Raspberry Pi Replacing X11 With Wayland/Weston To Get GPU Acceleration

Subject: General Tech | May 29, 2013 - 05:20 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: x11, weston, wayland, videocore iv, Raspberry Pi, linux, bcm2835, arm

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has been working with Collabora to fund development of a Wayland display server that is compatible with the Raspberry Pi and also allows the continued use of legacy X applications.

So far, operating systems that run on the Raspberry Pi have used X as the display server and window compositor. The Raspberry Pi Foundation wants to move to a window compositor that will take advantage of the Raspberry Pi's Hardware Video Scaler (HVS) and take the burden of window composition off of the relatively much slower ARM CPU. The Raspberry Pi Foundation has chosen Wayland as the display server for the task.

The Raspberry Pi Model A.

Taking advantage of the HVS and OpenGL ES compatible GPU will make the system feel much more responsive and allow for advanced effects (fading, Expose'-like window browsers, et al) for those that like a little more bling with their OS.

The Wayland/Weston display server allows for GPU acceleration and window composition using the Pi's VideoCore IV GPU and HVS (which is independent of the hardware units that run OpenGL code). The display server will feed the entire set of windows along with how they should be laid out on screen (stacking order, transparency, 2D transform, ect.) to the HVS which will hardware accelerate the process and free the ARM CPU up for other tasks.
According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the Raspberry Pi's HVS is fairly powerful for a mobile-class SoC with 500 Megapixel/s scaling throughput and 1 Gigapixel per second blending throughput.

In addition to GPU acceleration, Wayland will allow non-rectangular windows, fading and other effects, support for legacy X applications with Xwayland, and a scaled window browser.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has been working with developers since late last year and is nearly ready to roll a technology preview into the next Raspian operating system release. The developers are still working on improving the performance and  reducing memory usage. As a result, the new Wayland/Weston display server is not expected to become the new default in the various Raspberry Pi operating systems until late 2013 at the earliest.

This is a project that is really nice to see, especially since at least a small part of the development work going into supporting the ARM-based Raspberry Pi on Wayland will help other ARM devices and Wayland in general which is becoming an increasingly popular choice in new Linux distributions and the best X alternative so far. Of course, this is primarily going to be a useful update for those Raspberry Pi users that run OSes with GUIs as the responsiveness should be a lot snappier!

If you simply can't wait until later this year, it is possible to install the technology preview (beta) of Wayland/Weston onto the current version of Raspbian Linux by cloning the git project or installing a Raspbian package of Weston 1.0. Blogger Daniel Stone has all the details for installing the display server onto your Pi under the section titled "sounds great; how do i get it?" on this post.

See a video of Wayland technology preview in action on the Raspberry Pi on the Raspberry Pi Foundation's blog.

Read more about the Raspberry Pi at PC Perspective.

Insync Releases 1.0 RC for Linux

Subject: General Tech | May 29, 2013 - 03:19 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: insync, google drive, cloud storage, linux

Insyc has released a new release candidate for its Google Drive companion software that adds a few new features and bug fixes to the Linux client.

According to Insync, the 1.0 RC implements an improved syncing core build from scratch. It also allows users to selectively sync files and folders between local storage and their Google Drive cloud storage. It is no longer all or nothing, and you can choose to only store what you need locally rather than the entire document archive now. The release candidate software also allows customized account folders that can be renamed and moved to other locations on the drive. Symlink support, headless installs, and a CLI (command line interface) client are also included in the Insync 1.0 RC.

Insync has also made changes to the management user interface to make configuring the syncing options easier. Finally, Insync has also coded in a notification function that will notify users of changes to files on Google Drive which will be handy for collaborative documents and spreadsheets.

Insync has put together Debian packages for OSes like Ubuntu (Nautilus) and Mint (Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce desktop environments). Additionally, support for KDE and RPM packages is “coming soon.” You can grab the new beta 1.0 RC client here.

