Apple : Microsoft will bring its antivirus software to iOS and Android |
- Microsoft will bring its antivirus software to iOS and Android
- The best student laptops 2020: all the best options for school
- Best PC games 2020: the must-play titles you don’t want to miss
- Now there's a Lego Baby Yoda
- Google to evaluate Android apps requesting background location data
- New Zealand vs India live stream: how to watch Test series cricket from anywhere
- Intel's 10th-generation desktop processors might see the return of the F-Series
- Supporting an open source operating system: a Q&A with the FreeBSD Foundation
- New iPad Pro 2020 patent shows a novel way it could rival Samsung Galaxy Note 20
- Best gaming laptops 2020: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed
- AMD vs Intel: which chipmaker does processors better?
- Alternative data collection methods to consider for IoT solutions
- Cut, copy and paste inventor dies at 74
- Olympiacos vs Arsenal live stream: how to today's Europa League 2020 football online from anywhere
- Women's T20 World Cup 2020 live stream: how to watch online from anywhere
- Will there be a Locke and Key season 2?
- Get the UK's cheapest fibre broadband deals with this Plusnet bargain
- Wilder vs Fury 2 live stream: how to watch, date, time and undercard
- Club Brugge vs Manchester United live stream: how to watch Europa League 2020 football online from anywhere
Microsoft will bring its antivirus software to iOS and Android Posted: 20 Feb 2020 02:09 PM PST Microsoft has revealed its plans to bring its Defender antivirus software to both Android and iOS later this year. The software giant is currently developing apps for both mobile operating systems which will provide antivirus prevention along with a “full command line experience”. However, Microsoft has not yet shared any details regarding the functionality of the apps yet but it does plan to preview them at the upcoming RSA conference.
Defender appsMicrosoft's mobile Defender apps will likely be quite different than their desktop counterparts and this is partly because Apple doesn't allow apps to scan for malware on iOS. On Google's mobile operating system however, there are already a number of Android antivirus apps that are capable of detecting malware in apps that have been sideloaded onto a user's device. Phishing prevention will likely be one of the main features for Defender on iOS and Android as Microsoft looks to protect businesses from having their employees reveal their usernames, passwords and other account information to potential attackers. Defender for mobile will be part of the company's enterprise security platform and as of now it is still unclear as to whether or not Microsoft will make its antivirus apps available to consumers.
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The best student laptops 2020: all the best options for school Posted: 20 Feb 2020 01:46 PM PST Finding the best laptops for college students requires a bit of scouting. That’s because they need to fit a few criteria. Whether you’re heading back to school yourself, or you’re sending your kid off to school, there are a few things to keep in mind when selecting the ideal laptop for school. Budget laptops tend to be great candidates, especially since price is always a huge consideration when someone’s off to college. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that such portables are always going to be the best laptops for college students. While students might not need all the bells and whistles a professional might appreciate more, they still need laptops that can deliver performance-wise. At the same time, the best laptops for college students should be able to handle streaming and a bit of light gaming in addition to the coursework students will be dealing with. From the best Chromebooks that offer a great price without sacrificing performance, to heartier devices equipped with powerful operating systems like Windows 10 and macOS, we gathered the best laptops for college students for you. So you can skip all that tedious researching and get right to learning. The best student laptops 2020 at a glance:
We’re massive fans of laptops that can skillfully strike a balance between price and performance with hardly any compromises, and the Huawei MateBook 13 comes closer to than anything else in 2019 so far. It’s light and compact, perfect for carrying in your backpack while you hurry from class to class; but it’s fast and affordable as well. This stunning 13-inch Ultrabook will make sure you’ll get all your work done in style, without burning a hole in your pocket. Sure, you might need to keep that charger on hand if you want it to last you the whole day, as the battery life is underwhelming. However, there’s still no doubt that the Huawei Matebook 13 deserves its lofty spot on the best laptops for students list. Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13 Dell’s flagship laptop has always been rated as one of the best laptops for students, not to mention among the most ideal devices for professionals and casual, everyday users. This time around, the Dell XPS 13 2019 welcomes back the entry-level model, making it affordable enough for college students once again. Dell has also addressed our biggest frustration with the XPS lineup – the webcam. It has finally been moved back above the display where it belongs. This means that your family and friends won’t have to stare up into your nostrils when you’re video chatting ever again. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 Have you been waiting for the day you can finally afford the premium price of Google Pixelbook? Well, with Google releasing Pixelbook Go, your wait is finally over. Granted, it isn’t quite the actual luxury device you’ve been dreaming of. However, rest assured, you will love this Chromebook, just as we have during our time with it. We love it so much, in fact, that it earned our coveted “Editor's Choice” award in the Chromebook category. It boasts incredible battery life, an even more impressive keyboard and a 1080p webcam, which you don’t see often in the more budget-friendly laptops even in 2019. And, that’s just to start. Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go While the Surface Laptop was arguably one of the 10 best laptops for students, it was still held back by its below average performance, a lack of ports and Windows 10 in S Mode. Luckily, the Surface Laptop 2 has considerably improved on its predecessor – with the exception of the ports. It’s now packed with 8th-generation Intel Kaby Lake Refresh processors, full-fat Windows 10 Home and a black color option. We only wish it included even a single USB-C port. Still, you will get all your tasks done in style with this laptop with little to no effort, making it deserving of a high spot on this list. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2 Even if you’re only in the market for a laptop for school that strikes a balance between cost and performance, it can’t hurt to factor in a splash of style. The Microsoft Surface Go isn’t just one of the best Windows tablets, but it’s also one of the most beautiful devices on the market. Better yet, it also gets our vote as among the best laptops for students, especially from a value perspective. Don’t be duped by the low-power components: Microsoft engineered this tablet to take on all your general schoolwork and more without breaking a sweat. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Go Budget consumers looking for an Ultrabook that delivers great performance at a great, affordable price, you can’t go wrong with the Acer Swift 3 (2019). This 13-inch laptop from Acer is powerful enough for productivity tasks, which makes it a great tool for traveling and working at the same time. However, it can also handle a bit of casual gaming as well as some photo editing, perfect for some post-work computing. It’s far from perfect – that battery could use a boost, the keyboard could be better, and don’t even get us started on the speakers. But, for how much it’s worth, you’re definitely getting a great deal. Read the full review: Acer Swift 3 (2019) There are so many compelling reasons why the HP Envy x360 (2019) belongs to our best laptops for students like, and its slim, sleek design is the least of them. This 13-inch 2-in-1 has premium build, delivers up to 9 hours of video playback and a performance that will get you through most of your schoolwork and project, all without burning a hole in your pocket. Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019) The Microsoft Surface lineup has made a name for itself for being among the best Windows devices on the market, with beautiful touch displays, excellent performance and a battery life that lasts a long time. The Surface Pro 6 continues that tradition, even if it doesn’t improve much on its predecessor. You’re getting a fast Windows tablet that can effortlessly turn into a laptop with the addition of the Surface Type Cover. What does that mean for you? Simply that you can get your work done then effortlessly transition into Netflix time, making it one of the best laptops for students. Read the full review: Surface Pro 6 Apple takes the MacBook Air (2018) and gives it a bit of refresh, adding True Tone technology to its display and an even more reliable keyboard. Unfortunately, it hasn’t upgraded the specs, but seeing as the 2018 version has already made our list of the best laptops for students, this improved version is just as deserving because of the improved hardware. But the best part is yet to come: this refresh is even cheaper, so you’re definitely getting more value for less. Read the full review: MacBook Air (2019) Apple’s most powerful MacBook in existence has just juiced-up, which means that the 15-inch Cupertino powerhouse is faster than ever. Whether you’re doing school projects, photo editing or light gaming, this will blow you away as one of the best laptops for students. What’s behind this refresh? To start, an improved keyboard, as well as some of the latest and most powerful processors from Intel. Now, you not only have the option to take one home with an 8-core Intel Core i9, but also configure one to rock a Radeon Pro Vega 16 or Pro Vega 20 GPU to give you a boost in graphics. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) Bill Thomas, Michelle Rae Uy and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article. Images Credit: TechRadar
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Best PC games 2020: the must-play titles you don’t want to miss Posted: 20 Feb 2020 01:35 PM PST The best PC games can fill out your 2020 for hours and hours of gaming fun. And, they’re more exciting to dive into than ever before, thanks to Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and Super RTX graphics cards as well as AMD’s Navi line. What’s more, there’s a wide selection of the best PC games, from retro classics to the newest game to use ray-tracing, and from platformers to open-world games to strategy and beyond. You can even take on your friends in co-op PC games. So whatever your taste is, you’ll find quite a few options out there to enjoy. In fact, there’s such a wealth of games, including the best Steam games 2020, that it might be hard to just pick a few. Lucky for you, we’ve thoroughly tested quite a few games and cherry-picked the best PC games of 2020. Rest assured that these quality games will draw you in and most likely make you forget what day it is. The best new PC game: Halo: ReachThe direct prequel to 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved originally launched back on the Xbox 360, and now it’s come to the PC in a remastered form. This was the last Halo game that Bungie developed before it parted ways with Microsoft. So, in a way, it’s almost like a farewell or an ode. It’s as beautiful as one, too – with animations that look like moving paintings, colors that are vibrant and grittier graphics. Of course, the gameplay is impressive as well, unsurprisingly as this is Bungie last hurrah and ithad to end it with a bang. The storyline is satisfying and engrossing. The characters are truly likeable. And, the enemies are clever and challenging, making your small wins even more gratifying. Halo: Reach isn’t exactly a masterpiece, but it comes pretty close to one. And, if you’re looking for the best PC game that’s fresh from the over, this one’s hard to beat. 1. The Witcher 3: Wild HuntThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is aging like fine wine. Even several years after it hit the streets, it’s still one of the most impressive open world games that’s ever existed – mixing Skyrim’s unapologetic scale with Grand Theft Auto V’s incredible depth. It’s such a jam-packed game, which is why it claims the top spot on our list of the best PC games in 2020. Staggering, beautiful and an absolute time sink – in a good way – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt isn’t just the best PC game of 2020 or among the best open world games on PC. It might just be one of the best video games of all time.
