Cloth simulations in Javascript, optimized for asm.js

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | May 4, 2013 - 06:47 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mozilla, javascript, firefox, asm.js

Web browsers are getting really good at being general-purpose application platforms.

You can write most applications in web standards if you are willing to give up some level of performance for the gained ubiquity. HTML5, Javascript, and CSS are very full featured; WebGL and WebCL extend functionality by backing apps with surprising GPU horsepower; WebAPIs such as gamepad, telephony, and accelerometer support also keep advanced hardware-specific features open to web developers.

I can see the web developers drooling already.

But even though performance lags behind reasonable native environments, the divide is rapidly shrinking. Many applications have reached or exceeded the saturation of useful performance at the same time as browser developers narrow the gap between native performance and themselves.

Javascript is often, simply, good enough.

Mozilla has recently added support for the draft asm.js in their Aurora prerelease channel for Firefox. The specification is designed to permit a subset of Javascript to be flagged for optimization in compatible browsers but otherwise execute as normal everywhere else. It is also possible to compile more native code into Javascript if you can afford the ever-decreasing performance hit. Early implementations of asm.js execute code compiled from C within half of native performance.

Because... pants.

According to David Herman of Mozilla, one of the lead authors of the ASM.js draft, the specification also allows for multithreading through web workers. Applications can take advantage of multiple hardware threads in this way, and potentially other methods as they continue development. I would expect this is especially relevant for mobile devices which tend to have relatively many cores considering their single threaded performance.

James Long of Mozilla compiled a cloth simulation into this Javascript subset. It will run in multiple browsers but will perform better in Aurora both in cloth precision and, as I have found, responsivity.

Check it out, imagine what you could be doing in your web browser in the near future.

RIP Hotmail, Long Live Outlook.com

Subject: General Tech | May 3, 2013 - 04:50 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: webmail, outlook, microsoft, hotmail, email

Microsoft has completed the transition to its new Outlook.com email service. The successor (and replacement) to Hotmail, Outlook.com now has more than 400 million active subscribers. Microsoft opened the Outlook.com service in beta form last year, and finally took it out of preview mode in February. Since then, the company has been moving everyone’s accounts over to the new service. In all, the company moved more than 300 million accounts from the old Hotmail databases to the new Outlook service. Over a six week period, Microsoft moved more than 150 Petabytes of user data to the new service!

From now on, users will now log in to Outlook.com and interact with the new Modern UI-esque user interface. Users that were part of the company’s Hotmail service will get to keep their existing @hotmail.com accounts and no configuration setting changes will be necessary. New users will only get @outlook.com addresses, however. Any Hotmail Plus users will get to keep their paid status and enjoy a version of Outlook.com without any sidebar ads.

Now that the transition is complete, Microsoft is working on adding new features to Outlook.com. Right now, the company is working on introducing deeper integration with SkyDrive as well as tweaking the sending of email from alternate accounts. Both new features will be gradually rolled out to users over the next few weeks.

The SkyDrive integration will be bolstered by adding a new attachment option when sending an email that will allow users to attach files stored on SkyDrive. Outlook will then add a link to the email and automatically assign the correct permissions to allow the email recipient to download the file. If you attach a photo from SkyDrive, it will automatically create a thumbnail or gallery of photos within the email body.

The new SMTP send feature tweaks the way Outlook sends mail via an alternative email account (for example, if you added an old Gmail or Yahoo mail account to your Hotmail or Outlook.com email account) such that it no longer shows your Hotmail address “on behalf of” your alternative email. Once the new features is rolled out, email recipients will only see your alternative email address and your Hotmail/Outlook email will not be revealed.

If you are curious about the new Outlook.com interface, check out my Outlook.com preview article.

Deal for May 3rd - Dell UltraSharp U2413 1920 x 1200 24" IPS @ $450

Subject: General Tech | May 3, 2013 - 02:39 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Dell's UltraSharp U2413 1920 x 1200 24" IPS claims a 6ms response time which makes it suitable for gaming, as well as offering superior colour support.  As it is a new model it supports HDMI, DisplayPort 1.2, DVI-D and mini DisplayPort inputs as well as acting as a 4-port USB 3.0 hub. 

Dell UltraSharp U2413 1920 x 1200 24" IPS Monitor (2013 model)
Dell Works is offering newest 24-inch UltraSharp U2413 Monitor (2013 model) for $449.99 with FREE shipping. Use $100 instant savings and extra 10% coupon code: 0Q0C74SWNZC42$ to get final price. Backed by 3-Year Advanced Exchange Service and Premium Panel Guarantee.

