use adaptors and Type-C-to-3.0 wires to charge the laptop, but the whole operation will take a lot more.

For its display, Chromebook Pixel has a screen of 2560 x 1700 PPI, just like its previous versions. The specialists are saying that this device presents an enhanced sRGB color range that can create the most detailed shades.

It also has the non-traditional aspect ratio of 3:2, which is rather unusual when you observe it at first glance. Google says that Pixel (and other Chromebooks) is usually used for surfing the Internet, and it is more efficient to have a different display when you are regularly scrolling through sites.

The display can also be used as a touch screen, even if it is simple to ignore this feature. Since the original Chromebook came out with rather poor touch sensitivity, the new model reacts easily and completely, even if you do not have many uses for it.

As extremely high quality as it is, Chromebook Pixel’s development raises an important dilemma: Is an online browser all that you need? Are you ready to pay more than $1,000 for a machine using mainly a browser? Has Chrome’s platform evolved to the point where the price range is not an option anymore?

Especially with its reliable power source that can withstand lengthy browsing sessions during the day, this represents the ideal device for web specialists and passionate Internet surfers.

User Experience

This gadget is quite attractive, to say the least. To begin with, the laptop’s key-board and the touchpad are probably some of the best on the market. Many users have said that these are definitely the most comfortable they have ever used and are probably better peripherals than those of regular computers.

For example, the touchpad has an ideal semi-glossy surface, but even more important than this, it is the fact that it clicks rapidly and precise. Compared to other similar products found these days that need quite an effort to press, this touchpad lets the users to click just anywhere and anytime with ease.

Merge that with its display that beats away all the older laptops and you will find out that Chromebook Pixel provides a really positive impact for any new buyer, even if some persons make unpleasing sounds when they use it initially, but after a short while they see that this is a device extremely well-built.

That feeling of fulfillment keeps increasing when you are involved in many projects at once, too. Compared with the inexpensive Chromebooks, here you do not have limitations for a certain number of tasks which can be performed simultaneously.

And, though it is quite known that on other laptops you can encounter difficulties when using different browsers, on this Pixel running on an Intel Core processor of 2.2 GHz i5 such problems are long gone.

Using this laptop that serves mostly as an online browser, you are forced to keep only the Chrome applications (and the improved, but still restricted choice of Android apps) on your hard drive. Honestly, this apparent problem is less restricting than it was just some time ago and it is awesome to see how often you find Chrome extensions for every task you need.

For example, you can have your AIM client and the web apps that can modify any movie clip. Chrome has now its (basic and with limited options) versions of Photoshop. Even downloading a torrent is relatively simple with Chrome nowadays, even if you will have to pay here and there for its best applications.

In reality, ChromeOS will only make you problems in a couple of ways: legacy applications and games. These can be quite tricky based on your skills, but even if you are used to it, you could be experience some emotional discomfort. By going from another operating system to ChromeOS, now you are actually leaving behind a whole range of programs running on Linux, OS X and Windows.

And the advantages that are obtained in exchange for the missing software are the online browser applications, but some users might consider them a little unreliable and inexpensive during the evaluation.

A few applications — such as a high performing calculator able to deal with even the most difficult mathematical operations, Google Keep and any of the large number of Android OS applications that now can be executed on Chrome’s system — have little windows to access them easily. But other programs, like Google Sheets or Schedule and the downloaded applications, appear as basic tabs in the browser.

They all perform in an excellent way, but it is a lot more complicated to separate different areas of the processing programs into several windows which can be minimized instantly and then arranged on the display when a large part of these applications appear as just another tab in the browser.

The battery life is rather high for a portable device. When you connect Chromebook Pixel to a conventional power analyzer, it shows approximately 8 hours. But in a regular type of use surfing 10 tabs for around 6 hours it will never consume the battery’s energy below 50 %, plus it maintains a reasonable temperature for the owner’s lap.