2. Dark Souls 3While it's arguably not as hard as earlier titles in the series, From Software's Dark Souls 3 takes everything you like about the Souls series and improves on it by blending it with elements found in Bloodborne, the developer's more recent title for PS4. We won’t sugar coat it: you’re going to die in Dark Souls 3, perhaps more than once. It takes patience to master its complex combat system, but it also plays fair, which makes it more approachable for casual players so they too can take part in its bleak, fantastical world. And, on the bright side, it’s much more optimized for PC than the first two games. Now that you can pick up Dark Souls: Remastered, and see where the apocalyptic series began, there’s never been a better time to link the first flame. 3. ControlIt’s not hard to see why Control has taken the gaming world by storm. The creative team at Remedy Entertainment made sure to pack this title with plenty to love, paying very close attention to the intricate details. A deeply cinematic game, this action-adventure offers its players staggering visuals, inspired environment design and brilliant performances – not to mention, a deeply satisfying combat experience. Control places you in the capable shoes of fiery-haired Jesse Faden. You’re tasked to seek out The Oldest House, a building in New York City that’s in a constant state of architectural flux and only appears to those who desire to find it, and locate your missing brother, all while heading the Federal Bureau of Control as its director and overseeing the containment of paranatural entities. There’s nothing quite like Control on the market, and it makes it one of the best PC games to play right now. 4. Monster Hunter WorldMonster Hunter is one of the biggest gaming franchises you’ve probably never heard of for years now. With Monster Hunter: World, the series broke into the mainstream and came to the PC (much to many gamers’ relief), and now, it’s one of the best PC games you can play to date. Monster Hunter: World puts you in the shoes of a monster hunter, and you’ll hunt increasingly bigger and meaner monsters, strip them for parts, and craft bigger, badder armor. It’s a deviously simple gameplay loop that ends up being one of the most compelling and rewarding PC games you can play right now. There’s an incessant onslaught of content in this game, and Capcom, the developers of this monster hunting hit, are committed to bringing a wealth of free DLC to the game – as well as a new frosty expansion in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. If you’re looking for an addictive, immersive and most importantly, fun game to play on your own or with all your closest friends cooperatively, Monster Hunter: World is the PC game of your dreams. There’s no doubt it’s one of the best PC games you can buy today.
5. Red Dead Redemption 2The newest release from Rockstar Games was an instant hit upon release. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an engrossing western following Arthur Morgan and his gang as they try to survive a fictionalized Wild West as outlaws on the run. However, the game is much more than just that. Whether it’s getting lost in the story, following through on every side quest to its conclusion, or just bonding with your horse, RDR2 is one of those games where you can easily sink 50+ hours into and still have something to do. The gameplay is stellar, and the graphics are gorgeous. You can even run the game in 8K, if you have the hardware. Definitely give this a look if you haven’t already. 6. Sid Meier's Civilization VISid Meier's Civilization VI is the most recent installment in the iconic turn-based strategy game, and it's without a doubt among the best PC games you can play to date. One of the things that make the PC the best platform for gaming on is the sheer breadth of different game genres on offer. And, what Civilization VI has to offer is its massive scope, despite the fact that it might seem slower paced next to the likes of Fortnite. Spread your empire across the map and crush your enemies. You build up your empire from a simple settlement to a world power, and you can decide to do this through military might, technological supremacy or cultural influence. Since its launch in 2016, it has had two expansion packs that really cement this game as an epic entry in our best PC games list. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall released in February 2018, with Civilization VI: Gathering Storm following in February 2019. 7. Alien: IsolationSet 15 years after the events of the first Alien film from 1979, Alien: Isolation is the suspense-filled game that fans of the franchise have long been waiting for. Playing the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Alien protagonist Ellen Ripley, your mission is to track down and retrieve the flight recorder of the Nostromo spacecraft from the first Alien film, which has been traced aboard the Sevastopol space station. First and foremost a stealth game, Isolation intensifies the tension by giving you minimal weaponry. Its superb graphics shine on high-end PCs and brilliant AI helps ramp up the dread, leaving you shuddering at every corner. This and more make Alien: Isolation one of the best PC games 2020 has to offer. 8. OverwatchOverwatch, if nothing else, has considerably changed the landscape, moving it away from the norm of gray-ish cover shooters to the domain of competitive gaming. Its bright, vibrant colors are only made better by its endearing characters, each coming with their own compelling backstories, which, though non-existent in game, make for a collection of amazing webcomics and cinematics. Overwatch is also one of the best PC games, owing to the fact that it runs beautifully on all kinds of different hardware. Sure, it’s a little older now. However, even in 2020, it’s the best PC game for anyone with a competitive streak. If you missed out on this game before, do yourself a favor – sign in to your Battle.net account and take Overwatch – not to mention, its colorful cast of characters – for a spin today. 9. Forza Horizon 4Microsoft's racing series is only getting better with each release, and in many ways this spin-off has exceeded the main Forza Motorsport line as the best racing games on PC at present. They're definitely more fun, adding a dash of arcade fun to the strikingly recreated cars and race tracks we've come to expect from Forza. Forza Horizon 4 is easily one of the best PC games you can buy today, and this entry brings the racing to the UK after having explored America, France, Italy and Australia in the previous three instalments of the franchise. Now, you can rip through charming villages, seaside towns and the city of Edinburgh by way of many miles of country roads and dirt tracks in between. It's fast, frantic and a lot of fun. You can purchase Forza Horizon 4 through the Microsoft Store. It's also available as part of the Xbox Game Pass for PC, or you can buy the Xbox One version and get a download code for PC using the Xbox Anywhere feature. 10. Thimbleweed ParkFans of classic point and click games such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle, which are some of the best PC games ever made, should add Thimbleweed Park to their must play list. Made by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, two of the people behind PC classics Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion, Thimbleweed Park plays like a love letter to classic point-and-click adventure games. From the splendid retro artwork, entertaining dialogue and perplexing puzzles, Thimbleweed Park deserves its place on our list of the best PC games, merging the best of old school PC game design with modern technology. 11. Sekiro: Shadows Die TwiceFrom Software is a household name when it comes to designing the best PC games. The minds behind the critically praised Dark Souls series have transported PC gamers to some of the most forsaken landscapes and through some of the most challenging yet rewarding gameplay. From Software is back at it once more, with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Sekiro places you in the shoes of the Young Wolf, a shinobi tasked with rescuing his young master. The game will take you through 16th-century Japan, but things will get eerie and supernatural: this is From Software we’re talking about. Don’t expect an easy time of it, however. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an awfully difficult game to master, and you’ll need quick reflexes to deflect enemy attacks, as well as to master stealth. You won’t be able to hide behind a shield all day, like you were able to in Dark Souls III. 12. MinecraftThe phrase "build it, and they will come" rings truer than ever with Minecraft, the survival-based sandbox RPG that has now been bought more than 100 million times since its release in 2009. In it, you can construct your own worlds using resources you find in the wild, or discover existing ones created by other players online. In Minecraft, you can either limit yourself to the numerous tools and blocks offered by the developer, Mojang, or you can install mods to truly capitalize on your investment. Moreover, sometime in 2020, you’ll be able to take part in the Super Duper Graphics Pack, an optional piece of DLC that offers more realistic lighting effects and textures to an already amazing game. 13. DoomA crudely rendered first-person shooter series, Doom was as controversial as it was adored when it first took PC gaming by storm in the 90s. That’s due in large part to its cutting-edge depictions of gore and violence that only a computer could deliver. But just because Id Software's brainchild was a phenomenon for PC gamers in the ‘90s, that doesn’t mean that its premise and gore-fille gameplay doesn’t hold up. Parents be damned, the franchise underwent a revival in 2016 with a fresh reset, aptly titled Doom, and it’s still proving to be among the best PC games years later. Although the multiplayer might not appeal to shooter fans regardless of age, the single player campaign will pit you against demons in Hell for a lengthy mission that is bloody satisfying, pun intended. 14. Fortnite Battle RoyaleIt’s possibly the biggest game in the world right now, so Fortnite Battle Royale is a natural shoo-in for this list. After all, it is a global phenomenon and among the best PC games to play right now if you like super-competitive online games. This is a game people keep coming back to, and that's mostly due to its addictive gameplay and regular updates from Epic. Fortnite Battle Royale is actually a game mode for the Fortnite game, but this mode has become so popular, many people consider it a separate game in its own right. As with other Battle Royale games, the aim of Fortnite Battle Royale is to fight your way through an ever-shrinking map until you're the last player standing. While that might sound simple enough, there's a whole lot of depth to this game once you start playing. 15. CupheadCuphead's 1930's animation aesthetics certainly makes this one of the most beautiful looking – and sounding – PC games on our list. Incorporating run-and-gun platforming with boss rush battles, it's also an extremely challenging game. But, that only means that it's even more rewarding to play. With hand-drawn cell animation, watercolor backgrounds and original jazz soundtrack, Cuphead is unlike anything you'll play on PC. Just keep in mind that the steep difficulty curve may put people off. However, if you're willing to put in the work and hone your gaming skills, you'll be rewarded with one of the best PC games you’ll ever experience.
