The Blog: March 2014

Monday, 31 March 2014

Square Enix rethinks triple-A focus; goes back to Japanese RPG roots

Square Enix*President Yosuke Matsuda says the company will make future games without focusing too much on their global aspect and appeal Square Enix tried to branch out with different triple-A game genres with Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Hitman: Absolution, the Tomb Raider reboot, and Thief. While half of those games earned critical acclaim, they did Read the full article...

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Singapore’s Blk 71 to be shifted to Sentosa; will be turned into a tech museum

Blk 71 will be shifted brick-by-brick to island resort*Sentosa. The new structure to come up in its place will have 71 levels to house 7,000 startups Within a month of announcing Block 73 and 79 as two new buildings to come alongside Block 71 to house startups, the government’s best-kept secret is out. Highly placed Read the full article...

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New dwarf planet gives a clearer picture of the outer Solar System

NASA remolds our image of the outer Solar System with the announcement of the discovery of a new dwarf planet.

Last week several observatories had confirmed reports of a newly discovered object outside the Solar System, which is technically as of now considered as the most distant object that is known to be in orbit around the Solar System.

The observed object was classified as a dwarf planet, designated as 2012 VP113. Dwarf planets are basically spherical celestial bodies with a sufficient gravity field that is within an orbiting path around a mother star, or on this case, our own sun. The discovery was coordinated by the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii and Carnegie Institution in Washington, and the very existence of the dwarf planet itself may shed more light about the exact structure and composition of the Kuiper Belt, and perhaps even the Oort Cloud, the two outermost regions of the Solar System.

At its closest point in orbit, 2012 VP113 is about 80 AU (astronomical units), or about eighty times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. For comparison, Jupiter is about 5 AU, and most of the objects found in the Kuiper Belt are about 30-50 AU. Even Sedna, another trans-Neptunian object discovered in 2003, was still a little bit nearer to the sun in its closest orbit, which is around 76 AU. As of March 2014, the 2012 VP113 is the farthest object in our Solar System ever to have been definitively observed and studied.

The fact that dwarf planets such 2012 VP113 can exist reveals more about the exciting possibility that even larger objects exist just outside our local planetary neighborhood. As the researchers have suggested, some of the planets deep within the Oort Cloud might even be as big as the Earth, or probably even many times bigger. As of now however, we still don’t have the technology to observe these faint distant objects, so their discoveries may still have to wait for a few more years or decades.

Source: NASA

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Nexus 5 OTG?!?!

Does the Neuxs 5 need to be rooted for OTG capablites? If so why? Why would google f' this up like that. I picked up a micro USB OTG cable so i could connect my ps3 controller and play GTA...amongst other things. But i find out now it a broken!?! Im not one to root per-say and am wondering if i should just use the Moga contrller.

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Chief of Microsoft Studios’ Phil Spencer is now head of Xbox

The man who made centre stage appearances at Microsoft Xbox-related press conferences will helm entire Xbox business Gaming enthusiasts who kept tabs on the many appearances of Phil Spencer in Xbox-related press conferences and roundtables shouldn’t be so surprised at these recent turn of events. The official Xbox news site announced that the chief of Read the full article...

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HOOT! AMD Saints Row IV Promotion

Get a free Saints Row IV, when you purchase any of the AMD Bundle listed.

Happy Hooting

Simply scan a copy of the purchase invoice of the processor and motherboard and email to wai-san.koh@amd.com

:hootdah:

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Antec GX500 Case Review

Most people know Antec and their high quality Cases. In this review we look at the new Antec GX500 Case. It is a midi tower with many features and with a relatively low price tag.

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Display experts: "Samsung Galaxy S5's OLED display is the best we have ever tested"

Samsung doesn’t do everything right, but if there is one thing the company nails every time, it is their displays.

DisplayMate is the single most influential authority when it comes to assessing display quality, whether it is HD monitors, TVs, or – as in context of this blog post – mobile displays. They have just released their assessment of the display running the show for Samsung’s latest high-end smartphone – the Galaxy S5, and they call it the “best display [they] have ever tested.”

There are two key areas where the S5′s OLED display simply kills it.

The first is brightness. DisplayMate observed that the S5′s display is 22% brighter than the already bedazzling Galaxy S4 display. In high ambient light conditions, such as when the display is directly facing the sun, the S5′s display performs better than anything ever tested.

The second is color accuracy. Despite using an OLED display (the sort that are infamous of being vibrant, but oversaturated), the Galaxy S5 achieved ‘Excellent 2.2 JNCD’ – geekspeak for highest color accuracy in any smartphone or tablet.

From DisplayMate:

Based on our extensive Lab tests and measurements, the Galaxy S5 is the Best performing Smartphone display that we have ever tested. It has a long list of new records for best Smartphone display performance including: Highest Brightness, Lowest Reflectance, Highest Color Accuracy, Infinite Contrast Ratio, Highest Contrast Rating in Ambient Light, and smallest Brightness Variation with Viewing Angle. The Galaxy S5 has raised the bar for top display performance up by another notch – an impressive achievement for OLED technology!

There is no doubt in my mind that manufacturers will jump to 2.5K resolution (2560×1440) in the next couple of years, but at least for me, the competition on increasing pixel density ended in 2012 when HD displays with 300+ ppi densities became the norm. It is nice to see companies focusing on other, equally (if not more so) important factors affecting display quality.

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Dual boot iOS solution to be released soon

Popular iOS hacker @winocm has announced that he will soon release a dual boot iOS solution,*allowing users to easily switch between iOS 6 and iOS 7.

With iOS 6 Apple made it very hard to downgrade firmware back to an old iOS version which meant that people who updated to a new firmware often lost their jailbreaks because one hadn’t been developed for the firmware. Back in the day it was easy to go back to an old version, but not anymore.

That’s not all. Certain jailbreak tweaks and applications only work with previous versions of the firmware. Users who used to rely upon such software can’t get it on the latest firmware, and there’s no official method of going back to an old firmware like iOS 6.*Recently @winocm posted a video online of an iPad triple-booting into multiple versions of iOS. The hacked tablet was capable of booting up and running iOS 5.1, and then effortlessly switching to iOS 6.1.3 and iOS 7.0.6.

He was asked on Twitter if he has any plans of releasing this dual boot solution. @winocm replied in the affirmative, though he did add that the “first revision will not be user friendly at all.”*The dual boot solution will make it easier for users who wish to roll back to an older firmware, but still keep doors open for the latest firmware. It will also let them use apps and tweaks not compatible with iOS 7.

@winocm recently also posted a video online of an iOS 7.1 untethered jailbreak on iPhone 4. Its unclear when that jailbreak is going to be released. Since the iPhone 4′s bootrom exploit can be leveraged, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with an iOS 7.1 untethered jailbreak for it. As far as newer devices are concerned, it may take a while before a jailbreak is achieved.