Caution, this headset might blow your head off

Subject: General Tech | May 29, 2013 - 02:57 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Tunguska 2.0, Attitude 1, gaming headset, audio

Attitude's latest headset is named after a certain explosive event in a remote location in Russia, but in theory this does not imply danger to your skull while wearing them.  R&B Mods tried out these brightly coloured headsets, with 40mm drivers and a respectable 20-20kHz frequency range and found them to be quite functional if perhaps not made of the best materials they've seen on gaming headsets.  If comfort and audio performance is more important to you than the construction these headsets make a decent choice, though you will have to wait a while if you want the USB model.

"Today we take a look at something brand new, I have never tested anything from Attitude one but today is the day! We are going to review several of their products but the first thing we are going to test is their Tunguska 2.0 gaming headset. This headset seems to be fairly lightweight and have some cool colors and also a braided cable….lets get on with the review."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Audio Corner

• Gigabyte FLY Headphones @ techPowerUp
• Gigabyte Fly Headphones @ eTeknix
• Antec Mobile Products A.M.P. dBs Headphone @ eTeknix
• Wavemaster Dakota Headphones @ eTeknix
• Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 5 Gaming Headset Review @ Madshrimps
• ASUS ROG Orion Pro Gaming Headset Review @ OCC
• Sunrise Charm3 & Dragon2 Ear buds @ techPowerUp
• Deep Cool M6 2.1 Speaker System ad Laptop Cool Review @ Pro-Clockers
• ASUS Xonar DGX and Xonar DSX Audio Cards Reviews @ Legit Reviews

GPU beatdown, Metro Last Light edition

Subject: General Tech | May 29, 2013 - 02:47 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: gaming, metro last light

Metro 2033 quickly gained a reputation as a game which can take everything a modern GPU could throw at it and still want more.  Now we have not only a new generation of Metro but also some new hardware to test it with, namely the TITAN and the GTX 780 which are now in [H]ard|OCP's test bed.  They tried out the new game at 2560 x 1600 with high tessellation enabled and found the TITAN to be the overall winner thanks to its ability to support PhysX at these high settings, with the GTX 780 a very close second and perhaps a better choice for those not planning on using PhysX.  Their testing also backs up the developers statement that in order to enable SSAA you will need a second GPU.

"Today we look at 4A Games Metro: Last Light. Running the 4A Engine it supports modern DX11 effects including tessellation, and NVIDIA PhysX, providing realistic simulations of particles, water, cloth and fog. We'll evaluate this game using today's latest video cards including GTX TITAN and GTX 780, for a total of eight video cards."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Gaming

• Metro: Last Light @ LanOC Reviews
• Metro: Last Light PC @ Tweaktown
• Metro: Last Light Performance, Benchmarked @ TechSpot
• Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Review @ OCC
• Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon @ Tweaktown
• Defiance Review: Resistance is Not Futile @ Techgage
• Wot I Think: GRID 2 @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Endless Space Now Even More Endless Than Before @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN

Beiber can be used for evil

Subject: General Tech | May 29, 2013 - 02:31 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: cell phone, security, fud

If you are feeling safe and secure using your cellphone in public, some research out of the University of Alabama will shatter that confidence for you.  It seems that it is possible to use sound as a trigger to activate malware from a distance, even over low quality speakers.  You already know about Shazam and other apps you can use to identify songs simply by holding up your cellphone and have it successfully connect to a remote database to get the song data, even in a loud room.  This research shows that a previously infected phone could have dormant malware installed which can be remotely activated simply by music with a hidden message contained within it, inaudible to human ears.  Pair this with the known Autoconnect to Saved WiFi Profiles vulnerability and your phone could very easily start leaking information you would much rather keep private.   Follow the links from The Register to read the research paper and reactions to it.

"Security researchers have discovered that specific music, lighting, vibrations or magnetic fields could all be used as infection channels to trigger the activation of mobile malware on a massive scale.

The paper, titled Sensing-Enabled Channels for Hard-to-Detect Command and Control of Mobile Devices, was presented in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou earlier this month by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Nvidia's Geforce GTX 770 comes close to the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition @ The Inquirer
• Intel nabs mobile GPS business of moribund ST-Ericsson @ The Register
• Apple reportedly to release 2 new iPhones in 3Q13 @ DigiTimes
• Mediatek releases quad-core 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A7 chip for tablets @ The Inquirer

Alienware M17x r4 Core i7 Gaming Laptop w/ 2GB GeForce GTX 660M @ $1345

Subject: General Tech | May 29, 2013 - 02:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

A gaming laptop is not the least expensive way to get powerful performance but it is certainly the most mobile and perfect for LAN parties thanks it only needing a power cord.  The Alienware M17x is on special right now, a Core i7-3630QM, 6GB DDR3 and a GTX 660M will provide serious gaming power and the included SoundBlaster Recon3Di will ensure your audio is crisp and clean as well.