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Posted: 20 Feb 2020 01:32 PM PST Somehow, another wave of Baby Yoda toys based on Disney Plus' The Mandalorian has been revealed, and among them is arguably the biggest treat yet: a Baby Yoda Lego minifigure. He comes with the $129.99 Razor Crest set (£119.99 in the UK), the ship commanded by the titular Mandalorian. And yes, he's adorable. The set is a pretty elaborate thing, and it comes with minifigures of Greef Karga and IG-11 from the show. Fans of The Mandalorian, though, may be wondering where Gina Carano's Cara Dune and Nick Nolte's Kuiil are. Hey, maybe they'll turn up in a future set. It's unclear if this set includes Baby Yoda's broth bowl. Check out the full set below, which starts shipping from September 2020:
Somehow, that's not the only Baby Yoda on the way in Lego form. You'll be able to pick these two up in stores this August, too, as the Baby Yoda merch train lurches into full force (no pun intended): Baby Yoda is unstoppableThe Mandalorian also took over Good Morning America in the US today, as Baby Yoda wares were shown off for the whole of the nation (who happen to be watching TV in the morning) to enjoy. The entire thing might remind you of that Simpsons episode with Funzo, but the talking Baby Yoda toy does look kind of cute. Anyway, enjoy all of this until the internet turns on Baby Yoda later this year, as is the inevitable fate of all memes.
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Google to evaluate Android apps requesting background location data Posted: 20 Feb 2020 11:56 AM PST Google will introduce one-time permissions for location data in the upcoming release of Android 11 but the search giant also plans to roll out a new Google Play policy which will require developers to get approval if they want to access a device's location data in the background. Even users whose devices won't receive the update to the latest version of Android will benefit from the policy change as it is aimed at older versions of the mobile operating system and will be applied across the Play Store. In a post on the Android Developers Blog, director of product management and trust & safety at Google Play, Krish Vitaldevara explained the reason behind the policy change, saying:
“As we took a closer look at background location usage, we found that many of the apps that requested background location didn’t actually need it. In fact, many of these apps could provide the same user experience by only accessing location when the app is visible to the user. We want to make it easier for users to choose when to share their location and they shouldn't be asked for a permission that the app doesn't need.” Getting approval from GoogleGoing forward developers will be required to get approval from Google if they want their apps to be able to access a user's location data in the background. To assess whether or not an app will be granted authorization to access a user's location data, the company's app store review team will consider whether the feature delivers clear value to the user, if users would expect the app to access their location in the background, is the feature important to the primary purpose of the app and if an app can deliver the same experience without accessing location data in the background. In his blog post, Vitaldevara pointed out that apps which send emergency or safety alerts as well as social networking apps would have a strong case to access location data in the background while an app with a store locator feature would be better of only accessing location data when opened. The new Google Play policy will go into effect in April but enforcement for new apps won't begin until August and existing apps will have until November to comply.
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New Zealand vs India live stream: how to watch Test series cricket from anywhere Posted: 20 Feb 2020 11:44 AM PST After India's dominance in the T20 format and New Zealand's impressive 3-0 ODI series win, confidently predicting which way the two-match Test series will now go is no easy task. But what we can tell you is how to get yourself a New Zealand vs India live stream, so you can watch every moment of the cricket no matter where on Earth you are. While India currently sit at the top of the newly formed World Test Championship, New Zealand will be looking to climb up from the bottom half. And with the confidence gathered up from the brilliant one-day series win, there's nothing to suggest that they can't seriously challenge the visitors over the next couple of weeks. As ever, much of the responsibility rests on the teams' captains, Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli - respectively the number 4 and 1 batsmen in the world. But there are plenty of great players in these line-ups, with Ross Taylor in form for the Black Caps and Rohit Sharma such a threat for the visitors. Although it may be a case of this series being largely effected by the seamers. The awesome Jasprit Bumrah is fit again and firing on all cylinders, while duo Trent Boult and Tim Southee have over 400 Test wickets between them. Sounds like an enticing match-up. Follow the instructions below to find out how to grab a New Zealand vs India live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth.
Live stream New Zealand vs India from outside your countryIn India, New Zealand, Australia, the UK or US and looking to find out how to watch the Test matches between New Zealand vs India? We've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the series in your region below. But if you're away from home country - maybe abroad on business or on holiday - but still want to tune in to your domestic coverage of the match then you'll run in to issues. Because of broadcaster geo-blocking, you won't be able to watch online from overseas. By using a VPN however, you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching a potentially illegal feed from a dodgy Reddit link. How to watch the Test cricket series in IndiaHow to watch a cricket live stream in New ZealandLive stream New Zealand vs India in Australia (for FREE)How to stream New Zealand vs India live in the UKHow to watch New Zealand vs India: US live streamThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Intel's 10th-generation desktop processors might see the return of the F-Series Posted: 20 Feb 2020 11:11 AM PST We're still waiting for an official annoucnement of Intel Comet Lake processors for desktop PCs, but a new leak may indicate more of what's in store. There could be a whole new slew of F-series CPUs to round the product stack based on details in a leaked presentation slide reported on by Informática Cero and shared by Videocardz. The slide shows off six new CPUs split in half between unlocked and locked models. Here's a breakdown of the products listed:
As you can see, all six chips listed include the "F" in their name that typically indicates the omission of Intel's integrated graphics. This has generally resulted in a small price cut compared to the non-F versions without otherwise making significant changes to what the CPU itself could offer. The product stack lines up well enough with what we might expect from Intel, and even some recent leaks. An Intel Core i7-10700K benchmark leaked about a week ago and showed an 8-core/16-thread chip with a 3.8GHz base clock and 5.3GHz turbo boost. The base clock of the 10700K even lines up with the base clock of the 10700KF. The difference in the turbo boost clocks could be a result of an actual difference between the two chips aside from the disabled iGPU on the 10700KF. Good news for gamersNot everyone needs an integrated GPU like those found on many of Intel's processors. Gamers generally use dedicated GPUS anyways, as they're needed to run their favorite games, and that leaves the CPU's integrated graphics sitting mostly idle. It becomes wasted space while adding to the initial cost of the processor. If Intel is preparing a stack of Comet Lake-S desktop processors that include these F-series chips, gamers will have an easier time choosing what they want to get. The extra bit of price reduction Intel can offer on these chips will also help it compete against AMD, which has been an a winning streak with its Ryzen 3rd generation processors. Most of the Ryzen processors offer excellent value with incredible multi-core performance thanks to their high core counts – and most of these don't include integrated graphics, either. Of course, the Ryzen processors are already on sale. We still don't know when Intel will come out with desktop Comet Lake-S chips. It's already starting to feel like Intel may be running behind schedule since AMD's Ryzen 3rd generation has gone mostly unanswered for the better part of a year. It may just be the case the Intel is running late, as a product listing was recently posted for a CPU cooler compatible with the unannounced LGA 1200 socket that is expected for Comet Lake-S, PCGamesN reports. That could suggest the manufacturer was anticipating a launch date that Intel couldn't make. It certainly seems like Intel Comet Lake-S chips are on the way. The question is just whether Intel will launch them in time to compete with Ryzen 3000 or if it will have to face up against Ryzen 4000.