HELP - home networking issue

Hello guys,

I have a technical problem that i'm unsure what to do..

I'm currently signed up for a 100mbps fibre plan from myrepublic. The speeds when im running a directline is abou 80-95mbps which is acceptable. Problem is, this is when i'm running a 30m long cat 5E cable from the living room where my modem/router is located.

When i'm using my phone and macbook air from my room wirelessly i'm getting horrible speeds of 20-25mbps. I'm ok with that but only worried that when I use my main rig via usb/network card I get those kind of speeds.

My room is 2 walls away from the router and about 15m away.

I am only considering homeplug and usb/network adapter now as trunking isnt allowed by my landlord. Previously i've tried an aztech powerline and I got around 30-40mbps. This was quite a while ago, using my old tp link 150mbps usb adapter, I get around 10 mbps.

My question is there any recommended solution ?

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Getting 10Gbps home fiber connections by 2015 sounds great, but…

What’s the worst that could happen? Here’s a look into this new technology by the name of XGPON or 10GPON Earlier this month, Telkom Akses announced its 10Gbps Internet infrastructure project. The wholly owned subsidiary of Telkom plans to link up 20 million homes to the internet using fiber optic cables, unifying its currently diversified Read the full article...

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Please tweak your Aztech DSL7002GRV(S) for Wireless access, same for DSL7000GRV

I am on 500mbps Singtel Fibre Broadband

Once you've entered : http://ift.tt/1o237WC

1) Go to Home Network

2) Go to WLAN

3) Go to 2.4G (as most wireless adapters in notebooks do NOT support dual band)

4) Go to Advanced Settings

5) Under Bandwidth select " 20/40MHz "

6) Ensure 802.11n Rate is at Auto

Now my wireless connected speed shows 300Mbps or at times 150Mbps

But MOST important, Speedtest shows 103Mbps or 104Mbps downloads (used to be 20-50Mbps only)

My wired no problem, connected at more than 530Mbps

Both wired and wireless ping around 4ms

Thus by far, I do NOT even need to consider buying Asus, just stick with the provided Aztech

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DeltaViet wants to raise US$30,000 to reach 1.6 million users

Co-founders of*Vietnam’s e-learning platform talk about raising funds, expansion plans and entering the B2B space, among other things In a bid to support Vietnam’s rising young population, Minh Nguyen first set up DeltaViet, a social network for members supporting each other’s personal development, in 2009. The site grew to 100,000 users, but was later shut Read the full article...

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The Toad @ JFDI Day 7: Education too boring? Say hello to Wikasa

Meet Rama Manusama, the CEO of Wikasa as he talks about his motivation behind the startup and how it is blooming to its full potential with JFDI Another week, another Monday. One of the trending topics today on Twitter is ‘Monday Blues’. So to kill off the monotony, why don’t you read about a passionate Read the full article...

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Ghost Recon Phantoms’ producer on standing out in a shooter crowd

Ubisoft Singapore producer explains the upcoming shooter’s new changes and various ways it differentiates itself from competition Ubisoft’s online third-person team-based shooter Ghost Recon Phantoms has come a long way from its alpha state back in 2011, to the point where producer Corey Facteau and the Ubisoft Singapore team justified a title change from its Read the full article...

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Carmack says Facebook buyout of Oculus VR was natural evolution of the medium

Oculus VR CTO and id Software co-founder says that Facebook sees “the big picture” in VR.

Oculus VR’s CTO John Carmack — the most prolific figure in the company — has come out defending the Facebook buyout of his company.

Responding to a blog post by chiptune musician Peter Berkman, Carmack said he “wasn’t expecting Facebook” to be the one buying out Oculus VR but said it was only natural for Titan-sized technology companies to be moving into VR.

“The fairly rapid involvement of the Titans is inevitable, and the real questions were how deeply to partner, and with who,” Carmack wrote, likely referring to Sony’s recent announcement of its plans to get into the VR space with its own headset.

Carmack said that the deal’s announcement came as a surprise, as the week prior he had been chatting with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the topic had not been broached.

Part of the criticism that has arisen from the Facebook deal revolves around the company’s data mining and advertising heavy business model. But this doesn’t concern Carmack, as he says it’s important for companies to pay attention to their customers.

“The idea that companies are supposed to interact with you and not pay attention has never seemed sane to me,” he wrote. “I rather like the recommendations that Amazon gives me on each visit. Educate me. What terrible outcome is expected from this?”

Carmack also addressed the other half of the criticism surrounding the deal, which is that early backers of the project were burned because they received no dividend payout (for more on why an equity-based crowdfunding system is needed read this).

There is a case to be made for being like Valve, and trying to build a new VR ecosystem from the ground up,” he wrote. “This is probably what most of the passionate fans wanted to see. The difference is that, for years, the industry thought Valve was nuts, and they had the field to themselves.”

Facebook has yet to announce plans on what it wants to do with Oculus VR.

Source:*Peter Berkman (blog)

The Moto G Forte could be a slightly upgraded Moto G successor

A leaked photo suggests the Moto G Forte could be headed to emerging markets, possibly with upgraded hardware over the Moto G.

The Moto G has been a huge success for Motorola, especially in emerging markets, and the company could be looking to bank on that success with a new variant dubbed the Moto G Forte.

According to notorious leakster @evleaks, the Moto G Forte could be headed to Latin America in the coming weeks. No details on the hardware accompany the leak, but it’s possible Motorola could be looking at fixing the (very) few shortcomings of the Moto G, namely the lack of a microSD card slot, a feature that is in high demand in emerging markets where slow internet speeds and costly data plans remove the viability of depending on the cloud for data storage.*

However, all that is only speculation, so we’ll have to wait for more details to break cover. The specs will likely remain the same, which wouldn’t be a bad thing considering the Moto G already offers more bang for buck than one would expect from the $179 price tag. To recap, these specs include a 4.5-inch 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 5-megapixel rear camera, 8/16GB of non-expandable storage, a 2,100 mAh battery, and a near stock version of Android 4.4 KitKat.

Via: Android Beat | Source: Twitter

Big Data analytics service QSearch wins Echelon Taiwan Satellite 2014

Get a better click-through rate with Facebook Ads. This startup might just be your solution to reaching the correct crowd Israeli American professor Dan Ariely once said, “Big Data is like teen sex. Everybody is talking about it, everyone thinks everyone else is doing it, so everyone claims they are doing it.” But it seems Read the full article...

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Apple reportedly tried poaching Swiss talent to aid iWatch development

A new report claims Apple went after employees of major Swiss watchmakers, but it looks like they weren’t interested.

Switzerland is the leader in the global watchmaking market and they are known the world over for the fine and luxurious watches that they create. It isn’t totally impossible to comprehend why Apple might be going after Swiss talent for its much rumored iWatch.

A new report by the Financial Times claims that Apple has gone after employees for Swiss watchmakers. Apparently the company has even tried forging partnerships with watchmakers, but they don’t seem to be willing to play ball. Apple is said to have reached out to several such companies, and most of them are believed to be not interested by its advances.