Alienware M17x r4 Core i7 Gaming Laptop w/ 2GB GeForce GTX 660M

1. Start here at Dell Home direct store
2. Configure as per needs (optional), click Review & Checkout button
3. Apply coupon code ?SWK4RL9BTX1MD in-cart and proceed to checkout

Now even your mouse can minimize your game window

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Cases and Cooling | May 29, 2013 - 02:03 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Windows key, mouse, microsoft, I Hate This Key

Has this ever happened to you while playing a shooter? You need to get to a position so you mash the alt key to sprint and... aw crap I hit the Windows key... well, now I am dead. Have you ever considered purchasing software or a gaming keyboard which allows you disable that button?

Have you ever considered purchasing a mouse which also has that button to give both hands something to fear?

Definitely not a member of their Sidewinder product line.

Okay, so I should be fair: the Microsoft Sculpt Comfort mouse is not designed for gaming and Windows 8-like user experiences revolve heavily around the start button. The mouse button is also more useful than a redundant Windows key; the blue pad also has swipe functionality for extra functions. According to how it is described on its product page, slide gestures are bound to respond to the computer as mouse buttons 4 and 5.

So you can probably bind them to game functions, if you feel daring.

But, in the end, I still need to congratulate Microsoft for trying to innovate computer hardware. This is more than just trying to graft touch functionality to a mouse surface, as both Apple and Microsoft have tried in the past, and tries to make the classical mouse experience better. I doubt it is for most of our audience, but not everything needs to be.

Dell UltraSharp U2713H 27" 2560 x 1440 IPS @ $850

Subject: General Tech | May 28, 2013 - 06:43 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Whether you are looking for a professional level display with 99% Adobe colour gamut or a large 1440p display (sorry not quite 4k) to game on, at $850 the Dell UltraSharp U2713H 27" IPS display is a great deal.  The USB 3.0 connectors are a nice touch but they do add to the size of the bezel for those with enough lucre to consider running more than one of these displays.

Dell UltraSharp U2713H 27" 2560 x 1440 IPS-panel LCD Monitor (Flagship 2013 Model)
Dell Home is offering 27-inch UltraSharp U2713H 27" 2560 x 1440 IPS-panel, LED-backlit LCD Monitor for $849.99 with FREE shipping. Use $150 instant savings to get final price.

MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING - The No. 1 and Only Best Choice Golden Awarded Motherboard

Subject: General Tech, Motherboards | May 28, 2013 - 02:58 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Z87-GD65 GAMING, msi, z87

[May 28th, 2013/ City of Industry, California] In its 33rd year and as Asia’s largest B2B (Business to Business) computer exhibition, COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2013 is kicking off on June 4. Today, the winning list of Best Choice Award, the official award of COMPUTEX TAIPEI, is unveiled. MSI’s Z87-GD65 GAMING motherboard and Funtoro HD MOD (Media on Demand) vehicle infotainment system have proudly stood out from over 400 competitions. The only Golden Award winner in the IC & Components category, the Z87-GD65 GAMING motherboard literally sparkles in every way and proves MSI to be a true pioneer of mid-range/high-end motherboards.

The Best Choice Award has always focused on Functionality, Innovation and Market Potential as the main judging guideline. Bringing the Z87-GD65 GAMING to global gaming enthusiasts’ attention, the Best Choice Golden Award also highlights the industrial and official affirmation toward MSI’s technical innovation and design capabilities. Specifically designed for operators and passengers of long-distance coaches and high-end tour buses, the HD MOD System integrates infotainment and telematics in one pack and is clearly the top choice for multimedia entertainment on mass transportation.

