Minecraft Brings Cake to Raspberry Pi

Subject: General Tech, Systems, Mobile | November 24, 2012 - 04:56 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged:

You might like pie, you might be a terrible person who likes cake, I will not judge.

One of Minecraft’s many features is the ability to craft a cake to use as food despite being wholly inferior to a couple of pork chops or steaks. You are not able to craft a pie. Soon you will be able to craft the game on a Raspberry Pi, however.

Mojang made an announcement on their blog recently which outlined their plans to port Minecraft Pocket to the cheap Raspberry Pi computer. While this might be exciting for those who use the Raspberry Pi as a cheap home theatre PC, there is something special about this build.

If you close a Windows, someone will open a source.

The Raspberry Pi was designed by David Braben to be an educational device. Its intent was to provide students with a cheap device loaded with much of the software development tools they would require to learn and develop their own applications.

Mojang is also interested in this ideal.

This version of the game, called Minecraft: Pi Edition, is said to be available in multiple programming languages. The intent is for users to learn to program by modifying and extending Minecraft. The game certainly is popular enough with students and would be an engaging way to frame the skills they require in the context of an existing game. I hope it will also help perpetuate the oft threatened ideal that third party game modifications should be promoted and preserved.

Minecraft: Pi Edition will be provided completely free.

A $250 Dual Core Cortex A15 powered Chromebook from Samsung

Subject: Mobile | November 23, 2012 - 02:59 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ubuntu, Chromebook, cortex a15, Samsung, linux, exynos 5

At $250 this Samsung Chromebook costs less than most tablets or phones but can outperform previous A9 powered models and the Atom D525 as well.  The processor is Samsung's Exynos 5, a dual core A15 chip running at 1.7GHz with ARM's Mali-T604 graphics  and is accompanied by 2GB of DDR3 and a 16GB SSD.  It can be loaded with Ubuntu 13.04 and offers a compelling and inexpensive alternative to Sleekbooks and Ultrabooks as it weighs 2.5lbs and is 11.4" x 8.09" x 0.69" and promises over 6 hours of battery life.  Check out how it performs at Phoronix.

"Google recently launched the Samsung Chromebook that for $249 USD features an 11-inch display, a 16GB SSD, a promise of 6.5-hour battery life, and is backed by a Samsung Exynos 5 SoC. The Samsung Exynos 5 packs a 1.7GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor with ARM Mali-T604 graphics. With using this new ARM Cortex-A15 chip plus the Samsung Chromebook not being locked down so it can be loaded up with a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or openSUSE, it was a must-buy for carrying out some interesting Cortex-A15 Linux benchmarks. The Exynos 5 Dual in this affordable laptop packs an impressive performance punch."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• HP ENVY 6 Sleekbook Review; AMD's Mobile Trinity APU Arrives @ Hardware Canucks
• Acer Aspire V5-571P-6642 Review @ TechReviewSource
• PC Specialist Inferno 11.6 inch Laptop @ Kitguru
• Acer Aspire V5-171 Notebook Review: The Death and Rebirth of the Netbook @ AnandTech
• Txtr Beagle @ The Inquirer
• Kobo eReader Mini review: shrunk in the laundry
• Patriot Gauntlet Node 320 Review: Wireless Storage for Tablets @ AnandTech
• Point of View Protab 3 XXL review: 10-inch, IPS, £200 @ Hardware.info
• ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T 32GB Tablet @ SSD Review
• iPad mini @ AnandTech
• Rapoo E6300 Wireless Keyboard for iPad/iPhone @ Bjorn3D
• ASUS PadFone 2 Review @ InsideHW
• Nokia Lumia 820 @ The Inquirer

Intel CEO Paul Otellini Resigns in May 2013, Two Years Early

Subject: General Tech, Processors, Mobile | November 23, 2012 - 01:18 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Intel, CEO

Intel has not had any financial or directional problems nor have they experienced a revolving door in upper management, at least to my knowledge. Paul Otellini was expected to remain at the helm of the chip giant until he turned 65 at which point he would enjoy a wonderful retirement. He would have commanded the company for a full decade.

Intel recently announced that Otellini will leave the company and retire at 62.

Possibly the most important part of the story might be the non-story piece: there does not appear to be any reason for him to leave. The board apparently did not want him to go. ARM holds a large lead in momentum over Intel, during Paul’s watch, in the mobile market but even then the future looks promising with early commentaries about Clover Trail. If I had to guess I would posit that his decision to step down is entirely for personal and possibly sudden circumstances. That was just a guess, however.