Nick Hayek, Swatch CEO, confirmed that the watchmaker has had talks with several companies about wearable devices, adding that they’re not interesting in forging a partnership.*Hayek also says that Swatch never initiated discussions, and it sees no reason to enter into a partnership. His reluctance to go down this road is primarily to protect Swatch’s advancements in longevity, battery life and ergonomic design.

Luxury group LVMH’s president of Watches and Jewelry Jean-Claude Biver has claimed that Apple tried poaching employees from the group’s Hublot brand. Apple is said to have gone after employees of manufacturers who make precision parts for these luxury watches. Biver told a Swiss publication that Apple contacted employees and that he has seen the emails personally. He also claimed that all those who were contacted by Apple refused to jump ship.

There have been countless rumors about the iWatch but so far nothing concrete has materialized. Apple itself hasn’t said anything about its wearable device plans as yet, though CEO Tim Cook did say earlier this year that the company has plans to enter into new product categories.

Source: Financial Times

Microsoft reverses stance on email snooping

New process would hand the investigation over to law enforcement to obtain the appropriate warrants to proceed.

Earlier this month Microsoft announced that as part of an investigation into a rogue ex-employee leaking Windows 8 to a tech blogger it had gone into the blogger’s Hotmail account to collect evidence against the employee. While questions loomed about the legality of such a practice (and the court admissibility of collected evidence), Microsoft initially defended the practice. Now, in an about-face, Microsoft has substantially modified its policy on the matter.

In a Friday blog post, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, outlined the changes to the policy which were done after consultations with advocacy groups:

“Effective immediately, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property from Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer’s private content ourselves. Instead, we will refer the matter to law enforcement if further action is required. In addition to changing company policy, in the coming months we will incorporate this change in our customer terms of service, so that it’s clear to consumers and binding on Microsoft.”

Though Microsoft has come out on the side of privacy after a little coercion, as Wired points out Google still defends its policy of email snooping under exceptional circumstances.

“While our terms of service might legally permit such access, we have never done this and it’s hard for me to imagine circumstances where we would investigate a leak in that way,” Google’s general counsel, Kent Walker, wrote in an emailed statement to Wired .

While Google and Microsoft might defend their respective email snooping schemes as legal, neither has been tested in court for legality. A good barometer of the policy’s legality will be if Google does a Microsoft-like about face if pressure ramps up, in order to avoid legal action.

Source: Microsoft

Fancy a chance to work in Hong Kong’s bustling startup scene?

Apart from a vibrant finance hub, Hong Kong boasts a thriving tech and startup community. Now, with these jobs, you can be part of it too Think of Hong Kong, and one naturally thinks of its status as one of Asia’s premier finance hubs, home to entrepreneurial success stories like Li Ka-Shing. We see no Read the full article...

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Google lends name to Korean mobile startups to avoid costly “Kakao tax”

Move by Google will enable Korean mobile startups to avoid the Kakao platform, which takes a cut of 21 percent off of their revenue Korea has long been a brand-obsessed shopping nation. Now Google aims to assist up-and-coming app developers gain brand presence in the burgeoning Korean market, lending their brand clout to new entries Read the full article...

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Japanese smartphone gaming market worth US$5.4 billion in 2013

The numbers are a big leap from 2012′s sales value of US$2.99 billion. It is*projected that the market would reach US$8.1 billion*by 2016 With Japanese mobile title Puzzle & Dragons*by GungHo Online*doing so well overseas, it’s easy to assume that the game did contribute immensely in its place of origin.*According to a CyberAgent analysis via Read the full article...

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[Singapore] 20 Hottest Startups of 2014 Panel Briefing

Learn the latest on startups funding, winning strategies, trends and e-commerce on April 16. Register now! Synopsis: Learn the latest on startups funding, winning strategies, trends and e-commerce on April 16, 2014 at InterContinental Singapore from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Passes cost SG$95 each so register now as we have limited seats available. Panelists: Read the full article...

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Sunday, 30 March 2014

Japan Display's new 5.5-inch display fuels iPhone 6 speculation

Apple’s major supplier of iPhone displays has launched a new 5.5-inch Quad HD display, is it destined for the iPhone 6?

Japan Display has already been named as one of the possible suppliers that Apple is going to use for the next generation iPhone. It has worked with Apple in the past, so it won’t exactly be news if Japan Display remains on board for the next iPhone as well.

Earlier this week a Japanese business publication, Nikkei, reported that Apple has locked in 4.7 and 5.5-inch as the display sizes for the new iPhones. The publication reiterated claims of two new iPhones being launched in 2014, and added that they’ll be released by September. One particular bit that stood out was the claim that the display will have “significantly higher” resolution the existing 1,136×640 pixel resolution display on the iPhone 5S. The report named Japan Display as one of the suppliers that Apple is going to use.

A few days after the report Japan Display announced that it has developed a new 5.5-inch Quad HD display with 1,440×2,560 pixel resolution, boasting 538 pixels per inch. The company says its great as a display format for “leading-edge smartphones.” The announcement has sent speculators in a frenzy, many believe that this right here is the display destined for the next generation iPhone.

Japan Display is going to start shipping its new 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD in April. Since Apple is no longer expected to launch the iPhone 6 this Summer, the time frame also makes sense. New iPhones aren’t expected until the second half of this year, this leaves ample time for suppliers like Japan Display to start shipping components. Apple has reportedly placed orders for other components, such as fingerprint sensors and batteries, too. Rumor has it that Apple is priming the supply chain ahead of the start of the mass production of its new iPhones.

Source: Japan Display

Corsair Graphite 760T Case Review

Corsair is a well known manufacturer of hardware and equipment. They produce a wide range of other products, and have over the last couple of years focused on Gamers. In this review we look at their Corsair Graphite 760T Case. It's a modular fulltower with a lot of features.

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Saturday, 29 March 2014

Wtb your phone when you recontract with Singtel

looking to buy a phone of my choice when you recontract with Singtel. must be eligible to recontract at the time of post. Pls pm me to discuss the price. Thanks

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Getting a USB DAC to work on Windows 7

Hi there,

I've had some issues while trying to setup my DACs with my laptop (running win 7). I use them primarily for portable use and never really bothered connecting them to a pc/laptop until today.

I'm using the AK100 (latest firmware) and also the ALO International, connecting either leads to same result. Windows detects both devices and I can set them to the default sound device (only by disabling other devices in the device manager) but cant seem to get any sort of sound/playback going.

I'm a total PC noob and would be grateful if someone can point out what I'm doing wrong.

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HTC has a customer in Kim Jong-un

The leader of the Hermit Kingdom has often been spotted with an HTC phone, probably because it’s a neutral geopolitical statement.

HTC may be struggling for customers, but it looks like it has a loyal one in Kim Jong-un.