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Supporting an open source operating system: a Q&A with the FreeBSD Foundation Posted: 20 Feb 2020 11:00 AM PST When discussing alternative operating systems to Microsoft’s Windows or Apple’s macOS, Linux often comes to mind. However, while Linux is a recreation of UNIX, FreeBSD is more of a continuation. The free and open source operating system was initially developed by students at the University of California at Berkeley which is why the BSD in its name stands for Berkeley Software Distribution. FreeBSD runs on its own kernel and all of the operating system’s key components have been developed to be part of a single whole. This is where it differs the most from Linux because Linux is just the kernel and the other components are supplied by third parties. To learn more about FreeBSD and its ongoing development, TechRadar Pro spoke to the executive director of the FreeBSD Foundation, Deb Goodkin.
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New iPad Pro 2020 patent shows a novel way it could rival Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:55 AM PST The Apple Pencil 2 for iPad Pro devices is useful, but its functionality doesn't even come close to how handy the S Pen stylus is for devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note series. However a patent for the new iPad Pro 2020 suggests Apple could have some big improvements in store for the upcoming premium tablets. This patent, discovered by AppleInsider, shows a series of improvements to the iPad Pro's Apple Pencil stylus, including haptic feedback (vibration when you do certain things) as well as detection for how hard you're gripping the device - and, as an alternative notification mode, press against where fingers are gripping to 'poke' the user.
At the moment the Apple Pencil 2 is very useful but it has a few flaws – one supposed function is gesture controls that let you change the function of the Apple Pencil simply by pressing the sides. In almost a year of testing the tablet, we've had that work exactly zero times, and while this doesn't ruin the use experience, it makes it hard to view the stylus as anything more than a long plastic finger. If the features from this patent do find their way into the new iPad Pro's stylus, perhaps the Apple Pencil 3, we could see a genuine re-invention of the way we use the tool. Perhaps the top-end tablet could even have better stylus integration than we're expecting the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 to have. Why compare a tablet with a smartphone?We know, it seems a bit bizarre to compare a top-end Apple tablet to a premium Samsung smartphone, but hear us out here. Of all the tech products you can buy right now, arguably the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Note phones are the two that are most dependant on styluses as part of their identity (as well as the Nintendo DS, but come on, it's 2020...). Therefore how intrinsic the stylus is to the phone experience, is an important reflection of how useful the handset is. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 had a range of really useful features that you used the S Pen stylus for, like Screen Off Memo which let you write up notes even when the phone wasn't on, and a range of gesture controls to let you take pictures remotely by triggering the stylus. These functions genuinely revolutionized how we used the smartphone. As previously mentioned, though, the iPad Pro's Apple Pencil doesn't have any of these impressive features, and as such the tablets (which are mind-meltingly expensive) don't feel as high-tech as the (relatively) small smartphones. Like we said, how you use the stylus is an extension of how useful the product is, and at the moment we'd argue iPads are falling behind Galaxy Note devices. If the contents of this patent make their way into the Apple Pencil 3 for the new iPad Pros, we could see Apple regain their stylus lead as the manufacturer of the best productivity product. Saying that, patents don't always find their way into finished products in the end, so for now let's just wait until the new iPad Pro units are shown off (apparently at the end of March) before assuming the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 units have some real stylus competition. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Best gaming laptops 2020: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:54 AM PST The best gaming laptops are the only way to go if you want a portable that will help you top the score boards. Once you have one of these laptops in your arsenal, not only will you enjoy the most immersive gaming experience, but you’ll also have an edge over your rivals. That’s because gaming laptops are closing the performance gap between them and the best gaming PCs. The best gaming laptops, especially, are packed with the latest mobile versions of cutting-edge internals, from Intel Coffee Lake Refresh and Ice Lake processors to Nvidia Turing and AMD Navi graphics cards. They’re also armed with speedy SSDs for maximum performance. There’s no PC game that the best gaming laptops can’t handle. So whether you’re a casual gamer who plays in your spare time or a competitive pro who needs the most powerful internals, there’s no better investment. Lucky for you, we’ve gathered the best gaming laptops on the market for every budget and need, each of which we tested and reviewed ourselves. Best gaming laptops 2020 at a glance
Best gaming laptops 2020If you fell head over heels upon seeing the Alienware Area-51m’s stunning yet quirky white chassis, you’re not alone. And, if you happen to shell out that couple of thousand dollars based on looks alone, we’d be the last people to judge. Anyway, you’ll be happy to know that it wasn’t all for naught, as this gaming laptop – or rather, the best among the best gaming laptops of 2020 – packs a hefty punch, gaming-wise. This is so far the most powerful gaming laptop on the market currently, and you won’t be able to help but be impressed. Its comfy keyboard and VR readiness are just cherries on top. Read the full review: Alienware Area-51m These days, the best gaming laptop manufacturers are scrambling to craft the thinnest gaming laptop packing raw power. Right now, the one that might be leading the charge is the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX701. At just 0.7 inches thick, this beast of a laptop boasts an Intel Coffee Lake Core i7 chip, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and 16GB of RAM. That means you can play any PC game under the sun on Ultra, and also take it with you wherever you go – ideal for travelers with a penchant for gaming. Plus, it’s packed with RGB lighting that’ll dazzle just about anyone. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 Play some of the best PC games on the move and very discreetly with the MSI GS65 Stealth, which might just be the gaming laptop of your dreams if you’re a traveler. Coming in at just 0.69 inches thick and packing impressive internals like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a punch in its very thing package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the smart aesthetic, you’ll be able to lug this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it among the best gaming laptops to hit the streets. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth For several years now, the Razer Blade has constantly been named one of the best gaming laptops on the market. For good reason, since it rocks some powerful components and boasts a stunning display in its elegant chassis. That’s true for the 2019 model as well, which now rocks up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. That is, frankly, a ton of power for a laptop with this thin. If that’s not enough graphics power for you, you can use the Razer Core for future expansion. Make no mistake: it is pricey; but it might be worth it if style and power are equally important to you. Read the full review: Razer Blade The Lenovo Legion Y740 packs a lot of muscles inside its stylish yet accessible chassis, combining a very high refresh rate, Nvidia Turing graphics and a powerful processor with a gloriously effective thermal cooling, a nifty cable management system and a number of applications to make it truly yours. It’s as close to a complete package as you can get, wrapped in a beautiful chassis that you’d be proud to show off to friends and strangers. It still has the remnants of that gaming aesthetic, but it’s made classy so that you could be gaming in public without anyone knowing. Despite its shortcomings – unfortunate keyboard and webcam placement, as well as its subpar battery life – it’s still one of the best gaming laptops to date. Read the full review: Lenovo Legion Y740 Dell has reinvented its flagship gaming brand. The Alienware m17 (2019) touts more powerful internals and a bold new design you won’t see on any other gaming laptop of its caliber. This Alienware gaming laptop looks good inside and out, so you can have the most immersive gaming experience of your life and look good while gaming, whether you’re at home on your couch or at a cafe. That’s not all; it’s impressively portable as well, with a thin and light chassis that’s ideal for gaming on the go. This is a well-rounded gaming laptop that is worth every penny you spend on it, though you will be spending a hefty amount. Read the full review: Alienware m17 (2019) Some gaming laptops just don’t pull any punches, allowing you to run any game you can think of on Ultra without breaking a sweat – and the MSI GT75 Titan is an excellent example. It’s the king of desktop replacements, fitted with 6-core Intel Coffee Lake processors, plenty of RAM and powerful Nvidia Pascal graphics. Aptly named, this is indeed a titan, and is neither portable nor cafe-friendly. However, if raw power is what you’re after, this is the best gaming laptop for you. Just be prepared to shell out the silver. Read the full review: MSI GT75 Titan It may not have the most original or innovative design, trading in the usual black and red aesthetic for one that makes you feel like its Halloween all year round (no complaints here, but some might find it particularly unattractive). Yet, Asus ROG Strix GL502 is still one of the best laptops when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, during our tests, we were able to crank the settings all the way up in Overwatch without ever dipping below 60fps. It doesn’t offer the longest battery life, but there’s an easy fix – just have your charger on hand at all times. Rounding it all out are the display, power and onboard sound system, all of which more than make up for that middling battery life. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix GL502
