AMD announces powerful and wallet-friendly Radeon R9 380X graphics card
While Intel and Nvidia produce some amazing hardware, I always have a place in my heart for AMD. True, the company often lags behind Intel for raw power and efficiency, plus its Linux driver support can be iffy, but from a value perspective, its products are great. You get a lot of power, often for less money than competitors.
AMD's 300 series cards have been really popular with the gaming community, yet many people have not upgraded. In a tough economy, this is understandable. Today, however, AMD officially announces a card that is not only powerful, but affordable too. The R9 380X may be the perfect balance. Will you upgrade?
Microsoft and Code.org use Minecraft to teach coding to kids
As part of the third Hour of Code, Microsoft has launched a coding tutorial based on Minecraft. The event is part of Computer Science Education Week, which runs from December 7-13 and uses the familiar Minecraft to teach coding to people aged 6 and above.
The tutorial is a collaboration between Microsoft, Code.org, and Mojang AB, the company behind Minecraft. It provides a gentle on-ramp to learning the basics of coding, with a view to inspiring the next generation of developers.
Best Windows apps this week
One-hundred and fifty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows 8.x and Windows 10 in the past seven days.
Microsoft released the first major update for Windows 10 yesterday. You can check out Wayne Williams' article to find out what is new.
Razer announces Naga Chroma MMO gaming mouse
The older I get, the less time I have for video games. Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying I am too mature for gaming; quite the contrary -- I am just as immature as ever! The problem is, as responsibilities mount, there is much less time.
I am quite envious of those people that have hours and days to dedicate to playing in-depth games like MMO's each week. If you are one of these lucky people, Razer has some good news for you; it has refreshed its popular Naga MMO gaming mouse -- now with the added 'Chroma' moniker -- with new features. It, of course, retains its iconic 12 thumb buttons.
Xbox One backwards compatibility arrives with 104 games in tow
The one thing people have been clamoring for since the Xbox One was released is backwards compatibility to allow playing of all those collected games from the 360 era. Microsoft is granting that wish, though it will be gradual.
Today the company is publishing a list of the initial games that will be available. In all, it entails 104 titles and includes some big names. Among those in this release are Assassin's Creed II, Bejeweled 2, Gears of War versions 1, 2 and 3, Halo: Spartan Assault, Mass Effect, Plants vs Zombies and many more.
Back to the 1980s: How to play Space Invaders on your PC
It’s been around for almost 40 years, yet the arcade classic Space Invaders is still hugely popular, the inspiration behind an array of new games on every possible platform.
This isn’t always a good thing. Many games use the name, but don’t bear any resemblance to the original. Others require bulky installations or "in-app purchases" before you can really get started.
Microsoft shows what gamers can expect from the New Xbox One Experience
The New Xbox One Experience is just around the corner. We already know that the rollout starts on 12 November, and that means that there are just ten days until Windows 10 comes to Xbox One gamers. Today Microsoft shows off what there is to look forward to in a couple of new videos.
This is not a small update by any stretch of the imagination -- it sees the arrival of the New Xbox One Experience. Not everyone has been keeping up to date with the snippets of news that have crept out over recent months, nor have they all been taking part in the preview program. But whether you've kept abreast of what's to come or you haven’t got a clue what to expect, the videos serve as an excellent introduction.
Zuckerberg: we have a moral responsibility to those without internet access (and to kill game invites)
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg took part in a Q&A session at the Indian Institute of Technology in Dehli, responding to queries ranging from the Internet.org project to Candy Crush notifications. Not for the first time, he found himself jumping to the defence of the program which aims to connect millions of people to the internet. He denied that the walled-garden of Internet.org went against the idea of net neutrality, but conceded that people had to "follow the basic rules of what Internet.org is".
He pointed out that existing net neutrality laws made exceptions for free services, but these loopholes have been described by critics as 'fatal'. In a wide-ranging talk, Zuckerberg also announced plans to kill one of the biggest irritants of the social network -- game invites for the likes of FarmVille and Candy Crush.