Advantages of the Product

The laptop’s style is easy to identify in the stores. The Chromebook Pixel is a wonderful product and offers great satisfaction for its use and price, especially considering that this is an exclusive gadget. The display is awesome, while the keyboard and pad are versatile in your hands, being an all-around excellent device for even the most delicate fingertips.

Charging slots on both sides is a huge advantage for the user’s mobility. Never let again your notebook’s power slot determine where you sit. The battery’s lifespan is rather long, it is enough to tap twice on the side of the laptop to see the small bar that lets you know much energy you have left.

Disadvantages

This is not an extremely convenient laptop. With its heavier weight compared to other notebooks, Chromebook Pixel might seem large and bulky, not razor-thin as a MacBook.

It operates only on Chrome and when you are searching for a device that costs only a few hundred dollars, it is easy to consider it as a bargain until you get a more performing and pricey laptop. But when you are purchasing notebooks over the thousand dollars staple and with excellent specifications, this should be just a personal choice.

Conclusion

If you want just a simple web-browsing and writing gadget, then Chromebook Pixel is among the best out there in its top class and surely one of the best created in recent years. The main function-over-form strategy brings an exciting and eye-catching alternative version to something well-known, like the thin new MacBook — a notebook that chooses a more highly effective operating system, but a processor that could eventually cut off some of its potential performances.

Image source: notebookreview.com, 1, 2, 3

Apple TV Streaming Service to be Launched in September 2015

March 21, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

The Apple TV streaming service announced some time ago will be presented to the general public most likely this June, as the mass-media sources have found out. The US giant is currently building an offer comprising approximately 25 channels from all over the country, including here major broadcasters such as CBS, Viacom, ABC, Discovery and Fox.

This package will be launched in September 2015 and will be compatible with Apple TV. iPhones, iPads and every type of iOS device. The streaming service might also include other major American channels, like FX and ESPN, since one of Apple’s goals is to address to larger on-demand virtual libraries, however it leaves out plenty of the smaller broadcasters.

Recently, Apple made a huge deal in mass-media, by earning the exclusive rights for HBO’s streaming services for several months, this leading to a significant decrease in Apple TV’s price.

Older rumors regarding new TV technology and devices from Apple, such as set-top boxes or even new types of TVs have constantly emerged for several years; but it seems that this year many of these speculations will become reality and, thus, major players on the market.

A package designed to fit any pocket

Apple is now discussing with programmers to have a much slimmed-down offer of TV networks, compared to what was predicted some time ago, due to the fact that several broadcasters did not accept the contract terms of the deals wanted by Apple.

Some specialists still believe that it will be quite hard for this brand new TV streaming service to have the recognized success without famous American channels, like NBC Universal for example, but Apple is currently negotiating with the majority of the other media corporations, including CBS, Disney or 21st Century Fox.

It is said that the predicted cost for this package of service will be an extremely affordable one, since it is aimed to cover a large area of potential customers. This news is linked to the previous reports from a few moths ago about Apple getting ready to launch a significantly innovated model of TV box that has attached to it a redesigned and much improved user-interface, but also a new type of remote control that could revolutionize this type of technology.

So, now it makes sense for the company to release its pair of streaming services and hardware in tandem during the course of this year. You might have a preview of what can be expected from this mutual package in April, when Apple’s exclusive contract with HBO will be presented in a common press conference.

Image source: appletvhacks.net

Facebook Will Allow People To Transfer Money Via Its Messenger App

March 20, 2015 By Karen Jackson 1 Comment

Facebooks comes yet again, with a new way of expanding their technological empire. The new feature release by Facebook will allow people to transfer money via its Messenger app, using their credit cards.

Facebook Messenger app is among the largest chat platforms on the planet, and over 500 millions users use it every month. Last year, Facebook bought WhatsApp, with nearly $22 billion, and this is a separate messaging app that presently counts 700 million active users worldwide.

In the United States, Facebook is about to launch a money transfer system from one friend to another.

One of the most feared competitor for Facebook’s new offer is the mobile payment, Venmo, an app owned by eBay’s PayPal. Very popular among young users, what Facebook proposes is not just a payment system, but a social network that permits users to post public or private messages about the purpose of the money they are sending.