The portly leader of North Korea was photographed in January 2013 at national security meeting with what appears to be a HTC Butterly according to a recent feature by The Guardian . Kim probably chose the phone because sporting a Western brand such as Blackberry or iPhone would be bound to cause a ruffle within the Party elite.

In 2008 Egypt’s Orascom launched a joint venture with state-owned Korea Post and Telecommunications Corporation to bring 3G to Pyongyang. Called Koryolink, its subscriber base has exploded since launch — expanding beyond the political and business elite — to two million users as of April 2013. Foreign tourists that visit North Korea can only make international, and not domestic, calls. Reportedly, 3G access for foreign tourists was cut off in the spring of 2013.

While Kim uses an HTC phone, it should be noted that North Korea produces its own brand of domestic phones — but these are likely manufactured by a Chinese ODM then rebranded by local workers.

It’s not clear if Kim sports the Hello Kitty edition of the HTC Butterfly, but that would be unlikely considering the geopolitical implications of being publicly seen with a Sanrio branded device.

Source:*The Guardian*

Friday, 28 March 2014

Xbox One port of 'Minecraft' really close to releasing, says Microsoft exec

Microsoft’s Phil Spencer discusses Minecraft‘s impending release on Xbox One.

When Minecraft was revealed as part of Microsoft’s Xbox One E3 campaign, it was an advantageous bonus for the next-gen console’s lineup. More than a few months later, however, gamers are still without the game’s next-gen release–but Microsoft’s Phil Spencer declares that the voxel-based adventure game will be on its way shortly.

At this year’s GDC event, Spencer had the following to say about the game’s progress and ultimate release, detailing that 4J Studios and Mojang had the final say in the title’s finalized launch.

“I talked to [4J Studios] last night,” Spencer recounted. “They feel really good about the progress that they’re making. It’s their game, and it’d be Mojang’s game. We graciously host it on our platform.”

Spencer went on to underline that the game itself is very much in the hands of 4J and Mojang, but he does say that Minecraft‘s Xbox One version is “really close”–hopefully this means the game will release soon.

“…Unlike on 360 where they had never been on console before and the developer relationship, I’ll say, was very tight from the beginning, this is something that’s really in their hands now.

“They’re a full-fledged developer in every sense. They control the [release] date of that, but I’ll tell people that we’re getting really close.

“I talked with Notch last night, and they’re really excited about the quality.”

To date Minecraft remains one of the best-selling indies of all time, and has surpassed a whopping 10 million units across Xbox 360 alone. The sales have risen so high that Notch, the game’s developer, has been quoting saying that Minecraft has had more sales than the atoms in the observable universe–a number not to be taken lightly.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Xbox One version can keep up, but for now we’ll have to wait. Maybe we’ll be able to catch the upcoming Warner Bros. flick based on the game before the Xbox One flavor arrives–but hopefully it won’t take that long.

Via IGN

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Study finds that gamers aren't 'anti-social basement-dwellers' after all

A new study conducted by researchers from various universities find that online gaming can help build key social skills and foster interactive friendships.

“Loners are the outliers, not the norm,” says Dr. Nick Taylor, one of the key researchers on the study.

While everyday online gamers can tell you that gaming can be a wholly interactive and sociable experience, there exists the common stereotype that brandishes MMO players in a negative light. South Park‘s*infamous WoW-focused episode*stylized this stereotype in a rather hilarious and unforgettable way, but it appears that this assumption isn’t very accurate.

A study held by researchers from various universities found that online gaming can help build social skills among players and provide positive real-world applications–including engaging behavior that’s key to building friendships.

“Gamers aren’t the antisocial basement-dwellers we see in pop culture stereotypes, they’re highly social people,” says Dr. Nick Taylor, an assistant professor of communication at NC State and lead author of a paper on the study.

“This won’t be a surprise to the gaming community, but it’s worth telling everyone else. Loners are the outliers in gaming, not the norm.”

To conduct the study, researchers visited more than 20 public gaming events across the United States and Canada–from larger 2500-player events held in convention centers to more intimate 20-player events held in bars.*The collected data reflects how gamers interacted with one another in the virtual world as well as the real world, and in these public settings, at least, players engaged one another in many different ways.

“We found that gamers were often exhibiting many social behaviors at once: watching games, talking, drinking, and chatting online,” Taylor says. “Gaming didn’t eliminate social interaction, it supplemented it.”

The next phase of the study would logically involve surveying gamers who play online games in an isolated area–a basement, for instance–by themselves. While the social atmosphere will generally ignite social behavior, it’ll be interesting to see how the data reflects more at-home casual play.

Interactive in-game chatting as well as webcam sessions can virtually simulate the atmospheres created at key events or even casual bar gaming sessions, and even online console gaming is highly interactive via these same measures. Just because you’re home alone and playing a game, it doesn’t mean you’re alone; in soothe gamers have a veritable world of other players to interact with as they see fit, and it’s nice to see that this can be beneficial to all gamers.

In essence, it appears that gaming is not only an outlet for entertainment but can be a social venue in itself. Competitive games such as Battlefield 4 can build friendships and contribute to a gratifying and engaging experience, proving that it’s not the waste of time that some may claim.

The social elements of gaming will likely be pushed farther as VR tech progresses, seeing as virtual reality may unlock unprecedented interaction between gamers and their online friends. It’ll be interesting to see what the future of gaming holds in so far as entertainment as well as social aspects, where we may be able to virtually sit-in with others at whim.

For more information on the paper Public Displays of Play: Studying Online Games in Physical Settings, be sure to head on over to the NC State University webpage.

Via CNET , NCSU

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Nokia Lumia 630 caught on video demoing Windows Phone 8.1 features

Leaked videos reveal upcoming Windows Phone functionality and one of Nokia’s first Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone.

Windows Phone 8.1 has been leaked quite a few times in the past few months, and the leaks are continuing today with videos showcasing more Windows Phone 8.1 features. The videos also gives us a live glimpse at Nokia’s Lumia 630, which will be unveiled as one of two devices running on the latest version of the OS at Microsoft’s BUILD conference next month, where Windows Phone 8.1 will be officially announced.

The Lumia 630 is expected to be*the first Windows Phone device with dual-SIM, dual-standby functionality, and should be equipped with a 4.5-inch 854×480 display, quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera on the back without flash, and 8GB of internal storage.*The video reveals the handset as having on-screen navigation buttons, support for which is being added to the OS to reduce manufacturing costs and, in turn, drive adoption of Windows Phone – the hardware on the Lumia 630 suggests it will be a cross between the Lumia 625 and the Lumia 520, though it remains to be seen where Nokia will position it when it comes to pricing.

A second video demos an oft-requested feature since the first Windows Phone handset came to market – support for wallpapers on the Start screen. Users will be able to choose from preloaded wallpapers or personal images from their social networks and camera roll, and the selected image will skin Live Tiles that are present on the Start screen. Also shown in the video is the presence of a “Show more Tiles” option in settings – the video doesn’t exactly show how this works, but it is expected to let users toggle*between two or three columns of Tiles (for 5-inch and larger handsets, an option for selecting four columns should be present.)

