HTC announces consumer-ready Vive Pre VR headset
Most consumers are oblivious to the existence of virtual reality headsets. Part of the problem is that, even though some companies have announced VR devices and there has been lots of talk surrounding them, only a few of them are actually available for consumers to buy.
HTC is now adding its new Vive Pre to that list. The company's second-generation VR headset, which it just announced at CES 2016, will be made available to the public this April.
How to stop Microsoft nagging you to switch to Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge
All good things must come to an end. But the same can be said about bad things, and many people will be pleased to hear the death knell sound for Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10. While Microsoft may be keen for people to use Edge or -- if they must -- Internet Explorer 11, not everyone feels the same.
With the likes of Firefox, Opera, and Chrome available, it might seem like madness that anyone would like to stick with an ancient version of Internet Explorer instead, but choice is everything. A patch that is due to be delivered to Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, and Internet Explorer 10 in the coming day will introduce a nag screen that will pester users into upgrading. If you're happy with your decision to stick with an older version of IE, here's a hack to banish the pestering.
Fix mIXED uP cASE instantly with SmartCapsLock
If you don’t use it regularly, the Caps Lock key can be a real nuisance, just a way to introduce cASE eRRORs if you accidentally hit it while typing.
SmartCapsLock provides a simple solution -- just select the messed-up text, hit Caps Lock again and its case is immediately reversed.
Firefox OS will begin powering Panasonic UHD TVs
Ultra HD is the latest technology in televisions after the failure of 3D to get traction. Different manufacturers are using varying operating systems to power the sets and make them smart TVs. Roku is getting a foothold in this market and Opera is used quite a bit. Mozilla is in the game also.
Panasonic, one of the more popular television OEMs, is announcing that Firefox OS will power its new UHD offerings. This isn't entirely new as Panasonic has previously used the platform on some of its sets available around the world.
Microsoft poised to deliver a fatal blow to Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10
In less than a week, Microsoft will only offer support for Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge. As of Tuesday 12 January, Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10 will die. The aging browsers will receive one more update, and then will be consigned to the trash.
Tuesday is the day that older versions of IE reach the end of their support cycles, and Microsoft is keen for everyone to move to either Microsoft Edge or -- for the diehards -- Internet Explorer 11. If you have not already made the switch (or jumped to Chrome or Firefox), one more patch, KB3123303, will pester you into upgrading.
How smart, connected devices can help businesses prosper
You might already know that the number of mobile-connected devices has already exceeded the world’s population, and in order to survive, businesses will need to respond.
Smart, connected devices can improve your business efficiency while reducing operational costs. In order to take advantage of these systems, it is important to know what they are, their benefits, and some of the best options to use within your organization.
Can you use SMART tools with SSDs?
S.M.A.R.T. which stands for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology is a fantastic tool for anticipating hardware errors on hard disk drives. The utility can test for bad sectors and some software can even test for temperature, core speed and system fan speed anomalies. When S.M.A.R.T. software indicates an imminent hard drive failure, the user is notified so that data can be backed up and data loss avoided. Diagnostic programs are widely used on mechanical hard disk drives and RAID, but how reliable are they on solid state drives SSDs?
Checks include electrical and mechanical performance and read/write error rates. Electrical tests include RAM and read/write circuitry. Mechanical tests seek servo information on data tracks, scanning for bad sectors across the entire disk surface. However solid state drives are constructed very differently, although flash media does develop errors over time -- normally bad flash blocks in the NAND memory chips. Just like traditional hard disk drives, the controller manages these bad blocks and re-maps them to ‘extra’ blocks. Eventually the drive will run out of ‘extra’ blocks and S.M.A.R.T. is quick to identify this.
Casio dives into the smartwatch market with an Android Wear offering
The smartwatch, wearables in general for that matter, are big these days. The technology dates back quite some time, but popularity and mainstream acceptance are more recent. Android Wear is a big part of that, as Google created a platform for electronics makers to work with and many have responded with offerings.
The latest device you may want to grace your wrist is from Casio, known as the Smart Outdoor Watch, though the real name is the WSD-F10.