Xbox One gets Windows 10 on 12 November
The rollout of Windows 10 continues apace, and next on the list of devices to get the operating system is the Xbox One. What this means is that the console will gain what has been dubbed the "new Xbox One experience" (or NXOE) that Preview Program members already have access to.
Microsoft's Phil Spencer has revealed that the update will be made available to Xbox One users on 12 November, so there's just over a fortnight to wait. NXOE brings not just a new look and Cortana (eventually), but also backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games.
The Xbox app for Windows 10 gets additional social features
The Xbox One is no longer new, but Windows 10 still has that shiny feel. The two were made to go together, along with Windows Phone, in an effort to bring a more unified feel to the platform. You may or may not think Microsoft succeeded in this, but the effort was there.
Now the company is enhancing the beta for its Xbox Windows 10 app with a nod towards social sharing features that allow the user to bring more friends to the fun and games.
MAINGEAR NOMAD 15 laptop has Skylake Core i7, NVIDIA GTX 980M, G-SYNC, and 4K
Typically, when consumers want a gaming PC, they will buy or build a desktop. This works well for those people with dedicated gaming areas in their home, but what if you need to move around a lot? What if you want to travel to a friend's house or lan party to game? A gaming laptop is the most convenient option (lugging a desktop around stinks).
If you are a nomadic gamer, always on the go, MAINGEAR has a laptop that could meet your needs. The appropriately named NOMAD 15 now has options for Intel Skylake Core i7, NVIDIA GTX 980M, G-SYNC, and 4K.
Dell's Alienware Steam Machine is officially up for pre-order
Way back in early June we learned of two manufacturers for Steam Machine gaming computers. One of those was Dell who, at the time, had a very brief window open for pre-orders. Those customers are still waiting now, more than four months later.
But things are getting closer and, as of today, Dell has opened up pre-orders for everyone. So far the machine has not leaked out and no review units have been issued. Dell points out that "Up until now only a select few inside the halls of Alienware and Valve had the chance to experience the Alienware Steam Machine in all its glory".
Microsoft partners with YouTube to launch Halo 5: Guardians for Xbox
While it isn't always reciprocated, Microsoft does its best to support other platforms, putting its apps on rival mobile operating systems and releasing its videos via Google's YouTube. Now the software giant is planning a big release celebration for the much-anticipated Xbox title Halo 5: Guardians, and will be bringing the festivities directly into the homes of fans.
Today Xbox Live chief Larry Hryb, AKA Major Nelson, announces that Microsoft will utilize YouTube to show "Halo 5: Live,” a six-hour live broadcast featuring exclusive gameplay reveals, celebrity appearances, live interviews with the 343 Industries development team and much more.
Acer brings Predator X34 34-Inch Curved IPS Gaming Monitor with NVIDIA G-SYNC to USA
PC gaming is in a really wonderful place right now. Both AMD and Intel have released respectable processors -- the former's APU's are a great value, the while the latter's Skylake offerings are powerhouses. AMD's discrete graphics cards are on another level -- the 300 series are powerful, while the Fury X and Nano are game changers. Nvidia's offerings are great too -- what a fantastic time to be a gamer!
If you are a fan of Nvidia's cards, you have no doubt heard of G-Sync -- its version of AMD's FreeSync. It allows the graphics card to transmit to a special monitor to reduce choppiness and tearing -- you should have smoother movement. Today, Acer announces its curved Predator X34 gaming monitor featuring G-Sync is coming to the USA. If you have a compatible card, you will want this 21:9 display!
HyperX announces Cloud Mav Edition Headset for gamers
If you are a PC gamer, you should invest in a quality headset. Not only can you achieve immersive audio to enhance the gameplay, but a microphone too so you can communicate with teammates during online matches.
One of the most popular gaming headsets comes from HyperX -- the gaming division of Kingston. Its Cloud headset (and subsequently, the Cloud II) is sort of a cult classic -- gamers love it for its reasonable price, solid build and exceptional sound quality. Today, it announces the Cloud Mav Edition Headset, and it looks awesome. Apparently, it is designed for those with a "maverick gaming personality" -- will John McCain buy it?
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