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Total 25 articles, created at 2016-04-03 00:03 1 Microsoft Office Casts a Wider Web, Takes Holographic Turn Developers can integrate more Office 365 functionality and intelligent services into their apps or take Excel for a spin on HoloLens. 2016-04-02 21:57 4KB www.eweek.com (2.00/3)

2 Tesla Model 3 unveiled: Everything you need to know Pre-orders for the $35,000 all-electric sedan have already reached 230,000. 2016-04-02 17:25 3KB zdnet.com.feedsportal.com (2.00/3)

3 Microsoft Positions Cortana, Skype, AI As 'Future Of Communications' Microsoft is exploring new communication technologies with updates to Skype, Cortana and artificial intelligence. 2016-04-03 00:02 4KB www.informationweek.com 4 New Acer All-in-One Chromebase Is Designed for Video Conferencing The Chromebase for meetings includes a 24-inch display, speakers, microphones, camera, software and service in a single Chrome OS-based system. 2016-04-02 22:01 4KB www.eweek.com 5 Web Users Must Stay Extra Wary to Fend Off Stealthy 'Malvertising' NEWS ANALYSIS: Computer users have to be more wary than ever to avoid malware infection via "malvertising" downloads, but there are ways to protect yourself. 2016-04-02 21:57 3KB www.eweek.com 6 Why the 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Works as a MacBook Air Replacement Can the 12.9-inch iPad Pro work as a MacBook Air replacement? Here's what makes Apple's larger slate a worthy buy for enterprise users and consumers. 2016-04-02 22:38 1KB www.eweek.com 7 Managing Governance, Risk and Compliance with ECM and BPM Many of the elements involved in meeting compliance and regulatory requirements are best managed by content and records management systems, particularly where 2016-04-02 21:32 1KB www.itworldcanada.com 8 LG sells its G5 phone with a lot of Jason Stathams and a little exaggeration Technically Incorrect: A new ad for LG's modular G5 phone makes you believe that its parts are quickly interchangeable. They're not. 2016-04-02 21:37 2KB cnet.com.feedsportal.com 9 Smartphone survival test: Swapping my iPhone 6s for a $200 Android handset After swearing off the platform four years ago, are we still sick of Android? We're about to find out. 2016-04-02 18:24 4KB zdnet.com.feedsportal.com 10 Hands-on with the Pelican Marine waterproof case for Apple iPhone 6s Plus While Samsung has water resistance in its phones, Apple iPhone owners still require a case for this protection. Pelican is known for its rugged cases and brings its experiences to the iPhone. 2016-04-02 17:42 994Bytes zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

11 Intel Goes On Storage Offensive With SSD Blitz For Data Center, Client And Embedded Segments Intel says its new solid state drives, unveiled at the Intel Solutions Summit Thursday, are optimized for the channel so partners can better monetize the explosion of data. 2016-04-02 14:16 3KB www.crn.com 12 Top Windows Mobile news of the week: Phone not a focus for Microsoft, Redstone hits slow ring, Surface Phone coming This week in Windows Mobile we heard the Surface Phone will soon appear, that Windows Phone is not a key focus for Microsoft, and that Redstone came to the slow ring. 2016-04-02 16:00 1KB zdnet.com.feedsportal.com 13 Now you can get your Windows desktop in VR too A new kind of virtual desktop 2016-04-02 15:25 1KB feedproxy.google.com 14 NatApp All Flash FAS: Performance of flash with feature- rich enterprise storage functionality Storage vendors such as NetApp have a solid portfolio of proven data services yet are innovative; vendors that can optimize the functionality 2016-04-02 13:11 1KB www.itworldcanada.com 15 In American football, VR will reinvent the film room Quarterbacks trained with VR could showcase unparalleled efficiency 2016-04-02 14:30 6KB feedproxy.google.com 16 Top iOS news of the week: Don't close apps, bug fix in iOS, FBI gets in terrorist's iPhone This week in iOS we heard the FBI got into the terrorist's iPhone, iOS 9.3.1 was released to address a bug, and heard there's no reason to close background apps. 2016-04-02 14:00 1KB zdnet.com.feedsportal.com 17 Possible hidden chambers in King Tut's tomb get new radar scans A second round of radar scans conducted in the tomb shine a little more light on the mystery of the hidden chambers. 2016-04-02 15:35 1KB cnet.com.feedsportal.com 18 Top Android news of the week: Samsung Assist, Office gets better, Google Wallet cards to go away This week in Android we saw new features added to Microsoft Office, Samsung merged app stores and can troubleshoot devices remotely. 2016-04-02 12:00 1KB zdnet.com.feedsportal.com 19 iPhone SE: India, China Offset Slow US Demand The iconic computer maker is facing lackluster demand for its new iPhone SE in the U. S., according to an analyst report. But overseas demand may be a different story. 2016-04-02 11:06 3KB www.informationweek.com 20 Hong Kong man builds his own Scarlett Johansson in robot form Like the movie Her, but weirder 2016-04-02 10:15 1KB feedproxy.google.com 21 30 Notable IT Executive Moves: March 2016 Companies across the channel saw big executive departures and added key new leadership in March. Take a look at who was in and who was out for the month. 2016-04-02 10:00 1KB www.crn.com