Z87-GD65 GAMING, the No. 1 and Only Best Choice Golden Awarded Motherboard

The Z87-GD65 GAMING motherboard is the latest joint effort of MSI and FNATIC, the world-renowned gaming champion team. Consolidating the cutting-edge Intel 8 series chipset and Killer E2205 Game Networking, the Z87-GD65 GAMING effectively eliminates latency-induced errors and automatically prioritizes game traffic. Gamers will experience smooth gameplay even in heavily loaded networks. As for sound, the innovative Audio Boost technology significantly enhances sound clarity. To give gamers the edge in speed, the OC Genie 4 one-second overclocking technology boosts the system performance in no time.

Mageia 3, a new flavour of Linux to try

Subject: General Tech | May 28, 2013 - 01:13 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: linux, mageia

If you've been looking around for a different OS for a laptop or PC that doesn't spend all of its time gaming you have probably taken a look at some of the more famous Linux distros but one may have escaped your attention.  Mageia 3 has just arrived, the successor to the Mandriva project and as it offers both Gnome and KDE desktop versions you can chose the interface which you are most comfortable with.  As it comes as a Live DVD you can boot to  it on a current machine without having to go through the process of a full install and can leave your current OS intact.  Perhaps you have a family member or friend that spends their time browsing that you support and are looking for an alternative to Microsoft or are even just looking to avoid the cost of a new license on an inexpensive mobile device; if so drop by The Inquirer for the links to download Mageia 3.

"LINUX DISTRIBUTION Mageia launched its third and latest release Mageia 3 a few days ago, and that's now available to download directly from the Mageia website and many of the well known mirrors like kernel.org and many university supported mirrors via either Bittorrent, http or ftp."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• The TR Podcast 134: Xbone, Kabini, and not quite a Titan
• Redefining the ampere with the help of graphene? @ Nanotechweb
• Investor Icahn needs a loan of $7bn to tick off Mike Dell @ The Register
• Fedora 19 Beta Released: Alive, Dead, or Neither? @ Slashdot
• ARM releases dual-core Cortex A15 hard macro for TSMC's 28nm HPM process node @ The Inquirer
• Whatever happened to Comodo Time Machine? @ Tweaktown
• MSI Gaming Notebook Event Interview With Steve Clark @ eTeknix
• Migrating to Apache 2.4 @ Hardware Secrets
• Xbox One and Playstation 4: Which Promises Will be Broken? @ hardCOREware
• Seiko SNE093P1 Solar Watch @ NikKTech
• A Stroll Down Memory Lane: Best 3dfx Glide Games @ Techspot

Console manufacturers don't want much, just the impossible.

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Systems | May 27, 2013 - 03:08 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: xbox one, ps4, consolitis, consoles

So, as Wired editorial states it: hardcore console gamers don't want much, just the impossible. They want a "super-powered box" tethered to their TV; they want the blockbuster epics and innovative indie titles; they want it to "just work" for what they do. The author, Chris Kohler, wrote his column to demonstrate how this is, and has for quite some time been, highly unprofitable.

I think the bigger problem is that the console manufacturers want the impossible.

Console manufacturers have one goal: get their platform in your house and require their hand be in the pocket of everything you do with it. They need to make an attractive device for that to be true, so they give it enough power to legitimately impress the potential buyer and price it low enough to catch the purchasing impulse. Chances are this involves selling the box under cost at launch and for quite some time after.

But, if all of this juicy control locks the user into overspending in the long run, then it is worth it...

... right?

But Microsoft should be thankful that I cost them money to be acquired as a customer.

Well, looking at the Wired article, not only are console gamers ultimately overspending: it is still not enough! Consoles truly benefit no-one! The console manufacturers are not doing any more than maybe breaking even, at some point, eventually, down the line, they hope. Microsoft and Sony throw obnoxious amounts of money against one another in research, development, and marketing. Redundant technologies are formed to pit against their counterparts with billions spent in marketing to try to prove why either choice is better.

All of this money is spent to corral users into a more expensive experience where they can pocket the excess.

Going back to the editorial's claims: with all of this money bleeding out, Microsoft wants to appeal more broadly and compensate the loss with more cash flowing in. Sure, Microsoft has wanted a foothold in the living room for decades at this point, but the Xbox Division bounces between profitability and huge losses; thus, they want to be an entertainment hub if just for the cash alone.