The e-commerce start-up, called Square, offers a similar app trough which people can send money via email. Also, Snapchat, the start up known for its messages that disappear, permits users also to send money to one another, trough a partnership with Square.

With the new service, Facebook wished to make simpler the process as much as possible, explained Steve Davis, the product manager who is leading the project.

“We know that conversations about money are happening all the time.”(…)“But most conversations begin in one place and end in another place,” stated Davis.

Facebook, is aiming to keep the payment and conversations in the same message, that could also be used as a record. So the new feature, will be easy to use, as right next to the thumbs up button on the Messenger chat, there will be a dollar sign that, if pressed you can send money.

If there already exists a debit card number saved in the app, you can send cash to the other person in the conversation by pressing the dollar sign and after, you enter the amount. The entire conversation will be saved to serve as later proof.

In order to minimize the risk of unauthorized money transfers, Facebook stated, that users must enter a PIN or they should use Apple’s fingerprint identification system, before they are allowed to send the cash.

The use of debit cards to help the transfer to happen, makes the money transfers between the two bank accounts pretty fast, and allows Facebook to offer this service for free to users. The difference between this and PayPal or Venmo, is that users don’t have to remember to withdraw the money later on, explained Davis.

Like many of the other Facebook features, the button for the Messenger payments will be progressively introduced to Messenger users from the U.S. over the coming months, and the option will be available on mobile apps but also on the web version.

For starters, the feature will be available to send money only between people who are friends on Facebook, meaning it will not compete right away with Apple Pay and other mobile payment services, that were created specially to help people to make their purchases more easy with their phones. According to Davis, the commercial market creates a completely different set of challenges.

Facebook has stated, that, there have been certain merchants, mainly overseas, who have been informally using Facebook Messenger to make money transactions.

Facebook has a payment business, that earned them almost $1 billion last year, most of the money coming from games that are hosted on its platform.

It has also been trying with an e-commerce system, that permits merchants to list things for sale and collect the cash from the purchases straight on the social network.

Wall Street has been, enthusiastically anticipating the addition of payments to Facebook Messenger since last June, when Facebook, hired David Marcus, the president of PayPal, to be in charge of its messaging plans.

In January, the chief executive of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, told analysts, that is expected for Messenger and WhatsApp, to bring in big money eventually, as he believed that both of these apps, will be huge contributors to their business in time, as long as they do it the right way.
Image Source: TNW, TNW

Windows 10 Will Be Released This Summer In 190 Countries

March 20, 2015 By Deborah Campbell Leave a Comment

This summer, Microsoft is planning a world wide launch of Windows 10, which will come equipped with a new biometric authentication system, that aims to be a replacement for the traditional passwords.Also,Windows 10 will be released this summer in 190 countries.

However, there hasn’t been given a specific date for the launch, the chief of Windows, Terry Myerson stated during a speech at the Windows Hardware Engineering Community summit that took place in Shenzhen China, that the company is planning a summer release.

Myerson wrote in a blog post, that Microsoft keeps on making serious progress, and they have shared with the entire world, they fact that Windows 10 will be released the upcoming summer in 190 countries and in 111 different languages.

He added that Windows has been present on a global level with over 1.5 billion users all over the world and in China there are currently hundreds of million of computers operating on Windows.

Microsoft didn’t respond right away to the request for commenting, regarding a more precise date for the release.

The company has high expectations from the new operating system and it would be the very first big chance of Microsoft to make forgotten the missteps of Windows 8. Microsoft has assured that Windows 10, which will be a free upgrade for users running Windows 7 or Windows 8, and will be run by every device, starting with desktops with huge hard drives to the low cost smart phones that have just one gigabyte to spare.

During his speech, Myerson took use of the chance to talk about a new feature of the operating system, named Windows Hello, which stands for a new way of authentication process, that requires the face of the owner, its fingerprint or iris in order for the device to be unlocked.