Thin like an Ultrabook, yet powerful like a gaming laptop should, and with a very effective cooling system to boot, the Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX is one of the best gaming laptops we’ve gotten our hands on in 2020. It packs an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 backed by Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and up to 24GB RAM, which means that this beast should take you a long way in gaming, whether you’re a casual gamer or a pro. We’re massive fans, though probably not of that price tag. This pricey powerhouse is not for the shallow-pocketed, but with premium components come a premium price. Only invest if you’ve got the tenders. Read the full review: Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX There’s definitely a lot to love about the Origin Evo16-S. This gaming laptop doesn’t just swagger with more than enough power to handle most AAA games without frame drops or stuttering, which is already a reason on its own to buy it. It also keeps all that power in a chassis that’s particularly thin and light for a gaming laptop. And, it boasts better than average battery life to boot, which is always a nice welcome when you’ve got a gaming laptop. It’s got its share of shortcomings, sure: we’d like to see a more vibrant display and better sounding speakers. Plus, it isn’t exactly the most affordable gaming laptop out there. However, if you’ve got a bit of money to spare, you’ll have an amazing gaming experience on the go with the Origin Evo16-S. Read the full review: Origin Evo16-S Choosing the best gaming laptopWhen choosing the best gaming laptop for you, there are a few things you must take into account. First and foremost, the most crucial thing to consider in the best gaming laptops is how well they play the latest games. When creating this list, not only do we delve deep into the specifications of each gaming laptop to see if they are up to snuff, but we also run benchmarks on each one to check out the raw performance. Benchmarks only tell part of the story however. So, we also make sure we play a number of the latest games on each laptop to see just how well they perform. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. Display, sound quality, keyboard, trackpad and the overall design of the laptop matter as well, so these are definitely things you’d want to check out before hitting that buy button. In fact, if the device scores highly in all these areas, it has a good chance of making it to our best gaming laptops 2020 list. That means you can buy any of the best gaming laptops in this list in full confidence that you're getting a killer gaming device that will last you for years to come. Gabe Carey, Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article
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AMD vs Intel: which chipmaker does processors better? Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:52 AM PST AMD vs Intel: it’s the perennial deathmatch that we’ve always enjoyed sitting back and watching – not to mention, only benefited from. While the battle between AMD’s Ryzen 3rd generation and Intel’s Coffee Lake Refresh chips is dying down, the war between the AMD Ryzen 4000 and Ice Lake (perhaps even Tiger Lake) is now brewing. So, it’s time for us to once again dive in. AMD is currently on top, selling twice as many processors thanks to its notable releases in 2019 from the Ryzen 3rd generation line. However, that doesn’t mean that Intel is lagging behind. Plus, AMD and Intel have traditionally existed in different lanes. While Intel has always focused on higher clock speeds and efficiency, AMD has been all about high core counts and boosting multi-threaded performance. There’s definitely room for coexistence between AMD and Intel, catering to different audiences, with direct competition in the middle. Behind the best PCs are the best processors, and it’s important for you to find the ideal one for your specific needs. If you’re not quite sure whether to pledge allegiance to either Team Red or Team Blue, you’ve come to the right place. With the two gearing up to roll out their next-generation processors for 2020, now’s a great time to get schooled. Gary Marshall and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article For bargain shoppers on the prowl for the next hottest deal, it used to be assumed that AMD’s processors were cheaper, but that was only because Team Red did its best work at the entry level. Now that Ryzen processors have proven AMD’s worth on the high-end as well as the low end, the tide has ostensibly turned. On the mid-range, AMD processors are currently taking the lead. For one, the $329 (£319, AU$519) Ryzen 7 3700X has twice the processing threads, despite being cheaper than the competition, the Intel Core i7-9700K, which is available for $374 (£384, AU$595). On the high end, while Intel chips currently range from 4 to 18 cores, AMD chips can now be found with up to 32-cores. And again, the manufacturer’s 7nm Zen 2 CPUs are at a much lower price point. The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X competes with the $1,199 (£1,115, about AU$1,713) Intel Core i9-9920X at only $499 (about £390, AU$720), while the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is already beating Intel in multi-threaded work when it goes head to head with the $479 (£469, AU$684) Intel Core i9-9900K at only $399 (about £310, AU$580). That’s not all: rounding out AMD’s new Ryzen processor lineup is the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X, the mainstream market’s first-ever 16-core processor, which considering its power, won’t actually that expensive at $749 (about £590, AU$1,080). It was long-rumored that AMD’s Ryzen chips would offer cutting-edge performance at a lower price, and AMD’s 3rd-generation processors might be sealing the deal. Although, we still have to wait and see what Intel’s 10th-generation chips have to say about that. For anyone looking to dip their toes into the realm of the HEDT processors, AMD and Intel are very close right now, especially on the heels of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, at $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679). That might seem like a lot, but compared to the $1,999 (£1,859, AU$2,999) Intel Core i9-9980XE, it’s a downright bargain – especially given that AMD’s offering has nearly double the cores. Word is still out on whether or not Intel’s long-speculated Cascade Lake-X will change that. Intel might be aiming to shake things up though as it has announced that it’s planning on releasing a GPU aimed at gamers by 2020. And, it looks like Intel is already putting some of that effort, judging by its Gen11 graphics on the new Ice Lake processors. Still, AMD’s Ryzen 3rd-generation processors are giving Intel a run for its money and succeeding every step of the way. That’s not to mention the Intel processors in laptops that are running AMD Vega graphics. On the high-end, especially in cases where you don’t need to worry about on-board graphics, Intel’s processors are typically on top – its Core i9-9900K handily beats out the workstation-class Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX for less than half the price, as well as the Ryzen 9 3900X in single-core performance. Although, when it comes to multi-threaded performance Ryzen 9 3900X, which will set you back $499, does give the Core i9-9900K a run for its money. Same can be said for the Ryzen 7 3700X when put side by side with Intel Core i7-9700K, with the Ryzen 7 3700X taking the lead in multi-threaded workloads, but falling behind in its single-threaded ones. Additionally, while we have yet to see how the Ryzen 9 3950X performs in real-world scenarios, this 16-core, 32-thread processor aimed at the mainstream features a whopping 72MB of L3 cache and a boost clock of 4.7 GHz, all while maintaining a 105W TDP. AMD typically provides better multi-threaded performance, as a result of higher core and thread counts. Ryzen CPUs also offer more PCIe lanes, along with PCIe 4.0 compatibility, both of which come in handy if you want multiple NVMe SSDs alongside Nvidia SLI and AMD CrossFire multi-GPU performance. If you're building a gaming PC, you should be using a discrete graphics card, or GPU (graphics processing unit), rather than relying on a CPU’s integrated graphics to run games as demanding as Middle Earth: Shadow of War. Still, it’s possible to run less graphically intense games on an integrated GPU if your processor has one. In this area, AMD is the clear winner, thanks to the release of the Ryzen 5 2400G that packs powerful discrete Vega graphics that outperforms Intel’s onboard graphic technology by leaps and bounds. AMD has also launched an updated driver for its mobile Ryzen chips, which leads to up to 20% better performance in games like CS:GO and Fortnite. Yet, as we mentioned before, Intel has H-series mobile CPU chips with AMD graphics on board. In turn, this means that hardier laptops powered by Intel can now be thinner and their accompanying silicon footprints will be over 50% smaller, according to Intel client computing group vice president Christopher Walker. All of this is accomplished using Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology, along with a newly contrived framework that enables power sharing between Intel’s first-party processors and third-party graphics chips with dedicated graphics memory. Even so, it’s too early to tell whether this is a better solution than the purebred AMD notebooks. But, with Intel Ice Lake, Intel processors now feature the new Gen11 graphics, which feature more EUs, or Execution Cores, than the previous Gen9 graphics. Now, we haven’t got our hands on any laptops powered by Ice Lake, but we’re expecting to see a huge uplift in performance. On the high end, such as in cases where you'll be pairing your CPU with a powerful AMD or Nvidia GPU, Intel’s processors are typically better for gaming due to their higher base and boost clock speeds. However, now that AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation processors offer 15% better IPC (Instructions Per Clock) performance than their 2nd Generation counterparts, that story is starting to change. Plus, AMD still provides better CPUs for multi-tasking, as a result of their higher core and thread counts. While there is no clear winner in the graphics department, survey says AMD is the better option for integrated graphics, while hardcore gamers who don’t mind shelling out the extra cash for a GPU will find that Intel is better for gaming alone – although with Ryzen 3nd Generation AMD is closing that gap. Meanwhile, AMD is superior for carrying out numerous tasks at once. When you buy a new computer or even just a CPU by itself, it's typically locked at a specific clock speed as indicated on the box. Some processors ship unlocked, allowing for higher clock speeds than recommended by the manufacturer, giving users more control over how they use their components (though, it does require you know how to overclock). AMD is normally more generous than Intel in this regard. With an AMD system, you can expect overclocking capabilities from even the $129 (£84, AU$145) Ryzen 3 2200G. Meanwhile, you can only overclock an Intel processor if it's graced with the “K” series stamp of approval. Then again, the cheapest of these is the $173 (about £130, AU$240) Intel Core i3-9350K. Both companies will void your warranty if you brick your processor as the result of overclocking, though, so it’s important to watch out for that. Excessive amounts of heat can be generated if you’re not careful, thereby neutralizing the CPU as a result. With that in