To further speculation about its abruptness, Intel does not seem to have anyone in mind as a replacement in just 6 months’ time. For the first time Intel will consider fulfilling the position from outside the company.

In related news, Intel’s stock made a slight dip in value after the abrupt announcement. While the decline was slight it does echo the reluctance mentioned earlier and shows that even the stock market approved of Intel’s performance over the last eight years.

Now Intel owns 3DLabs and they may be making better mobiles with them

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | November 20, 2012 - 01:47 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Intel, Creative, SoC, ziilabs

Ziilabs might not be a name you recognize now, but it is one you were likely familiar with at one time.  That is the current name of 3DLabs which was purchased by Creative back in 2002 and is now responsible for SoC development at Creative, especially integrating the StemCell media processor into the ARM chips which make the basis of the mobile processors.  Intel paid $30 million for physical resources and assets along with $20 million for patents, giving them the ability to move from their current solution for Atom processors, PowerVR to the StemCell architecture.  Could it be possible that with a stronger Atom that Intel might be able to power more cell phones and take a larger share of that market as well?  Check out more at The Inquirer.

"CHIPMAKER Intel will license patents from Ziilabs and purchase assets from the UK based chip designer.

Ziilabs is a UK based subsidiary of Creative Technology focusing on system on chip (SoC) designs for smartphones and tablets. While the firm has yet to register on the public conciousness, it clearly has been on Intel's radar for a while and announced a $50m asset sale and patent licensing deal."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Intel roadmap leak shows quad-core Atoms for 2014 @ The Register
• UPHEAVAL as Otellini retires: Will Intel look inside? @ The Register
• Can't wait for Nvidia? Try these Italian baby ARM clusters with GPU options @ The Register
• Bathroom fan that switches itself on when it gets steamy or smelly @ Hack a Day
• HP posts a $6.9bn loss as PC, printer and server businesses tank @ The Inquirer
• TechSpot Holiday Gift Guide 2012
• Kingston & Techgage Present: Free Kit for Friendship Contest @ Techgage
• Bjorn3D/Diamond Multimedia Holiday Giveaway

Too big for comfort? The Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Subject: Mobile | November 19, 2012 - 02:48 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Samsung, galaxy note 2, phablet

Even with its overly large body the original Samsung Galaxy Note sold well, as it sported a large screen to go with its large body.  The second version now has a slightly larger screen of 5.5" and slightly smaller body but not enough to shrink the phone noticeably.  Apart from its size the other unique feature that the Note 2 has is the S Pen which allows you to draw and write on the screen, a feature that attracted many users to the original model.  Also worth noting is the graphics chip, instead of the more common Snapdragon this phone has a Exynos processor which is up to most tasks but when running apps which are optimized for the other graphics chips you may notice the quality degrade a bit.  TechSpot has a full review of this phablet right here.

"The Samsung Galaxy Note II is big. Colossally big. It's important to get that description out of the way because anyone who sees or holds the Galaxy Note II will have no choice but to be taken aback by how large is the phone-meets-tablet.

The same predicament made doubters believe that the original Galaxy Note was too big to succeed, but millions of phones sold later, that proved to be a false prediction. The Galaxy Note II is a smooth and dynamic experience from top to bottom. It's probably too big as a phone or too small as a tablet for most, but many will find it's a comfortable compromise between the two form factors."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• Is There a Touchable Windows 8 Laptop For You? @ Techspot
• Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Review @ TechReviewSource
• CyberPowerPC Zeus-M2 Ultrabook Review @ Custom PC Review
• Microsoft Surface RT @ The Inquirer
• Google Nexus 4 Review - Google's new Flagship @ AnandTech
• Galaxy SIII, iPhone 5, HTC One X+ and 8X shootout: comparing video quality @ Hardware.info
• LG Optimus G 16GB Smartphone Review @ Legit Reviews
• Sony Xperia Miro Smartphone @ HardwareHeaven
• Samsung Galaxy S III Mini @ Hardware.Info

Ready for the next OLED let down ... bendable cellphones

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | November 16, 2012 - 12:35 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: oled, Samsung, smartphone

If the marketing had been accurate we would now all be using millimetre thin displays with vibrant colours and near instantaneous response, either on our desks or in some form of electronic paper.  Unfortunately organic LED screens have proven both difficult and expensive to make, with manufacturers still trying to find a way to make large OLED devices affordable for consumers.  The next possible product is one we have seen prototypes of but if Samsung is to be believed they will be hawking bendable plastic phones next year.  OLED phones would have several benefits, without glass they would weigh less than a traditional phone and could be somewhat slimmer, but the biggest benefit to OLEDs is that they can tolerate bending and twisting and still function properly.  Hit up The Register for more on Samsung's new plans as well as a look at some of the prototypes previously offered by their competitors, but not Apple.