But think back to the start, these troubles are not because it is impossible to satisfy hardcore gamers. These troubles are because Microsoft and Sony cannot generate revenue from their acquired control quicker than they can bleed capital away trying to acquire that control, or at least generate it more than just barely fast enough.

The other solution, which I have felt for quite some time is the real answer (hence why I am a PC gamer), has a large group of companies create an industry body who governs an open standard. Each company can make a substantial profit by focusing on a single chunk of the platform -- selling graphics processors, maintaining a marketplace, or what-have-you -- by leveraging the success of every other chunk.

This model does work, and it is the basis for one of humanity's most successful technology products: the internet.

As a side note: this is also why PC gaming was so successful... Microsoft, developers, Steam/GoG/other marketplaces, and hardware vendors were another version of this... albeit Microsoft had the ability to override them and go in whatever direction they wanted. They didn't, until Windows RT.

And the internet might even be the solution. The web browser is capable, today, of providing amazing gaming experiences and it does not even require a plugin. It is getting more powerful, even faster than the rate at which underlying hardware has evolved.

You could, in some browsers today, plug a USB flash drive into your computer; browse to some "index.html" file on it; and run an Unreal Engine 3 (and as Epic stated in a recent interview, soon Unreal Engine 4) game that is programmed in Javascript and is stored on that USB device. Never an internet connection required -- although if you wanted online features, web browsers are kind-of good at that, go figure.

To end on an ironic note, that makes a web browser more capable of offline play than our current understanding of the Xbox One (and Sony has said nothing either way, for that matter).

I guess the takeaway message is: love the web browser, it "just works".

Careful connecting to those pub WiFis

Subject: General Tech | May 24, 2013 - 05:53 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: cell phone, security, wifi, PNL

A security expert recently reminded people that the Preferred Networks List Bug which was identified in 2004 has only ever been addressed by Microsoft.  All other mobile OSes, from Apple to BlackBerry can accidentally expose their PNL to an eavesdropper who can then spoof it.  If you like setting up autoconnect on your devices you might want to double check the name of your active connections occasionally; if you are connected to your home WiFi while you are out you might have a problem.  Catch more at The Register.

"Security expert Raul Siles has warned that years after it was first identified, the Preferred Networks List (PNL) Wi-Fi bug remains unaddressed on many an iPhone, Android phone, and Windows or BlackBerry handset."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• IT bloke publishes comprehensive maps of CALL CENTRE menu HELL @ The Register
• AMD Launches Its 2013 Mobile APU Products @ Kitguru
• AMD Temash, Kabini, Richland: new chance? @ Hardware.info
• Spam and the Byzantine Empire: How Bitcoin tech REALLY works @ The Register
• Canadian regulators welcome US Bitcoin refugees with open arms @ The Register
• Mac malware found with valid developer ID at freedom conference @ The Register
• The Best Activity Trackers for Fitness @ TechReviewSource
• Sumo Lounge Emperor @ Phoronix
• Beginners Guides: Crash Recovery & The Blue Screen of Death @ PCSTATS
• Sitecom Wi-Fi Router X6 N900 (WLR-6100) Review @ Madshrimps
• Netgear XWNB5201 500Mbps Powerline WiFi Access Point @ eTeknix
• SlimPort Summit 2013 Coverage - What is SlimPort? @ Tweaktown
• Sandberg iConheli Bluetooth Helicopter @ NikKTech
• Google Play Music Review @ TechReviewSource
• Jabra Drive Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone Review @ ModSynergy
• Understanding Email Bounce Messages @ Hardware Secrets
• Intel Linux OpenGL Driver Leading Over Apple OS X @ Phoronix
• HGST packs 1.5TB into 9.5-mm, three-platter Travelstar 5K1500 notebook drive
• A year later: Transformer Prime @ LanOC Reviews
• Balder BD-1P T6 LED Flashlight @ 3DVelocity
• SuperSpeed RamDisk Plus 11 Software @ Tweaktown
• Removing and Wiping Drivers Guide @ OCC
• Gigabyte Shows Off Upcoming Intel Z87 Motherboards @ Legit Reviews
• Xbox One: Entertainment Hub First, Gaming Console Second -- But Could It Disrupt TV? @ TechSpot
• Xbox One - Just what is Microsoft thinking?! @ Tweaktown
• Oregon Scientific ATC9K Action Camera @ NikKTech
• SteelSeries Joint Giveaway - Three 6Gv2 Mechanical Gaming Keyboards Up For Grabs @ NikKTech

Epic Games is disappointed in the PS4 and Xbox One?