mind, you’ll be missing out on a few hundred stock megahertz if you skip out on one of the K models. Intel’s more extravagant K-stamped chips are pretty impressive, too. The i9-9900K, for instance, is capable of maintaining a whopping 5.0GHz turbo frequency in comparison to the 4.6GHz boost frequency of the Ryzen 9 3900X. If you’ve access to liquid nitrogen cooling, you may even be able to reach upwards of 6.1GHz using Intel’s monstrous, 18-core i9-7980XE. In the end, the biggest problem with AMD’s desktop processors is the lack of compatibility with other components. Specifically, motherboard (mobo) and cooler options are limited as a result of the differing sockets between AMD and Intel chips. While a lot of CPU coolers demand that you special order an AM4 bracket to be used with Ryzen, only a handful of the best motherboards are compatible with the AM4 chipset. In that regard, Intel parts are slightly more commonplace and are often accompanied by lower starting costs, too, as a result of the wide variety of kit to choose from. That said, AMD's chips make a little more sense from a hardware design perspective. With an AMD motherboard, rather than having metal connector pins on the CPU socket, you'll notice those pins are instead on the underside of the CPU itself. In turn, the mobo is less likely to malfunction due to its own faulty pins. When it comes to availability in 2019, it gets complicated. While both Coffee Lake Refresh and AMD Ryzen 3nd Generation processors are now widely available, and Ice Lake already currently shipping, Intel went through supply shortages. This resulted in financial analysts downgrading Intel’s stock in the face of both 14nm shortages and Cannon Lake’s constant delays, according to a report from CNBC. And, thanks to this mass confusion and increased prices from Team Blue, AMD has stolen the sales crown. Still, you can pick up processors from both companies today, though Intel chips like the Intel Core i9-9900K might have some increased pricing. AMD APUs like the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G are still great options for anyone on a budget, though. Future speculationIt really shouldn’t come as a surprise that AMD is having a great couple of years with its Ryzen processors – especially the high-end Threadripper processors. AMD is claiming more and more of Intel’s market share, up to 50% at the time of writing. If AMD keeps putting out processors as good as the Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen 9 3900X, bringing the 7nm Zen 2 architecture to mainstream processors for the first time, this trend will only continue. Behind the AMD Ryzen 3000 series chips is AMD’s Zen 2 microarchitecture. They’re touting up to 12-cores and 24-threads, as well as massive performance improvements. As for what these chips will be capable of, AMD pit the considerably cheaper AMD Ryzen 9 3900X against the Intel Core i9-9920X in Blender, with promising results. Additionally, AMD Ryzen 7 3800X boasted identical performance to the Intel Core i9-9900K. And if those chips aren’t enough, you’ll get your hands on the Ryzen 9 3950X soon enough, as it will roll out in September 2019. As for Intel, while it did struggle with the Cannon Lake release, it’s full steam ahead for its 10nm Ice Lake processors. These are out right now, and will be in laptops before the end of the year. Ice Lake will be behind the next generation of Ultrabooks, and will feature built-in Thunderbolt 3, WiFi connectivity and Gen11 graphics, among other features. The manufacturer is also expected to refresh its desktop processors, after it announced the Intel Core i9-9900KS, which is essentially a Core i9-9900K that has an all-core 5GHz boost clock, to better compete with Ryzen 3rd Generation processors. Finally, we’ve seen some evidence of Intel’s graphics cards beyond some vague gesturing. At GDC 2019, Intel showed off renders, giving us a tease of what its first graphics card would look like. Little short graphics cards with a single fan in a blower configuration. It’ll be interesting to see if it can compete with AMD’s higher-end GPUs. Keep this page bookmarked as we’ll update it when either manufacturers have more aces to reveal. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Alternative data collection methods to consider for IoT solutions Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:30 AM PST As digital transformation reshapes the business landscape across nearly every vertical market, the Internet of Things (IoT) has matured from simple novelties to becoming integral for innovating CIOs and decision makers to achieve their overarching business objectives. As with all technical investments, IoT solutions must have a clear value proposition and a compelling return on investment. While the value proposition may be fairly straightforward to articulate, creating a solution that justifies that investment can prove to be a much greater challenge. Connecting the dotsConsistent and accurate data is the fundamental building block IoT solutions require to achieve intended business outcomes. Getting that data across the entire IoT ecosystem requires a broad mix of technology components, including devices used to collect data, communications channels, and platforms used to manage the devices. In addition, other elements to consider are the means used to store and analyze the data, as well as methods used to encrypt and secure it end-to-end. Once the data has been ingested, tools and applications activate the data and provide actionable information for consumers. The reality is that all this infrastructure comes at a cost, which is the principal impediment that prohibits a strong return on investment. Challenges in accurate data collection, secure communications and reliable platforms can often hinder companies from scaling IoT solutions to production, ultimately stranding them in pilot purgatory. Old form, new functionTo overcome these challenges, IoT technologists are driven to find more efficient methods that reduce the total cost to deploy solutions at scale. One important area of focus is finding new and innovative ways to collect data. In some instances, IoT solutions can easily include thousands of managed devices, resulting in challenges to collect data in a secure and efficient manner. In other instances, collecting operational and environmental data was not a feature of the original design of the systems. This is the case in legacy environments deployed prior to the advancement of the technologies that enable IoT. In such cases, the environment must be retrofitted with additional sensors to collect and transmit actionable data. An example of this might be operational technology (OT) environments that utilize Industrial Control Systems (ICS) such as manufacturing, energy and utilities, as well as for environmental controls for any physical plant which typifies the OT/IT convergence. As with any infrastructure, updating OT environments and enabling them to become “connected” brings both massive opportunities and significant challenges. The ability to continuously monitor equipment using an IoT solution now allows decision makers to refine processes more quickly and accurately, resulting in more efficient and profitable operations. For example, manufacturers can more precisely monitor the quality of their products and make adjustments in the production process in a timely manner, resulting in improved financial performance through better margins by reducing waste and lowering production costs. In more advanced use cases, devices can not only be monitored, but can also be controlled and configured either manually by technicians or even as an automated response based on predefined event management rules. Ever-evolving securityWhile there are many welcomed benefits stemming from connected solutions, IoT brings significant security risks as well. By connecting devices and equipment at an enterprise scale, businesses vastly increase the attack surface malicious actors seek to exploit and to gain access to sensitive data, resulting in either physical or digital damage, or both. These threats necessitate an enhanced cybersecurity strategy to mitigate risks. Traditional monitoring and security infrastructure required agents to be deployed. However, this resulted in performance overhead and management issues. Passive data collection solutions have proven to be better alternatives as they incur less overhead in system performance and licensing costs than active data collection methods. While intrusion detection and other SIM technology has long-existed (that can passively collect and monitor the communications channels that interconnect the infrastructure) they have traditionally had a one-dimensional purpose to detect and mitigate security threats. New methods are being developed to improve the value propositions of cybersecurity solutions, specifically in OT environments. Something from nothingICS deployments in these environments exchange significant amounts of data between devices and the Primary Logic Controllers (PLCs). Unfortunately, there are few industry-standard protocols and many systems communicate via proprietary protocols. Advanced cybersecurity technologies are now able to decode these proprietary protocols to extract the control data to detect anomalies and provide alerts when necessary to protect critical infrastructure. This ability to capture data from these sources is significant as it was previously not accessible or didn’t exist until recently. Cutting-edge techniques are also now being developed to realize even more compelling outcomes. The same decoded control data can be leveraged as valuable input to business intelligence platforms. The data can be stored in a repository, and then advanced data analytics methods can be employed to transform the data for high-value activities such as predictive maintenance. The data that has always existed is now being used to gain back lost revenue and even generate new revenue opportunities with results varying by industry. Reducing downtime in a manufacturing context translates to increased levels of production and subsequent revenue. Improving the availability of infrastructure in the energy and utilities sector yields higher production and the reduction of wasted resources. The common thread is improved outcomes including higher customer satisfaction and greater profits. Brian Russell, IoT Solution Architect at Atos North America This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Cut, copy and paste inventor dies at 74 Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:28 AM PST The computer scientist Larry Tesler, who is famous for inventing the computer concepts cut, copy and paste, has passed away at age 74. Tesler was born in New York in 1945 and he studied computer science at Stanford. After graduation, he worked in the university's genetics and computer science departments before becoming a research assistant at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. In 1973, Tesler joined Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and this is where he developed cut, copy and paste. These concepts were instrumental in the development of text editors and early computer operating systems.