This new option will be supported by a third party system, which includes Intel’s RealSense, a depth-sensing technology which is based on using infrared cameras to detect the position and location of objects in space.

Biometric authentication, which certifies the identity of people thanks to their unique physical attributes, promises users to create an extra wall of security that would offer protection between devices and malicious exterior threats.

Even though it has been proved that using a finger print is a much more secure way that using a password, there are people who question the fact, whether hackers will find a way of breaking down their biometrics.

Myerson also added, that by the time of the release, there will also be available a version of Windows 10 oriented towards devices of small footprint Internet of Things, free of charge.

Windows 10, will make available, for other Windows versions, a diversified set of IoT devices, varying from powerful devices such ATMs and ultrasound machines, to resource uneasy devices such gateways, explained Myerson.

One other brand new feature, seems to allow users to download updates from other computers, apart from the servers of Microsoft. The latest creation of the future operating system, has been leaked on the internet the past weekend, and has revealed an option that lets you to choose if you want to download updates from the operating system of other PCs, and put them on your personal internal network, or transfer them from PCs on your network or on the web. In this manner, the updating process becomes a peer to peer capacity.
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Final Fantasy Type 1 – A New and Exciting Sequel for FF Aficionados

March 19, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

With the great success in media and positive reviews that Final Fantasy XV trial is receiving, it is quite simple to ignore that there is a finished game released together with it. Final Fantasy Type-0 may not have the same social impact as the main-series, but this is a powerful game in the real sense, with a great storyline and some fulfilling fights focused on action. Besides this, Final Fantasy Type-0 has been under the guiding of Hajime Tabata, a man who succeeded in doing an excellent job, since Square Enix made him the director of the awaited sequel of this famous series.

This brand new stuff is enough to gather all players in exploring the rest of the story. Like every respectable sequel, the game provides enough hints and difficulties for the gamers who are playing both on their own or in groups and gives valuable lessons to initiate them into the whole universe, lessons aimed to unravel just a little this very dense story.

The History of Final Fantasy Games

Final Fantasy Type-0 began its virtual life as the main title for PSP and portable devices, known as Final Fantasy Agito XIII, being initially developed as an immediate sequel of Final Fantasy XIII. During its development, the edition for mobiles was removed and the title was relabeled to differentiate it from the console counterpart. The final game was published a few years ago, and had a wide range of opinions, as well as a quite decent sale number. Final Fantasy Type-0 took the fourth place in best selling games ranks in Asia during that season, defeating out Final Fantasy XIII.

The initial PSP game has never seen an European launching, although the current slot Final Fantasy Type-0 will be released in America in only a couple of days. The new edition of this game gets rid of many PSP multi-player facilities for its improved display, but the rest of the game itself has been left almost untouched. But, Square Enix has made one huge modification and without further going into details regarding this spoiler, the finishing short movie offers a clue that players might see a lot more stuff from the vast universe of Final Fantasy.

This is quite accurate, considering Tabata’s latest statements during the meetings with the fans, where he hinted that he would like to create Final Fantasy Type-1 prior to the creation of he created Final Fantasy XVI. Even if the ending of the respective clip does not use actually the exact terms, the idea is quite obvious: Final Fantasy Type-0 marks the beginning of something fresh and exciting. When the gamer finishes all missions by exclaiming triumphantly, “We have arrived” this appears to be less a conclusion, but it sounds more like promise.

Obviously, any prospective sequel of Final Fantasy Type-0 is a lengthy process; since Tabata first must finish Final Fantasy XV, this task might take quite a while. The director reports that the future part of the series is at around 60% completed (keep in mind that this project began from nothing when Tabata signed up with the venture approximately two years ago), plus there is not a planned launch time frame.

However, the storyline of Final Fantasy Type-0 that revolves around a number of students at academy of magic seems a fresh start for a few further stories, so there is true hope that the fans will receive them rather earlier than later. The commercial version of Final Dream Type-0 HD has been released these days both for XBOX One and PlayStation 4.

Image Source: Ytimg, NicheGamer