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Graphics Cards, Systems | May 23, 2013 - 06:40 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: xbox one, xbox, unreal engine, ps4, playstation 4, epic games

Unreal Engine 4 was presented at the PlayStation 4 announcement conference through a new Elemental Demo. We noted how the quality seemed to have dropped in the eight months following E3 while the demo was being ported to the console hardware. The most noticeable differences were in the severely reduced particle counts and the non-existent fine lighting details; of course, Epic pumped the contrast in the PS4 version which masked the lack of complexity as if it were a stylistic choice.

Still, the demo was clearly weakened. The immediate reaction was to assume that Epic Games simply did not have enough time to optimize the demo for the hardware. That is true to some extent, but there are theoretical limits on how much performance you can push out of hardware at 100% perfect utilization.

Now that we know both the PS4 and, recently, the Xbox One: it is time to dissect more carefully.

A recent LinkedIn post from EA Executive VP and CTO, Rajat Taneja, claims that the Xbox One and PS4 are a generation ahead of highest-end PC on the market. While there are many ways to interpret that statement, in terms of raw performance that statement is not valid.

As of our current knowledge, the PlayStation 4 contains an eight core AMD "Jaguar" CPU with an AMD GPU containing 18 GCN compute units, consisting of a total of 1152 shader units. Without knowing driving frequencies, this chip should be slightly faster than the Xbox One's 768 shader units within 12 GCN compute units. The PS4 claims their system has a total theoretical 2 teraFLOPs of performance and the Xbox One would almost definitely be slightly behind that.

Back in 2011, the Samaritan Demo was created by Epic Games to persuade console manufacturers. This demo was how Epic considered the next generation of consoles to perform. They said, back in 2011, that this demo would theoretically require 2.5 teraFLOPs of performance for 30FPS at true 1080p; ultimately their demo ran on the PC with a single GTX 680, approximately 3.09 teraFLOPs.

This required performance, (again) approximately 2.5 teraFLOPs, is higher than what is theoretically possible for the consoles, which is less than 2 teraFLOPs. The PC may have more overhead than consoles, but the PS4 and Xbox One would be too slow even with zero overhead.

Now, of course, this does not account for reducing quality where it will be the least noticeable and other cheats. Developers are able to reduce particle counts and texture resolutions in barely-noticeable places; they are also able to render below 1080p or even below 720p, as was the norm for our current console generation, to save performance for more important things. Perhaps developers might even use different algorithms which achieve the same, or better, quality for less computation at the expense of more sensitivity to RAM, bandwidth, or what-have-you.

But, in the end, Epic Games did not get the ~2.5 teraFLOPs they originally hoped for when they created the Samaritan Demo. This likely explains, at least in part, why the Elemental Demo looked a little sad at Sony's press conference: it was a little FLOP.

Update, 5/24/2013: Mark Rein of Epic Games responds to the statement made by Rajat Taneja of EA. While we do not know his opinion on consoles... we know his opinion on EA's opinion:

RT @developonline: EA: Xbox One and PS4 a generation ahead of PC develop-online.net/news/44289/EA-… <-no they’re not. I call bullshit on this one.

— Mark Rein (@MarkRein) May 23, 2013

Podcast #252 - Z87 Motherboards, Xbox One, Lenovo Y500 Gaming notebook and more!

Subject: General Tech | May 23, 2013 - 01:00 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: z87, Y500, xbox one, xbox, video, Temash, Richland, podcast, pcper, msi, Lenovo, Kaveri, Kabini, Jaguar, Intel, hgst, gtx 650m, Giagbyte, ECS, asus, APU, amd

PC Perspective Podcast #252 - 05/23/2013

Join us this week as we discuss Z87 Motherboards, Xbox One, Lenovo Y500 Gaming notebook and more!