While cut, copy and paste were developed at PARC, the research center is more well known for its early work on graphical user interfaces and using a mouse to navigate them because Apple co-founder Steve Jobs used many of its ideas as inspiration for Apple's products. In fact, Tesler was even part of some of Jobs' visits to Xerox. Modeless computingIn addition to creating cut, copy and paste, Tesler was also a big proponent of a concept called “modeless” computing. Basically modeless computing revolves around the idea that a program should not have different “modes” where a user's input works differently depending on which mode they're in. According to Tesler's personal website, he and a colleague named Tim Mott developed the idea while working on the Gypsy text editor back at PARC. He was such a big believer in modeless computing that the URL of his site is actually nomodes.com. Tesler joined Apple in 1980 and he worked at the company until 1997 where he eventually rose to the role of Chief Scientist. During that time, he worked on a number of products including the Macintosh, QuickTime, Lisa and even the Newton tablet. The Macintosh and Lisa were the first personal computers ever to include cut, copy and paste functionality as a result of Tesler's involvement in their development. After leaving Apple in 1997, Tesler had several short stints at a number of other big companies including Amazon, Yahoo!, 23andMe and others. Tesler's contribution to computing won't be forgotten any time soon as the concepts of cut, copy and paste have become fundamental to how we use computers and even smartphones today.
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Olympiacos vs Arsenal live stream: how to today's Europa League 2020 football online from anywhere Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:14 AM PST Both Olympiacos and Arsenal come into tonight match off the back of emphatic 4-0 wins in their domestic leagues. So if it's goals you're hoping for, we'll help you discover how to get an Olympiacos vs Arsenal live stream - no matter where in the world you are. After a series of draws, the Gunners notched up an impressive Premier League win over Newcastle that moved them within six points of a Champions League spot. Similarly, tonight's home side warmed up for their Europa League clash with a convincing win over bottom-of-the-table Panionios to maintain their two-point lead at the top of the Greek Super League. It's honours even for these sides in terms of recent meetings, with both having won four of their previous eight encounters against each other. The most recent fixture at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis involving the two teams was a 2015 3-0 win for the Gunners which saw Olivier Giroud bag a hat-trick. Only Hector Bellerín and Mesut Olympiacos have not lost at home at all this season apart for a 3-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in October in the Champions League, and will be a tough nut to crack for Mikel Arteta's side. Read on to find out how to watch what looks set to be well-matched Europa League clash, no matter where you are in the world, with TechRadar's guide to getting a Olympiacos vs Arsenal live stream.
Use a VPN to watch Europa League football when away from homeScroll down to find out your football viewing options in some of the major Europa League watching countries around the world. And if you're out of the country for this game week and are worried that you won't catch the game, don't sweat. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world. And best of all, it's really easy to do. How to stream Olympiacos vs Arsenal live in the UKHow to live stream Olympiacos vs Arsenal in the US
How to live stream tonight's Europa League in Canada for FREEHow to live stream Olympiacos vs Arsenal in AustraliaHow to watch Olympiacos vs Arsenal in New ZealandHow to live stream tonight's UEFA Europa League match in IndiaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Women's T20 World Cup 2020 live stream: how to watch online from anywhere Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:08 AM PST Wherever you are in the world, it's easy to watch cricket online and get a great quality ICC Women's T20 World Cup live stream in 2020. Hosts Australia enter the tournament as slight favorites, but England, India and New Zealand can't be discounted as the world's 10 best teams compete for T20 glory Down Under. The action gets underway on Friday, February 21 with a huge match that pits India vs Australia. India is led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who famously knocked a 171 against Australia back in 2017 during a ODI, but equally impressive are two of the youngsters they've included in their side: 16-year olds Richa Ghosh and Shafali Verma. Hopes are especially high for Shafali, who etched her way into Indian cricket history when she broke the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's 30 year record and became the youngest ever play in the country to score a half century, racking up 73 runs against the West Indies at just 15 years and 285 days old. But Australia enter the tournament as the number one women's T20 side in the world and, captained by Meg Lanning, they won't be easily beaten. If you want to know where you'll be able to watch this and every other match, we'll tell you exactly how to access a trustworthy ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 live stream from anywhere in the world. Live stream ICC Women's T20 World Cup from outside your countryYou don't have to miss a second of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup. Even if you're abroad and discover that your home broadcaster's online coverage is geo-blocked, there's a simple and perfectly legal way to watch your domestic cricket coverage without - just use a VPN to login back to your country that is broadcasting the match. Here's how. How to stream the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup live in the UKWatch a Women's T20 Cricket World Cup live stream in AustraliaHow to watch the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup: US live streamHow to watch a Women's T20 Cricket World Cup live stream in IndiaHow to get a FREE T20 Women's World Cup live stream in PakistanICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 formatThe ICC Women's T20 World Cup is a 10-team tournament split into two groups - Group A and Group B. The top two teams from each will progress and qualify for the semi-finals. The two winning semi-finalists then get to face off in the final on March 8 in Melbourne. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Will there be a Locke and Key season 2? Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:07 AM PST Locke and Key, Netflix's new series based on the fantastic comic by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez, had a long road towards debuting on the streaming service – but will it get a season 2? The first season of Locke and Key debuted on February 7, and while a second season hasn't been announced yet, episodes of Locke and Key season 2 are being written according to executive producer Carlton Cuse. That bodes well for its chances of a follow-up season. Below, we'll detail what we know about Locke and Key's chances of a second season, and what we might expect from a follow-up year of the show.