Samsung announces Chromebook 3 -- claims strong consumer demand for Chrome OS
If you are in the market for a new laptop, you will probably target a Windows 10 variant. You know what? That's a smart choice. Microsoft's operating system has a ton of cool programs and apps available for it. The problem? There is a lot of malware targeting it too. With that said, if everything you do is on the web -- social media, web surfing, and email to name a few -- maybe Google's Chrome OS is the better choice. While limited compared to Windows, it is arguably safer. Chromebooks are often less expensive too.
Today, citing high consumer demand for Chrome OS, Samsung announces its all-new 11.6-inch Chromebook 3. This compact and beautiful laptop features a keyboard that looks absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, the rest of the package is a bit ho-hum.
Samsung takes aim at Surface and iPad Pro with Windows 10-powered Galaxy TabPro S
Many people decry Samsung's design choices for copying Apple. As much as I love Samsung products -- the company makes great phones, washing machines, televisions and more -- I cannot defend against those claims. With that said, if you are going to borrow design philosophies from any company, Apple is a good choice.
Today, Samsung announces the Galaxy TabPro S -- a large tablet that is reminiscent of both Apple's iPad Pro and Microsoft's Surface line. The company had previously released the Galaxy Tab Pro, but that large tablet ran Android and was a dud with consumers. This time, the "S" variant runs full Windows 10, like the Surface, but with no kickstand and a keyboard a bit more like the iPad Pro in its connectivity. Obviously, the trackpad and key-type is more Microsoft than Apple. Regardless of design inspiration, it looks like a winner.
Gamers love lights, so Logitech shoved some into the G502 Proteus Spectrum Gaming Mouse
Want to know some stereotypes about PC gamers? They all drink mountain dew, they all live in their mom's basement, and they all love LED lights. While some gamers are all these things, it is silly to say they all do -- it is not factual for all. Well, maybe LED lights. I am fairly confident that all PC gamers love LEDs! Whether it is a desktop PC with a window, mouse, or keyboard, there is a good chance they all glow, or at least one does.
Apparently, Logitech agrees with me. Today, the company announces the G502 Proteus Spectrum Gaming Mouse. No, it is not an entirely new mouse -- it is simply the existing G502 Proteus Core with some LED lighting shoved inside for fun. You know what? It's friggin' brilliant.
Would dropping the 140-character limit completely change the face of Twitter? [UPDATE] Jack Dorsey responds
Twitter could be on the verge of making one of the most significant changes in its history. The micro-blogging service has long been famed for its 140-character limit that allows for pithy quips, concise statements, and brief utterances. But all this could be about to change. Reports suggest that the 140-character restriction could be thrown out of the window, with a decidedly meatier 10,000-character upper limit being ushered in instead.
If such a change is implemented, it would bring regular tweets in line with direct messages which enjoyed a lengthening just a few months ago, and comes shortly after Twitter changed the order in which tweets are displayed. Both of these changes led to a good deal of debate, but would increasing the maximum length of a regular, public message by more than 70 times be such a fundamental change as to be a step in the wrong direction?
What's next for Internet of Things?
In 2015, the Internet of Things (IoT) developed significantly and saw increased interest from a range of industries. A whole host of new devices emerged, especially in the wearable sector. In fact, the global market for wearable devices grew by 223 percent. FitBit shipped 4.4 million devices, and Apple sold 3.6 million Apple Watches.
IoT also fueled important advances in healthcare in 2015, including the continuing development of IoT devices to monitor the supply chain of medicines and patients’ adherence to medical regimens. In addition to this, IoT was a hot topic in the automotive industry in 2015, as driverless cars seemed to be in the headlines every week.
IPv6 adoption nearly doubles in a year
New data released by Google has shown that the uptake of IPv6 -- the most recent version of the internet communications protocol -- has grown considerably in the last 12 months.
Google revealed that 10.09 percent of all traffic to its websites was made of IPv6 connections as of January 2 2016, nearly double that from the same time last year when the number was 5.47 percent.
Xbox One gets new bundles for the new year
It may be time for the Consumer Electronics Show, but Microsoft no longer maintains a presence at the big event. The days of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer keynotes are long gone now. That does not mean the company has nothing to announce, though.
Today Larry Hryb, also known as Major Nelson and the head of Xbox Live, is unveiling a set of new bundles for the gaming console.
Recent Headlines
Most Commented Stories
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.