You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.

The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!

• iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
• RSS - Subscribe through your regular RSS reader
• MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file

Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Josh Walrath, Allyn Malventano, and Morry Teitelman

Program length: 1:17:01

1. Week in Review:
   1. 0:02:40 ASUS Z87 Motherboards
   2. 0:07:40 Gigabyte Z87 Motherboards
   3. 0:15:15 MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming Motherboard
   4. 0:19:30 Lenovo Y500 Gaming Notebook
2. 0:23:00 This week we thank you for IGG support!
3. News items of interest:
   1. 0:26:30 ECS has Z87 motherboards too
   2. 0:27:50 Xbox One Announced
   3. 0:39:50 MSI Launches Laptops based on Richland
   4. 0:42:45 HGST 1.5TB Mobile Drive - 500 GB per platter
   5. 0:45:00 2013 AMD Mobility Platforms
      1. Jaguar + GCN Architecture
      2. Kabini A4-5000 System Performance Testing
4. 1:04:30 Hardware/Software Picks of the Week:
   1. Ryan: MSI GeForce Ti 4200 Graphics Card - 128 MB of RAM!
   2. Josh: Nice monitor, cruddy stand, but cheap!
   3. Allyn: Stardock Start8/ModernMix bundle (for $8)
   4. Morry: Dark - Vampire RPG
5. 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
6. http://pcper.com/podcast
7. http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
8. Closing/outro

Samsung 840 Series 500GB SSD for $277

Subject: General Tech | May 23, 2013 - 12:03 PM | PCPer Staff
Tagged: deals

SSD deals just keep getting better and today's is no exception.  You can pick up a 500GB version of the Samsung 840 series SSD, powered by TLC NAND memory, for just $277.49! 

You can read over Allyn's original review of this product if you'd like or just click the link below to get the offer before it runs out!

Samsung 840 Series 500GB SSD for $277

The PS4 and Xbox One Hardware Revealed, Console Makers Have Different Goals

Subject: General Tech | May 22, 2013 - 10:33 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: xbox one, semi-custom business unit, ps4, microsoft, amd

Microsoft took the wraps off of its upcoming Xbox One console earlier this week, and it is now possible to compare Microsoft and Sony's next-generation hardware.

Prior to the Xbox One launch, Forbes contributor Paul Tassi postulated that Microsoft would be going a different route than Sony with its next Xbox. Specifically, that Microsoft would focus more on media playback and applications rather than purely gaming (unlike Sony, which is doing the opposite). At the time, I found myself agreeing with his sentiment, and now that the console as launched I believe Mr. Tassi was absolutely correct. Microsoft wants the Xbox One to be the center of your living room and the device you use for all of your media (and gaming) needs. The new console integrates the Windows kernel and can do multitasking of applications and media in a Metro-UI like fashion (2/3, 1/3 split screen).

On the other hand, Sony is positioning its console as the best gaming device for the living room, and is focusing on integrating all things gaming with media as more of an afterthought. Like previous PlayStation consoles, it will likely play back media files and Blu-ray movies just fine, but it is a gaming box at its core.

Interestingly, the hardware that both companies have chosen seems to line up nicely with those goals. Both the Xbox One and PS4 are based around a semi-custom AMD APU with eight Jaguar CPU cores, but they have gone in different directions from there.

PlayStation 4 hardware:

As a refresher, Sony's PS4 has the following hardware specifications.

• CPU:  Eight core AMD “Jaguar” CPU
• GPU:  AMD GCN GPU with 1152 shader units (in 18 CUs)
• Memory:  8GB of GDDR5 clocked at 5500MHz
• HDD:  At least a spindle hard drive
• Bandwidth:  176 GB/s

Sony has changed directions from the PS3 by going with a simpler design that provides more graphical horsepower and higher system memory bandwidth versus the Xbox One. The PS4 uses a semi-custom AMD chip that has saved Sony a great deal of R&D money while also being easier for developers as it is that much closer to a traditional PC with its x86-64 APU (GDDR5 memory is unusual though). The PS4 is aimed at gamers and Sony's choice of hardware and memory reflects that.