Via: WPCentral [2]

Samsung unlikely to emulate the success of the Galaxy S4 with the Galaxy S5

Internal production issues as well as a high asking price mean that the Galaxy S5 might not be as successful as the Galaxy S4.

Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S5, is set to launch next month globally.*From the behest, it is unlikely that Samsung will get off to a strong start with the Galaxy S5; most of it is not even related to external market conditions.

Samsung is said to be running into difficulties with the sensor coating for the 16 MP ISOCELL camera on the Galaxy S5. A low yield of the sensor has made Samsung to reconsider initial production volume of the Galaxy S5 from 7 million units to 4 million units. Even if the manufacturer manages to sell all units of the Galaxy S5, it would not match the 10 million sales figures achieved by the Galaxy S4 last year.

External factors

A carrier ban that is set to go into effect from April 5th*in South Korea prohibits carriers from signing new users for 45 days. Another factor that would affect sales of the Galaxy S5 is its price. Carrier-subsidized versions of the device will likely be offered for around $299, but the unlocked handset will likely be in the vicinity of $800. In countries like India, the Galaxy S5 price is around $860 (Rs. 51,500). In Taiwan, the handset was launched for $781. Throughout the globe, the cost of the handset is varying from $750 to over $1000. Samsung was originally rumoured to be considering offering the Galaxy S5 at a lower price point to the Galaxy S4, and while it succeeding in doing so in a few countries, the device is way too costly for everyday consumers.

Then there is the device itself. The Galaxy S4 was far better than the Galaxy SIII in terms of internal hardware. While there wasn’t much of a design change between the handsets, the Galaxy S4 offered 2 GB RAM from the 1 GB on the Galaxy SIII, a full-HD screen and a quad-core CPU (Snapdragon 600) to the dual-core CPU (Snapdragon S4 Plus) offered in the US version of the Galaxy SIII. The Galaxy S5, on the other hand, is just an iterative update when seen against the Galaxy S4. It features a slightly faster processor and a slightly bigger screen, but otherwise does not offer significant enhancements over the Galaxy S4.

That doesn’t mean that the Galaxy S5 is without its share of innovative features. The 16 MP camera offers 4K shooting modes, the finger scanner can be used as a way to authenticate digital purchases and the heart rate sensor beneath the camera lens checks your pulse. Also, the user interface has gotten a much needed update, most likely due to Google’s intervention.

Market fatigue?

But these additions are not significant enough for most users to make the switch to the Galaxy S5. Before the Galaxy S5 was officially announced, there were rumors suggesting that Samsung would launch a metal-clad version of the device which featured 3 GB RAM and a quad-HD screen. Those rumors notwithstanding, a significant chunk of users are now looking at alternatives. LG’s G3 is the most likely contender, with leaked benchmarks revealing a device with a 2K screen, 3 GB RAM and LG’s custom octa-core 64-bit CPU.

The Galaxy S5 does not offer a significantly altered design nor additional processing power for it to warrant interest from users who already have the Galaxy S4 or a similar handset.

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HOOT! Corsair Military Style Carbide Spec Cases - Budget Gaming Joy

If you dislike the usual forum style of interuppted posting, you can also read this sharing in its entirety on a single page here

Source

The Corsair Carbide Spec 03 Case

This is the new Corsair Spec military style sub-series under the Carbide range, guess the main draw is offering budget gamers a wider choice of aggressive looking cases without burning the wallet.

A quick glance at the SRP easily reveals the raison d'être of this new model in Corsair's ever rampaging case library. So just bear in mind that this is never going to be the equivalent of your Ferrari of cases but perhaps more a Toyota or Hyundai...

Official Corsair Page

Carbide Series® SPEC-03 Orange LED Mid-Tower Gaming Case

Quote:

• CC-9011054-WW

• Case Expansion Slots : 7

• Case Motherboard Support : Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX

• $ 59 99 USD

Preview Sample

Printed Specs

...

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Sony unlocks 1,000 self-publishers milestone

Sony has recently shared that over 1,000 devs across the globe have aligned with the company to provide games for the PS4.

Early in the PlayStation 4 campaign, Sony embraced the indie scene as a whole and went great lengths to incorporate the spirit of self-published indie games within their new console. Support for indies grew and grew, and became an integral part of the PlayStation 4 as a whole, bolstering the console’s PS Plus lineup and offering unique experiences like Resogun to millions of gamers worldwide.

Now Sony has shared that over 1,000 developers have signed up to create and release games for the PS4, making for a slew of upcoming and in-development indies–proving the future is bright for the ever-popular gaming niche. Whether you’re hopelessly hooked on surviving the wilds in Don’t Starve or are ticking away the days until N++ or Rogue Legacy are available, the PS4′s indie offerings have something for everyone–this diversity captures the magic of indies as a whole.

To commemorate their indie milestone, Sony has released a*thank you video*that reflects on the PS4′s current progress in the gaming sphere.

At this year’s GDC event, Sony pushed their love for indies a bit further by announcing that the PS4 will support a slew of middleware to aid in indie development. These tools include programs like GameMaker:Studio, SCE’s Authoring Tools Framework, as well as MonoGames (a C#-based open-source engine suite). All of these staples are beneficial to indie devs in various ways and Sony may introduce even more assets as time goes by.

Sony has also recently revealed a huge list of upcoming PlayStation 4 games, many of which are anticipated indies like Octodad: Dadliest Catch or Curve Studios’ highly prestigious indie The Swapper. Let’s not forget Mercenary Kings, which is actually the PS4′s free PS Plus game for April, which is an announcement that can be appreciated by every*Contra fan on the planet.

It’ll be interesting to see how Sony plans to continue their support for indies in the coming years, but for now the company is off to a great start. Coupled with a slew of AAA releases, indie titles compliment the PS4′s traditional lineup quite well and give gamers something to chew over while waiting for the big-name releases.

Via PlayStation Blog

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A UFO? An Alien? Nope, just an iPhone case.

Hamee introduces yet another weird and wacky deep sea creature-based iPhone case.

Remember the old giant isopod iPhone case? Hamee did quite a good job in making it less scary, even making it a bit cuter, than it actually is. This time, they’re introducing another one, an iPhone 5/5S case that is based on the flapjack octopus (remember Pearl from Finding Nemo?). Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about the creepy factor in this one, though it is actually still pretty weird.

It appears that this iPhone case is even a lot softer to touch, at least compared to the giant isopod one. The advertisements even say that the bulged head part fits perfectly to the hand while holding the case.

“It’s not a UFO.”

Again, the iPhone case completely “wraps” around the iPhone unit, this time making it look like some sort of a miniature UFO or organic alien craft. Unfortunately, its theme of “enjoying the feeling of holding a flapjack octopus” doesn’t even make it look less that way.