Locke and Key season 2: will the Netflix show return?Carlton Cuse, the show's executive producer, suggests the show won't be renewed or canceled either way until Netflix has 30 days of viewing data – if it's going ahead, then, we'll likely find out at some point in early March. That said, writers are in place for season 2. "Although Netflix has not picked up season 2, and their policy is not to do that until they have 30 days of data on the show, they have paid for a writers’ room," Cuse told Collider in January, before the show released. It's worth saying that there do seem to be exceptions to the rule cited by Cuse there, like The Witcher season 2 being ordered before the show even arrived on the streaming service. This means, though, that scripts are at least being written for Locke and Key season 2, which seems positive. "We’re in the middle of writing season 2, so we’re optimistic and hopeful that we’re gonna get a chance to make season 2. We very much know what it is because Meredith [Averill, executive producer] and I are in the middle of overseeing the writers’ room and we’re working on that right now." Locke and Key season 2 could blend the comics and original storiesLocke and Key season 2 will apparently feature some original stories, but there's still plenty of material to adapt from the comics in years to come. "There definitely are stories left in the comics that we want to hold onto, to use in future seasons," Cuse said in that same Collider interview. "So, it still remains a bit of a remix, of pulling from stories from the comic and our own original stories." We'll update this page when we learn more about Locke and Key's fate on Netflix.
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Get the UK's cheapest fibre broadband deals with this Plusnet bargain Posted: 20 Feb 2020 10:00 AM PST With all of your subscriptions combining together to drain your bank each month, any bit of extra saving can be a real saviour in your life. And if you need to renew your broadband deal, adding another monthly cost, Plusnet has an offer to help ease the pain. The deal looks like this - £22.99 a month, nothing to pay upfront and speeds averaging 36Mb. That alone makes Plusnet relatively average. But when you include the fact that Plusnet will also include £75 in cashback, this becomes one of the UK's cheapest plans. You're effectively paying just £18.82 when you include the cashback, making this the cheapest fibre brodband deal around right now, despite some pretty competitive other options.
This cheap Plusnet broadband deal in full:What other broadband deals are available right now?Not a fan of the Plusnet broadband deal above? Not to worry, there are a number of other great options if you're willing to spend a bit more. Vodafone's Superfast fibre 2 plan seems like the obvious choice for anyone needing fibre, coming in at just £23.95 a month with speeds averaging 63Mb, it's a speed upgrade for not a whole lot more each month. Or if you want to go even cheaper and don't mind a drop in speeds, the Post Office can cost you just £15.90 a month. However, you will only get speeds averaging 11Mb.
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Wilder vs Fury 2 live stream: how to watch, date, time and undercard Posted: 20 Feb 2020 09:59 AM PST Everything leading up to Wilder vs Fury 2 suggests it's going to be a fight for the ages and one that you aren't going to want to miss. So we're here to tell you everything you need to know about 2020's biggest boxing event, including complete details of how to live stream Wilder vs Fury 2 and watch the big fight on TV and online - plus key information like the Wilder vs Fury time, date and undercard. This weekend's big fight is being promoted as 'Unfinished Business', after the first Wilder vs Fury clash in 2018 ended in a controversial split draw decision. Nothing less than the WBC heavyweight title is at stake in Las Vegas, with both boxers also defending undefeated records. Standing at an imposing 6ft 7in in height, Deontay Wilder is simply a knockout artist. The 34-year-old American boasts a 42-0-1 record that includes a staggering 41 wins by KO. The most recent saw the Bronze Bomber floor Luis Ortiz in November 2019 for yet another decisive victory. On the opposite side of the ring, British man-mountain Tyson Fury's height is an even more intimidating 6ft 9in. The Manchester fan favorite will fly out to Vegas with a 29-0-1 record that features 20 wins by KO. He's best known for defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. By now, you probably can tell that this has the potential to become a legendary fight, so allow us to tell you how to live stream Wilder vs Fury 2 and watch all the action from Vegas as it happens. How to watch Wilder vs Fury 2: live stream the big fight from outside your countryRead on for specific information on who is showing Wilder vs Fury 2 on TV and PPV in different countries including the US, UK and Australia. But the first thing worth mentioning is that anyone who finds themselves abroad for the big fight can still watch Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder via their usual home broadcaster or service by using a VPN. Otherwise known as a Virtual Private Network, it's a nifty bit of software that lets you access content from your home country completely legally. Crucially, this means you and won't have to loiter around the internet's sketchier corners for a stream. Wilder vs Fury 2 live stream: watch the fight in the USStream the Fury fight live in the UKHow to watch Wilder vs Fury 2: live stream this week's big fight from AustraliaLive stream Wilder vs Fury live in New ZealandFury vs Wilder 2: undercard detailsIn addition to watchin Tyson Fury take on Deontay Wilder, there are a number of other blockbuster fights set for this Saturday in Vegas. The first undercard encounter of the night will be a junior middleweight bout between Sebastian Fundora and Daniel Lewis. While neither of the two are household names, it's an intriguing clash for boxing fans eager to get a potential glimpse of the future. The main talking point here is the fact that Fundora stands at 6ft5in tall but still manages to make the 154 pounds. Lewis, for his part, is a promising Australian fight who has previously fought at the Olympics. After that, Emanuel Navarrete will defend his WBO super bantamweight title on the night against challenger Jeo Tupas Santisima just prior to the main event. Heavyweights Charles Martin (27-2-1, 24 KOs) and Gerald Washington (20-3-1, 13 KOs) will also enter the ring in a potential title eliminator. Wilder vs Fury 2: UK time and dateWilder vs Fury 2 takes place on Saturday, February 22 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The action gets underway at 6pm US Pacific time, which is 9pm ET and 2am UK time. However, with a full undercard to get through before Fury and Wilder take to the ring once again, the main event isn't expected to start until around 5am UK time. This means you'll be burning the midnight oil or setting an early alarm if you want to watch all the action live. Should you want to make a full night of it, here's what you can look forward to. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Posted: 20 Feb 2020 09:55 AM PST Having enjoyed a successful away day at the weekend with their 2-0 win over Chelsea, Man United will be hoping to continue their on the road form in this Europa League clash against a flying Club Brugge. Sound like a good way to spend your Thursday evening? Then you'll want to follow our advice on getting a Club Brugge vs Manchester United live stream, no matter where you are in the world. While United's opponents this evening may have dropped out of the Champions League at the group stage, but they've been installed by many pundits as one of the favourites to lift the Europa League trophy in Gdansk in May. Philippe Clement's side memorably held Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu back in the Champions League back in October and they're currently sitting pretty at the top of the Belgian League with a nine point cushion. Currently unbeaten in 13 games, the home side will tonight welcome back Clinton Mata and Krépin Diatta from suspension. United's win over Chelsea made it three wins in a four-game unbeaten run. With Marcus Rashford still injured, tonight's match looks likely to provide a further chance for another young Red Devil Mason Greenwood to shine upfront. Greenwood has so far relished his outings in the Europa League this season, having bagged four goals in five appearances in the competition. With new signing Odion Ighalo likely to jump in front of him in the pecking order once match fit, 18-year-old Mason will be hoping for start tonight and serve a reminder to boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær of his pace and instinctive finishing. Read on to find out how to watch what looks set to be fascinating Europa League encounter, no matter where you are in the world, with TechRadar's guide to getting a Club Brugge vs Manchester United live stream.
Use a VPN to watch Europa League football when away from homeScroll down to find out your football viewing options in some of the major Europa League watching countries around the world. And if you're out of the country for this game week and are worried that you won't catch the game, don't sweat. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world. And best of all, it's really easy to do. How to stream Club Brugge vs Manchester United live in the UKHow to live stream Club Brugge vs Manchester United in the US
How to live stream tonight's Europa League in Canada for FREEHow to live stream Club Brugge vs Man United in AustraliaHow to watch Club Brugge vs Manchester United in New ZealandHow to live stream tonight's UEFA Europa League match in IndiaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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This way my partner Wesley Virgin's report begins in this SHOCKING AND CONTROVERSIAL video.
ReplyDeleteYou see, Wesley was in the army-and soon after leaving-he found hidden, "MIND CONTROL" tactics that the government and others used to get everything they want.
These are the same tactics tons of famous people (especially those who "became famous out of nowhere") and the greatest business people used to become wealthy and successful.
You've heard that you utilize only 10% of your brain.
Really, that's because most of your BRAINPOWER is UNCONSCIOUS.
Maybe this thought has even occurred IN YOUR very own mind... as it did in my good friend Wesley Virgin's mind about seven years back, while driving an unregistered, beat-up garbage bucket of a car without a driver's license and with $3.20 in his bank account.
"I'm very fed up with living check to check! When will I finally make it?"
You've taken part in those types of questions, ain't it so?
Your success story is waiting to be written. You just need to take a leap of faith in YOURSELF.
UNLOCK YOUR SECRET BRAINPOWER