Micron puts a suit and tie on its newest PCIe SSD

Subject: General Tech | May 3, 2013 - 12:38 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: micron, PCIe SSD, P420m, 25nm, mlc

Soon to be available in 350GB, 700GB and 1.4TB capacities, the Micron P420m PCIe SSD will be in a half-height and half-length form factor perfect for use in racks.  DigiTimes mentions it will use a custom ASIC controller from Micron but does not specify the model.  As will it will use 25nm MLC flash and XPERT, which is Micron's eXtended Performance and Enhanced Reliability Technology which should guarantee a decent lifespan for your storage.  Production will not start until June so it will be a while before we finally see performance results.

"The new Micron P420m combines consistent performance with the inherent power efficiency of an all-flash system to deliver improved economics for enterprise data centers. The drive accelerates performance of today's demanding data center applications, including online transaction processing (OLTP), data warehousing and virtualization, Micron said."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Research explodes myth that older programmers are obsolete @ The Register
• Microsoft preparing second-generation Surface @ DigiTimes
• Intel appoints Brian Krzanich as CEO @ The Inquirer
• AMD says IOMMU v2.5 is key for Linux HSA support @ The Inquirer
• (UK) Government forces benefits claimants to use Windows XP and IE6 @ The Inquirer
• Sony SRS-BTX500 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Windows 8 – an unmitigated Microsoft disaster @ Kitguru
• Picture this: Kodak could get out of bankruptcy as early as July @ The Register
• Component of the Month: Op Amps @ MAKE:Blog
• An ode to the Kindle Paperwhite @ The Tech Report
• Legendary Internet Tech Pricing Mistakes and their (a)moral Implications @ Tweaktown
• USB Auto Update Guide @ OCC
• Lehman Brothers sues Intel over a billion dollar deal @ The Register
• TSMC reportedly to grab 100% of AP orders for 2014 model iPhone @ The Register
• ModSynergy 10-Year Celebration Contest!
• Noctua Joint Giveaway - NH-D14/NH-U14S/NH-U12S Up For Grabs Globally @ NikKTech

LG Launches Optimus F5 Android Smartphone

Subject: General Tech | May 3, 2013 - 11:00 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: smartphone, optimus f5, LG, jelly bean, Android

LG has launched a new Android smartphone with 4G LTE connectivity. The new LG Optimus F5 is available in France now, and will be rolled out worldwide later this month. It measures 126 x 64.5 x 93mm and comes in either glossy white or piano black. Its specifications are not anything surprising, but this is not a new flagship smartphone. Rather, LG is positioning the mobile device as an affordable LTE smartphone.

On the outside, the LG Optimus F5 features a 4.3” IPS qHD display with a resolution of 960x540 (256 PPI). Above the display is a 1.3MP webcam while the rear of the smartphone hosts a 5MP camera with autofocus.

Internally, the LG Optimus F5 is powered by a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC clocked at 1.2GHz, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. LG is using a beefy 2,150 mAh battery which should give it decent battery life even when connected to 4G LTE networks. The phone also supports microSD cards for expandable storage up to 32GB. The Optimus F5 is running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

The new Optimus F5 smartphone will be available soon in France and worldwide towards the end of May. LG has not yet released specific pricing information, however.

Enermax Power Supplies Are Ready For New Haswell CPU Sleep States

Subject: General Tech | May 3, 2013 - 08:59 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: zero load, PSU, Intel, haswell, enermax, cpu, c6, c5

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Intel’s upcoming Haswell processors would feature new C6 and C7 sleep states that draw as little as 0.05A on the 12V rail. Such low power draw on the 12V rail may cause problems for existing power supplies, which are not accustomed to facilitating such low power draw (especially on the 12V line). In an attempt to clear up a bit of the confusion for its customers, Enermax has put together a list of its mid-range and high-end power supplies that meet the standards required to support the new low-power processor states.

According to the press release (seen below), the Enermax power supplies use so-called Zero Load technology that uses a DC to DC converter to support low wattage power draw. This technology has been in Enermax power supplies since the Revolution85+ series which was launched in 2008. The company claims that the power supplies deliver “rock solid voltages” down to 0W load, which is within the Intel specification of 0.05A for the CPU alone.