The Flapjack Octopus iPhone 5/5S case is available in Japan with a price that is again equivalent to about $28.50.

Source: IT Media (JP)

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Wal-Mart opens new trade-in initiative for consoles and games

Leading international retailer Wal-Mart has recently opened a new trade-in program allowing consumers to trade-in select gaming consoles and games for in-store credit.

Wal-Mart’s new trade-in program gives consumers the opportunity to trade-in unwanted games and consoles for store credit, while also throwing a direct punch at GameStop’s similar trade-in initiatives.

The retailer is accepting various games across the triumvirate of console platforms–Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation–but it appears that the program is limited to current and next-gen consoles/games only, as a quick PlayStation 2 query led to no results.

To see what your gaming goods are worth, use Wal-Mart’s digital calculation tool to appraise the value of your console and/or games. Throwing in accessories and cables will boost up the value, especially in the case of Microsoft’s Xbox One, which amounts to a total trade-in value of $215 with the Kinect, controller, and console cables.

Interestingly enough the retailer will buy non-working consoles; a non-working Xbox One will net you $50 with accessories.*It’s also worth mentioning that GameSpot‘s original reporting of the trade-in program led Wal-Mart to reduce many of the trade-in prices. Before the story broke, Wal-Mart was offering $390 for a working Xbox One (with accessories and Kinect), which is a hefty jump from the $215 they now offer.

Wal-Mart’s program does give consumers options, as they offer in-store and online trade-ins for convenience. A shipping label will be provided for your goods when opting for the latter method.

If your gaming library is collecting dust from under-usage, the program may be advantageous, but GameStop’s extra 10% bonus from their PowerUp Rewards program is more beneficial at this point. Furthermore GameStop will also pay out cash for trade-ins, but Wal-Mart deals exclusively with store credit–however this can be used to buy everyday necessities.

The corporate giant’s trade-in initiative may change and alter as time goes by, offering more clear-cut advantages to pull gamers from GameStop, but for right now the latter retailer will give you more value for your pre-owned gaming gear.

Via GameSpot

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New Web Site App: Lahlahshops.com

We are young team from Italy, our company name is ChickenHouse snc

Founded in 2005, ChickenHouse is creative agency based on the experience of professionals and technicians in the field of communication.

The agency shall be first of all passion and creativity, a “daily oasis” where we find new strength to keep in stand out.

We hope you want to spend 5 minutes of your attention to present you our new and ambitious italian project for Singapore, that could be revealed by your journalistic publications / website / local newspaper: [URL="http://ift.tt/1lrOFW8"[/URL]

This website is a creative and professional responsive WebApp.

"Geolocation" is the heart!

Lahlahshops.com is basically designed to help tourists from all over the world and expatriates relocating in Singapore to orientate better between shops and companies.

Our website is simple, intuitive, accessible to all users.

It helps USERS to find shops and companies just use a search box in homepage, based on keywords, category and specific place of Singapore.

It helps SHOPS and COMPANIES to have greater visibility online and take advantage of a complete and professional service.

So, if the news you hear about, please let us know if you can publish it free of charge or if there is a payment and how much.

For us it would be really important to have a little help to make us know and make known our project in Singapore.

Thank you for your attention.

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ZTE Grand S II may become world's first 4 GB RAM smartphone soon

It looks like ZTE had a last-minute change of heart vis-à-vis Grand S II’s hardware specifications, upgrading the 5.5 incher from just another Snapdragon 800-powered high-end phone to 4 GB RAM-packing groundbreaker.

Hey Samsung, ZTE has a message for you: you snooze, you lose. The Korea-based mobile world leader was the first to cram 3 GB RAM into a handheld – the Galaxy Note 3 – and looked like a prime candidate for the next awe-inspiring feat, as it brought to light the industry’s pioneering 8 GB DDR4 mobile DRAM chip near the end of 2013.

Yet their newest top-shelf Galaxy S family member, the S5, settled for an underwhelming 2 gigs of random-access memory, which put Sony’s 3 GB RAM-touting Xperia Z2 in an excellent position to amaze and quench the thirst for bleeding edge performance of power junkies.

Until Tenaa, aka China’s FCC equivalent, dropped the bomb, revealing one particular version of the ZTE Grand S II may carry an avant-garde 4 GB RAM. Meanwhile, no one knows when to expect Samsung’s Galaxy S5 Prime out and about, or even if the ultra-high-end phone is real to start with.

But since this is ZTE’s day, let’s give credit where credit is due and hype the powerhouse that might well deserve the greatest hype. The thing is we’re not yet sure the tidbit divulged by Tenaa is legit. It could be a typo, mind you.

Besides, if it’s genuine, who’s to say the 4 GB variant isn’t experimental and only meant for a handful of Asian markets? After all, ZTE did unveil a model with 2 gigs in Las Vegas at CES, and there must have been a reason for that.

Lastly, the whopping memory isn’t so very impressive when paired with an aging 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and especially Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Also, a middling (by phablet standards) 3,000 mAh battery. So if you really want to make waves, ZTE, I suggest you start from scratch. Keep the neat voice recognition functions and improve everything else.

Source: G for Games

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Indonesian men’s fashion online store Maskoolin mulls global expansion

Maskoolin, an Indonesian online store catering to men’s fashion, is hoping to take local brands global via expansion to Singapore, Malaysia & Australia Indonesia based men’s fashion online store, Maskoolin,would launch local websites in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia by the second quarter of this year. The online store hopes to give global exposure to local Read the full article...

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Nvidia ditches Stereoscopic 3D. Petition to change their minds.

Helixmod stereoscopic 3D gaming comunity just posted this:

http://ift.tt/1phY29T

The gamers and programmers gathering, making the patches for games to fix 3D support, (which is essentially doing Nvidia's job), is raging. They (Nvidia) stopped supporting games long time ago, but now they implemented fake 3D instead of true 3D, so they can probably fire that last person hired for working on 3D driver.

It's not just ruining 3D, it's also preventing helixmod patches from working! Also blocking any future fixes!

If that's not enough, users of windows 8.1 are forced to stay on drivers from December, cause any newer means serious problems with 3D (and LB) to the point it's just unusable AT ALL.

Please, sign (just post "I sign" post) here:

http://ift.tt/1phY0Pq

even if you don't play in 3D right now. VR (Oculus Rift and such) is coming and 2 years from now many gamers will be sorry they can't play old (i.e. 2015) games in stereo 3D.

Work done by helixmod community is beneficial for all gaming market, not just Nvidia.

Besides, even without VR, stereo 3D is amazing, and if you think otherwise, you obviously had the bad luck to see it set up by some person lacking basic "know-how" or you used really bad hardware/settings/content. Go see it presented by a skilled 3D user, on a proper hardware (not some cheap LCD TV!) and not in movies, since 60fps is crucial for 3D (that's why Hobbit is 48fps, but cinemas around the world cannot show this in full glory making it seem not amazing, as it should)

Help! Change the world! Don't let Nvidia make this horrendous step backwards. Please.