Xbox One hardware:

Microsoft was not as forthcoming as Sony as far as touting specific hardware specifications, but based on the announcement and additional information acquired by AnandTech, the Xbox One features the following hardware:

• CPU:  Eight core AMD “Jaguar” CPU
• GPU:  AMD GCN GPU with 768 shader cores (within 12 Compute Units)
• Memory:  8GB of DDR3 system memory at 2133MHz as well as 32MB of on-chip eSRAM
• HDD:  500GB
• DDR3 Memory Bandwidth: 68.3 GB/s
• eSRAM Memory Bandwidth: 102GB/s

Microsoft took a different approach with the Xbox One. Instead of going for DDR5 like Sony did, Microsoft opted for a hybrid approach that uses a small but high-bandwidth and low latency embedded SRAM on the same chip as the CPU and GPU paired with a larger 8GB of traditional PC DDR3 system memory. This approach is interesting because it gives Microsoft a system that has access to low latency memory at the expense of the higher bandwidth that the PS4 enjoys with its single pool of DDR5 memory. Developers will need to become familiar with the embedded RAM to take full advantage of the latency benefits, however.

These hardware choices work out such that the PS4 has a distinct advantage when it comes to gaming performance. It has more GPU horsepower and high-bandwidth memory for feeding the processor high resolution textures. On the other hand, while Microsoft's console still has a respectable GPU (for a console), it seems to be optimized for lower latency memory access and just enough graphics oomph to enable the company to have a multimedia and home entertainment machine that can run multiple applications simultaneously while also satisfying gamers by giving them a decent graphical upgrade over the Xbox 360 for games. 

This next generation of consoles should be interesting, as will the ensuing "flame wars" between fans. Both Microsoft and Sony have learned from the past (current) generation of consoles and are focusing on what they are good at to differentiate themselves. Microsoft is tapping into its Windows ecosystem of PCs and mobile devices and providing an app machine that the company hopes will be the hub of your living room entertainment needs. Sony, who does not have that expertise or existing infrastructure is also focusing in on what it excels at and that is gaming.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the consoles co-exist and how the market shakes out over 2014 and into the future as the hardware stays the same but software changes. Sony definitely has the hardware advantage to stay in the game longer when it comes to games and graphics, but Microsoft has a box that can do more than games and can find purchase in your media rack even after it is surpassed in gaming graphics quality by PCs and the competition.

What do you think about the split between the Xbox One and PS4's hardware?

Fractal Design's Node 304 White Mini-ITX Case Is Coming In July

Subject: General Tech | May 22, 2013 - 06:27 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: fractal design, mini-itx, case, Node 304

Fractal Design is launching a new version of its existing Node 304 computer chassis. The new Node 304 White comes in white and supports Mini-ITX motherboards. The case measures 250 x 210 x 374mm and weighs 4.9kg.

The Node 304 is constructed of aluminum and has a white painted exterior. There are two mesh air vents on either side of the case as well as two 92mm Silent Series R2 fans working as front intakes behind filters to keep dust out of the case. Front IO includes two USB 3.0 ports and two audio jacks. The rear of the case features two expansion slots, a space for an ATX power supply, and a single 140mm Silent Series R2 exhaust fan.

Internally, the Node 304 White can fit standard ATX power supplies, a Mini-ITX motherboard, and up to six 3.5" or 2.5" hard drives. Alternatively, with two of the hard drive mounts removed, the case can accommodate graphics cards up to 310mm in length.

It is a minimalist design,but one that works well. Airflow should not be a problem even for high-end components, and the inclusion of the three fans, filters, and a fan controller is nice to see. The case will be available in July with an MSRP of $89.90 in the US and 69.90 EURO in Europe.

Seagate Barracuda 2TB SATA 6G Hard Drive for $91

Subject: General Tech | May 22, 2013 - 10:22 AM | PCPer Staff
Tagged: deals

Hard drives; we all need them.  And some of us need BIG ones.  Today's deal offers up a 2TB Seagate Barracuda SATA 6G hard drive for $91 with FREE shipping.

Also, if you select it via the drop down box, you can get the 4TB Seagate ST4000DM000 for $149 with FREE shipping.

Seagate 2TB Barracuda SATA 6G - $91 with FREE shipping!