"Development work on Samsung mobiles fitted with flexible OLED displays is nearing completing, with handsets set to be released in the first half of 2013, it has been claimed.

A source said to be close to the matter reckons Samsung is almost ready to launch flexible displays for mobile handsets, the Wall Street Journal reports."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Samsung fabs 64Gb NAND chips on a 10nm process node @ The Inquirer
• Sinofsky denies failed putsch led to his defenestration @ The Register
• Everspin makes ST-MRAM a reality @ SemiAccurate
• Lenovo UEFI Bug Only Likes Windows and RHEL @ Slashdot
• Newer Technology NuGreen LED Desk Lamp Review @ Madshrimps
• The Ultimate Kitguru Giveaway – Modded GTX690/SSD/RAM
• Win an Antec P280 Window or P280 White Window Computer Case @ Tweaktown

Viva las VivoTab

Subject: Mobile | November 13, 2012 - 06:55 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: asus, vivo tab rt, tegra 3, winRT

Hopefully the rounded corners on the VivoTab will not catch the attention of Cupertino but until it does this convertible tablet/notebook will be popular.  The tablet portion has a 10.1" 1366 x 768 SuperIPS+ display, aka 155 PPI, powered by a Tegra 3 T30 @ 1.3GHz. It has an 8MP camera at the rear and a 2MP camera which faces you for video conferencing and while it does have the ability to provide a USB connection it does so with an adapter and the docking port, so USB is unavailable when you are docked.  Overall The Tech Report mostly liked the device, it might load some WinRT apps slowly but once they are running they perform admirably; lack of support for x86 programs was disappointing and in some ways they preferred the previous Android versions.   See why that is so in the full article.

"Asus' Transformer approach to convertible tablets has finally come to Windows. We take a closer look at the new VivoTab RT."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• Microsoft Surface Tablet (64GB / Windows RT) Review @ HardwareHeaven
• HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A Ultrabook Windows 7 and 8 Testing Review @ TechwareLabs
• Asus S56CA-DH51 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Maingear Vybe 15 Gaming Laptop @ Tweaktown
• Schenker XMG P722 Gaming Laptop @ HardwareHeaven
• Dell Inspiron 14z: Ultrabook with DVD and SSD @ Hardware.info
• Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon @ Hardware.info
• 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro @ AnandTech
• Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina @ Hardware.info
• ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime @ Tweaktown
• Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (16GB, Sprint) Review @ TechReviewSource
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover review: robust smartphone
• Samsung Galaxy Note II 16GB Smartphone Review @ Legit Reviews
• Google Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 Performance Preview @ AnandTech
• Apple iPad Mini Review @ HardwareHeaven
• Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi) Review @ TechReviewSource
• Acer Iconia W700 Windows 8 Tablet @ XSReviews
• Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7in Review @ HardwareHeaven
• Nook Simple Touch Glowlight @ The Inquirer
• Apple Ipad Mini @ The Inquirer

Breaking News: Steven Sinofsky Leaves Microsoft Immediately

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Systems, Mobile | November 12, 2012 - 10:02 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: windows rt, windows 8, microsoft

Our regular viewers know that I am not too fond of Microsoft’s recent vision; I will get that out of the way right at the start. I am a major proponent of open platforms for uncensored art with perpetual support and Windows 8 shows all the signs of Microsoft turning its back on that ideology.

And Steven Sinofsky, the one who allegedly came up with that vision, is no longer with Microsoft: effective immediately.

Not much in the line of reasoning is known about why Steven Sinofsky parted ways with his long-term career as head of Windows division. He had a clear and concise vision for his products and it was evident both in Windows 7 and in Windows RT.

Rumors exist that his fellow executives were not on pleasant terms with him. All Things D claims to have sources which suggest that his colleagues were unhappy with his conduct in terms of collaboration.

But that is all hearsay.

What it means for Microsoft is that the face that set sail is no longer at the helm. Microsoft could revert back to their twitchy attempts to appease everyone and abandon their vision. On the other hand it is entirely possible that the company could continue off on the last bearing set by Sinofsky.

No-one knows, but I stand behind my previous assertions that the PC industry will get messy in the next few years as things boil over at Microsoft.