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Discuss: You may have a Galaxy S5 for what?

Most of the opinions about GS5 I seen are negativity so far. My mainly reason getting one is my contract of S3 is going to expired. Absolutely loved the Galaxy series and enjoy my S3 with one extra battery of mpj, but Galaxy S5,I think it will be a great upgrade and like the new water-proof feature and 2GB of Ram is adequate for me. Just pre-order one. Anyone here is also really going to have a S5? What are your reasons?

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HOOT! Nvidia Titan Z

USD$2999

Worth it?

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Recommend: Need some help in selecting pc component

Hi, newbie here trying to scratch build mid range gaming pc, looking for and i5 4th gen, prefered nvidia[unless u can talk me out of it], 8gb ram and 1tb hdd.

Budget around 1.5k with monitor.

-motherboard model?

-cpu model?

-rams model?

-psu model?

-any recommended case?

I don't need windows. I have a unused serial already

Would like to use it for 2 years with the setup.

Do include approx price if possible

Thanks.

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High tech moustache lets you sip coffee and make phone calls like a boss

Could this ‘gentlemanly’ high tech moustache be the most suave wearable tech on the planet?

Wearable tech can take many forms and shapes, like a watch, a pair of glasses, or even a normal wristband. Japan’s Ajinomoto General Foods however twists the definition of “wearable” a little bit, with a fancy wearable tech concept that affectionately takes the shape of an overgrown moustache.

The Higerable Device,*as jokingly named, subtly hides itself as part of the wearer’s face. In truth however, it is a multi-functional wearable tech that instantly transforms the wearer into a refined, coffee-loving gentleman. Need to sip that espresso like a sir? Its speed sensors will notify you in case you are holding or sipping your coffee the wrong way. How about making phone calls? Don’t worry, it is also connected to your phone, allowing you to make that call without interrupting your precious coffee time. The Higerable Device promises to make you enjoy your coffee three times better just by wearing it.

But as much we’d like to sip coffee like a sir with a suave high tech moustache though, this unfortunately was just an elaborate advertisement by the food company to promote their Maxim Triplesso coffee beverage. The concept was a nice thought however, and should they decide to make it real, we’d certainly welcome the idea like a sir.

Source: IT Media (JP)

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The Toad @ JFDI Day 6: Outsource if you can, otherwise hire

Day 6 saw the JFDI startups attend a talk and panel discussion to debate business-critical topics such as outsourcing and Open Source Did you know that six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number? Fascinating stuff. The agenda of Day 6 was varied. In the morning, the Read the full article...

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Don’t miss your chance to join the GSF Global accelerator programme!

India-based GSF*has launched GSF*Global — it’s very first cross-border*accelerator for early-stage tech startups. Last date for submission of applications is Mar 31, 2014 India-based tech accelerator GSF has launched GSF*Global — it’s very first cross-border*accelerator for early-stage tech startups. This programme will accept applications from startups in*India, Southeastern Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa*and North America. Subsequently, Read the full article...

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20 startups by 2020: Hian Goh, Shane Chesson set up Silicon Island

Formerly Co-founders of Pivotal Asia Ventures, Hian Goh and Shane Chesson are now backed by Northstar to invest in local startups A new venture capital firm is in town. According to the Straits Times, Co-founder of Asian Food Channel (AFC) Hian Goh and Shane Chesson, a “former investment banker”,*are coming together*to start investment company Silicon Read the full article...

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Diablo III’s journey to self-improvement

The development team of the new action RPG expansion Reaper of Souls explains how it shakes things up to placate its customers Anyone who has touched a PC game since 1996 must have heard of the game Diablo, an action RPG series where you slay demons led by the title character Diablo, get lots of Read the full article...

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HOOT! The Corsair Graphite 760T - A Clear Cut Case

The very first PC case I have come across which uses full windows as side panels... whoa!

Official Page

Introducing the new Graphite Series 760T and 730T full tower PC cases

Newegg Pre-order

Release Date: 04/11/2014

Newegg.com - Corsair Graphite Series 760T

Corsair Jeff's Build Log

Graphite 760T with LEDs

OCN discussion

[OC3D] First look at Corsair 760T

OCN Owners club

Heheh, already one exists despite the 760T being currently yet unavailable at retail

Corsair 760T Owners Club

NCIX Unboxing

Corsair 760T Unboxing - Imgur

So who else is interested? :P

PS: official embargo is till 27/3/14... despite all the leaks

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MSI Precision Master OC contest - any enthusiasts can do it, no need high end GPu!

It takes less than 10 rounds to get it, lucky perhaps :D need to down clock using 4770K and using only 2C2T.

3dmk06 scores very high on Physics, so really have to go down to 2.3GHz.

Gpu using only MSi Radeon 7770.

Anyone with MSi board and low end Gpu can take part, 3Dmk06.

MSI Precision Master OC contest @ HWBOT

Cheers! and enjoy playing OC with MSi :D

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Cheaper 128GB RAM kit for 2013 Mac Pro now available

Other World Computing*has launched 128GB RAM kit for Apple’s new Mac Pro, undercutting Transcend’s prices in the process.

Apple itself offers a lot of customization options for the 2013 Mac Pro, though it only allows customers to take RAM up to 64GB. The company doesn’t offer an option beyond that — but third party solutions exist.

A few weeks back, Transcend launched its 128GB RAM kit for the 2013 Mac Pro. Becoming the first company to do so. The luxury to bump RAM that high comes at a price: Transcend’s kit cost $2,480.*With OWC jumping into the ring, customers now have choice. Announced today, OWC’s 128GB RAM kits are compatible with 6-Core, 8-Core and 12-Core models of the new Mac Pro. The company says that these modules are fully tested and qualified to handle the most demanding applications, and are covered by its Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty.

However, there is a limitation that must be kept in mind. Presumably this may be the reason why Apple doesn’t officially let people bump RAM up to 128GB. Due to the limitations of the Intel chipset in the 2013 Mac Pro, these 128GB RAM kits run at 1066MHz, whereas smaller kits can reach speeds as high as 1866MHz. Though OWC brushes speed differences aside claiming that they’re minimal.

The OWC MaxRAM 128GB RAM kit, essentially a bundle of 32GB x 4 modules, costs $2,129.99. Customers who opt for OWC’s modules save nearly $350 over Transcend’s kit.

Source: OWC

Bitcoin exchanges in China to likely close after new ruling

Beijing business magazine reports China’s PBOC on Bitcoin crackdown blitz.

It looks like things are over for Bitcoin in China.

According to a report by Caixin , a Beijing-based business magazine, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s central bank, has ordered all banks in the country to stop processing payments for local bitcoin exchanges. Banks will have until April 15 to wind down business with exchanges.