22 35 great games for Linux PCs and Steam Machines It's taken a long time and the promise of SteamOS, but more and more big-name games are finally becoming Linux natives. Here's a sampling. 2016-04-02 03:46 18KB www.itnews.com 23 The FBI's 10 most wanted cyber criminals The Internet has impacted the world in numerous ways, but it isn't always positive 2016-04-02 03:00 9KB www.infoworld.com 24 HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift: which VR headset is better? Getting real with virtual reality headsets comparisons 2016-04-02 02:55 5KB feedproxy.google.com 25 Square Enix Could Bring Final Fantasy XV to PC While the main draw of Square Enix's Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event was Final Fantasy XV (FFXV)'s release date, it was revealed early due to a video leak by Gamespot. However that doesn't mean there was nothing else of note. Aside... 2016-04-02 02:00 1KB pctechmag.com Articles

Total 25 articles, created at 2016-04-03 00:03

1 Microsoft Office Casts a Wider Web, Takes Holographic Turn (2.00/3) Developers can integrate more Office 365 functionality and intelligent services into their apps or take Excel for a spin on HoloLens. While the industry is still buzzing about Microsoft bringing Bash to Windows 10 , the software giant also unveiled several new Office 365 capabilities at the Build conference this week in San Francisco. Microsoft announced an assortment of new features, application programming interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs) that are poised to change the way users collaborate and help developers exploit the productivity software ecosystem's growing collection of intelligent services for their own applications. Among them is an upgraded Microsoft Graph. Microsoft Graph (formerly the Office 365 Unified API) enables developers to create applications that incorporate data and intelligence from Microsoft. At Build, the software maker announced that it is exposing more functionality for more full-featured, Office-compatible apps. "New APIs return 'relevant documents' and suggestions for meeting times based on real-time calendar availability," wrote Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for the Office team, in a blog post. "And new web and device SDKs make it easier than ever to access the Microsoft Graph and surface Office 365 data in business solutions using simple drop-in integrations like the OneDrive file picker. " Developers can now access the out-of-office status of a user and recent email attachments. In a move to improve application responsiveness, Microsoft Graph now provides notifications for changes in users' calendar, email and contacts. Further unifying the Office experience across devices, add-ins are coming to Office for Mac this spring, Microsoft announced. The company also unveiled new centralized add-in deployment and methods of programmatically creating custom Office ribbons and buttons. In keeping with the "Conversations as a Platform" theme of this year's conference, Microsoft showcased the new Office 365 Groups connectors, Skype Web SDK and Skype for Business App SDK. Office 365 Groups connectors push data from other applications like Salesforce and Zendesk in shared Office Group inboxes in Outlook, sparking conversations and helping teams collaborate on opportunities, service requests and other business tasks. Building on the increasingly closer ties between the Skype and Office 365 platforms, both the Skype Web SDK and Skype for Business App SDK, offered through the Office Dev Center , offer developers cloud-based secure messaging, calling, conferencing and real-time presence capabilities. Finally, Office is getting holographic. Microsoft has made preview versions of the Office Universal apps available to download on the HoloLens Development Edition via the Windows Store. HoloLens is a Windows 10-powered, augmented reality headset that overlays 3D images, or holograms, over a user's physical surroundings. The Development Edition of the hardware, priced at $3,000, started shipping March 30. Representing an early stab at a virtual Office experience, users can expect to run into some shortcomings. According to the Office on HoloLens FAQ, features like spell check, printing and sharing Office files as an attachment from within Word, Excel, PowerPoint or OneNote currently don't work. Microsoft has been steadily bulking up Office's capabilities, pushing it beyond its word processing and spreadsheet software roots as enterprises adopt more mobile- and social- enabled workstyles. Last spring, taking a cue from social networks, the company added customizable, mobile-friendly profile pages to the Office Graph-powered Delve app.