The list of compatible Enermax power supplies is as follows:

• Enermax Platimax Series
  • Platimax 500W (EPM500AWT)
  • Platimax 600W (EPM600AWT)
  • Platimax 750W (EPM750AWT)
  • Platimax 850W (EPM850EWT)
  • Platimax 1000W (EPM1000EWT)
  • Platimax 1200W (EPM1200EWT)
  • Platimax 1500W (EPM1500EGT)
• Enermax Revolution87+ Series
  • Revolution87+ 550W (ERV550AWT-G)
  • Revolution87+ 650W (ERV650AWT-G)
  • Revolution87+ 750W (ERV750AWT-G)
  • Revolution87+ 850W (ERV850EWT-G)
  • Revolution87+ 1000W (ERV1000EWT-G)
• Enermax MaxRevo Series
  • MaxRevo 1200W (EMR1200EWT)
  • MaxRevo 1350W (EMR1350EWT)
  • MaxRevo 1500W (EMR1500EGT)
• Enermax Triathlor Series
  • Triathlor 385W (ETA385AWT)
  • Triathlor 450W (ETA450AWT)
  • Triathlor 550W (ETA550AWT)
• Enermax Revolution85+ Series
  • Revolution85+ 850W (ERV850EWT)
  • Revolution85+ 920W (ERV920EWT)
  • Revolution85+ 950W (ERV950EWT)
  • Revolution85+ 1020W (ERV1020EWT)
  • Revolution85+ 1050W (ERV1050EWT)
  • Revolution85+ 1250W (ERV1250EGT)
• Enermax Modu87+ Series
  • Modu87+ 500W (EMG500AWT)
  • Modu87+ 600W (EMG600AWT)
  • Modu87+ 700W (EMG700AWT)
  • Modu87+ 800W (EMG800EWT)
  • Modu87+ 900W (EMG900EWT)
• Enermax Pro87+ Series
  • Pro87+ 500W (EPG500AWT)
  • Pro87+ 600W (EPG600AWT)

The list includes power supplies from a number of series over the past few years that range from 500W to 1250W. I'm sure between now and the launch of Haswell in the first week of June that other PSU manufacturers will be announcing which models are compatible and which are not. Stay tuned to PC Perspective as more information becomes available!

Podcast #249 - Corsair 350D, Frame Rating in 4K, the Oculus Rift and more!

Subject: General Tech | May 2, 2013 - 02:59 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: podcast, video, Indiegogo, corair, obsidian, 350d, mATX, frame rating, 4k, titan, 7990, 690, Oculus, rift, VR, 3d, amd, amd fx, vishera, hUMA, hsa

PC Perspective Podcast #249 - 05/02/2013

Join us this week as we discuss the Corsair 350D, Frame Rating in 4K, the Oculus Rift 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: Josh Walrath, Allyn Malventano, Scott Michaud and Morry Teitelman

Program length: 1:04:02

1. Week in Review:
   1. 0:05:00 Corsair Obsidian 350D Case
   2. 0:10:30 AMD Details hUMA for HSA
   3. 0:25:00 Frame Rating testing at 4K resolutions
2. 0:30:00 This week we thank you for IGG support!
3. News items of interest:
   1. 0:33:15 Read our Heart of the Swarm review
   2. 0:38:30 Oculus Rift hands on testing
   3. 0:44:00 AMD Refreshes FX CPUs
   4. 0:46:00 Gigabyte shows new audio setup for Z87 boards
   5. 0:49:45 Potential power supply issues for Haswell
4. Hardware/Software Picks of the Week:
   1. Ryan: Windows Movie Maker lets you record webcam videos!
   2. Jeremy: anti-pick - hotels that don't offer a RJ45 jack in the rooms!
   3. Josh: Just plain cheap. And Fun!
   4. Allyn: Ventev USB charging stuff (home / auto)
   5. Scott: 120Hz monitors... meh on 3D Vision.
   6. Morry: Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
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

Deal for May 2nd - Samsung Galaxy S4 [AT&T] @ $168

Subject: General Tech | May 2, 2013 - 01:23 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Are you in the same boat as Howard Hughes and can't stand the thought of touching anything?  Samsung's new Galaxy S4 is right up your alley then, as you don't even have to touch the screen to use the phone, simply gesturing near the screen works just as well as touching it.  Not only that but you can benefit from the long list of new features integrated with the new Galaxy, for less than you would otherwise pay.

Samsung Galaxy S4 [AT&T]
Amazon now offers for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone for AT&T starting at just $168 with free shipping (2-4 weeks).  Requires new or upgrading two year contract.  Available in White Frost (pictured) and Black Myst.  You save about $32 off the retail price.