An official announcement has yet to be made. Caixin is basing this story on an internal bank document it reports to have seen.

During the New York Thursday trading day, the price of a bitcoin dropped by approximately 10 percent to $500.

Without support from China’s banks, local exchanges would have to move operations offshore or only accept cash.

As Caixin’s story has not been independently verified, some think the story is a ruse intended to drive down the price of the most-traded cryptocurrency. Executives from leading exchanges such as BTC China and BTC Trade have not received notice from their banks about the impending change, reports the Wall Street Journal.

It’s estimated that China currently accounts for 60 percent of worldwide Bitcoin trade.

Source:*Caixin

Is Flipit the solution to your promo code woes?

Having launched its services in two countries within Asia, Flipit from the Netherlands has lofty dreams to become the ultimate online money saver Penny pinchers may just be the most misunderstood people on Earth. They long for compliments like ‘astute bargain hunter’ but are often reciprocated with ‘miserly’ and ‘Scrooge-like’. However, with discount coupons stashed Read the full article...

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Uncharted 4 Director leaves for League of Legends studio

Justin Richmond has*worked with*Naughty Dog’s*Uncharted franchise since 2008. He has*confirmed moving on to Riot Games studio It’s not often that a Director leaves a big game project midway. However, that’s the reality with the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive Uncharted 4 as it lost its Game Director.*Naughty Dog employee Justin Richmond, who previously served as a Read the full article...

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Dell 1420 laptop for sale at only S$100

Red color.

5 years old.

No battery.

Good condition.

Plz sms or whatsapp（preferably）at 91571296 to offer me your best price above S$100.

Plz do not reply here.

I would not able to see.

Thank you very much!

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Recommend: i5 Cpu + Motherboard Bundle

plan to upgrade my current WinXP on E8400 3.0Ghz + G31

can $450 get me

- i5 cpu (what model?)

- motherboard (what model?)

- 4gb RAM (what model?)

- 240Gb SSD (just contain OS Windows 7 64-bit) as i plan to continue to use my current SATA HD as slave.

------------

btw, can G31 motherboard support SSD hd, will there be bottleneck?

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Discuss: HD 5770 on 420 PSU n G41 mb?

Will there be bottleneck?

Be it PSU or the G41 PCIE v1.0?

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Ddr3l low voltage laptop ram

Anyone bought a low voltage 1.35v ram lately at SLS ? My 1.5v sodimm is incompatible with my brix system.

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Facebook’s Indonesia Head Anand Tilak is all about educating users

Of a population of 250M in Indonesia, 80% are still not connected to the internet — making it a huge potential market for Facebook. No wonder it is on a mission to drive usage Facebook*made headlines last week for opening*its new office in the largest Southeast Asian country, Indonesia. The social networking platform seems to Read the full article...

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Case maker Noreve confirms existence of Galaxy S5 zoom and S5 mini

While the Galaxy S5 zoom and S5 mini will likely be announced shortly, but a listing for Nokia’s supposed Lumia 1820 is likely dubious.

Samsung will likely launch the Galaxy S5 zoom and Galaxy S5 mini soon. Case maker Noreve has already launched product pages for both handsets, and while any information regarding the devices isn’t available, the listings further strengthen the rumors that Samsung is looking to launch zoom and mini variants of the Galaxy S5.

The Galaxy S5 zoom is said to feature a 20 MP camera, 4.8-inch 720p screen, 1.6 GHz quad-core CPU, 2 GB RAM and Android 4.4 KitKat. The Galaxy S5 mini, meanwhile, is said to feature a 720p screen along with Snapdragon 800 SoC.

Noreve also listed a page for the Lumia 1820, which is said to be this year’s flagship device. The Lumia 1820 is said to come with a 5.2-inch screen with a 2K resolution, Snapdragon 805, 3 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage. Xenon flash and a Lytro-like camera are said to be included on the device.

While such a device might be unveiled sometime later this year, WP Central seems to think that Noreve’s listing was done for SEO and isn’t indicative of the imminent launch of the device itself. The source for the Lumia 1820 rumors was DigiTimes, a site with a questionable track record when it comes to rumors. WP Central claims that the rumors surrounding the Lumia 1820 are false and that there hasn’t been a shred of evidence to suggest that Nokia is working on such a device. Noreve’s listing is likely be a placeholder for when such a device actually launches.

That doesn’t mean that the Finnish handset manufacturer isn’t working on any new handsets. Nokia is scheduled to announce the Lumia 630 and Lumia 930 at Microsoft’s Build conference next week.

Source: Noreve, WP Central

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Oculus miffed

The Oculus VR buyout by Facebook was unfair to early investors and shows why a equity-based of crowdfunding is needed.

Facebook’s buyout of Oculus VR brought a wave of mixed reactions. Some were excited about the potential Facebook would bring, with its seemingly ending supply of capital, to the virtual reality startup. Others were concerned that Facebook would take the gaming ethos out of the device and turn it into advertising delivery system. But what about those involved in the original crowdfunding campaign that pushed the device out the door?

As The New York Times’ reports, some are angry and feel alienated. The Times’ Bits blog cites a Oculus backer named Mike Cooper that posted on the company’s Kickstarter page: “What was the point of Kickstarter if you sell out to a giant company like Facebook?”

Another early backer took to his blog to denounce the deal.

“I did not chip in ten grand to seed a first investment round to build value for a Facebook acquisition,” blogged developer and early backer Markus Persson.

Backers of the Kickstarter project could fund it at a number of different levels and receive different tokens of appreciation from the company. At the very high end was early access to the SDK as well as a developer unit of the headset; at the low end a public thank you or a t-shirt.

But consider for a moment if some of these buy-ins also had company equity attached. Project backers that now have a sour taste in their mouths would likely be singing a different tune when cashing out their dividends. After all, project backers are effectively acting as private equity firms with incentives like public shout outs instead of company equity.

There’s a reason for this: in most jurisdictions peddling investments to the public without registering with regulators is often illegal. Even though the shares of the company wouldn’t be traded over a stock market, selling equity of a firm means you have to play by the rules of securities regulators. In addition, it also opens the company up to the potential for lawsuits from investors if they believe the company’s management didn’t do all they could to maximize the firm’s profit. In short: it gets complicated.

But as Oculus matured after its initial crowdfunding campaign and caught the attention of venture capitalists, these investors did what the Markus Perssons of the world could not: for investments in the range of $70 million they got some serious company equity and a big payday when Facebook outright bought the company.

However there is a solution. Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter could work with regulators and prospective companies to develop a framework that would allow for the public to invest (but not to actively trade like a stock market), without the regulatory burden that publicly listed companies must face. There would certainly be more risk involved, but the reward would encourage more investment.

Until this solution presents itself, we’ll be stuck with the inherent unfair playing field that we saw with the Oculus Rift. Early backers were left with thank yous, shirts, and prototypes while venture capitalists got a big pay day.