Windows 10, Azure, Office Take Over Build 2016: Microsoft Roundup informationweek.com 2016-04-02 21:57 Pedro Hernandez www.eweek.com

2 Tesla Model 3 unveiled: Everything you need to know (2.00/3) But things are changing for the young automaker. On Wednesday, Tesla unveiled the Model 3 , its reasonably-priced sedan targeted at you and me. It's a vehicle years in the making that Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to bring to the masses. Specifically, the Model 3 will be starting at $35,000 before incentives when it begins shipping in late-2017 -- a stark contrast from the $70,000 starting price of the Model S. Musk says "you will not be able to buy a better car for $35,000, even with no options. " There's a 15-inch landscape touchscreen to access information about the car, settings, and launch connected apps. Interestingly, a speedometer in front of the driver is missing and will be on the 15-inch screen which could take some getting used to. The Tesla Model 3 does 0 to 60 MPH in less than six seconds and will have a range of at least 215 miles. The company is showing its base Model 3, but says more features could be coming to pricier versions of the Model 3 in the future, adding more technology and bigger battery packs for extended range. Not unusual for a Tesla car, the Model 3 will have front and rear trunk spaces for plenty of storage. Tesla brags the cars is "incredibly safe" and is likely to get five star crash test ratings in every category. Like the Model S, the new Tesla car comes both in all-wheel drive and rear- wheel drive versions. Tesla says it plans to expand its supercharger network to 7,200 to lessen range anxiety drivers of all-electric cars experience. Its regular, slower charging network will jump from 3,689 to 15,000. The Tesla Model 3 starts at $35,000, with some state tax incentive plans allowing pre-orderers to get the price down even further. According to the law, the incentives are phased out after 200,000 orders are reached. Musk tweeted on Thursday he expects the price with average option mix to be roughly $42,000. Tesla is allowing customers to pre-order the Model 3 with $1,000 down and plenty of people are taking advantage of securing their Tesla vehicle before it ships in late-2017. You can pre-order online or at one the few Tesla stores scattered across the country. Musk says there are roughly 230,000 pre-orders on the Model 3. Many industry watchers have begun wondering how Tesla is going to keep up. Delivery wait times are growing, and Musk tweeted there's a need to "rethink" production planning. Musk and Co. allowed members for the automotive and tech press to drive the Model 3 at its unveiling on Wednesday. Tim Stevens at our sister site, CNET, wrote: "I was lucky enough to get a quick ride in a Model 3, sadly from the passenger seat, and the effect of that glass roof is pretty spectacular. Even at night it really opens things up. That center touchscreen is positioned much closer to the driver. In the front you're seated far closer to the front axle than in the Model S, which gives a compelling sense of motion. " Tesla Model S: The finest coal-powered car money can buy Web cartoonist Matthew Inman loves his Tesla. But like many proud EV owners and proponents, does he even realize his "Magical Space Car" runs on fossil fuels?

Tesla finally shows us the Model 3 (AutoComplete, Ep. 12) cnet.com.feedsportal.com 2016-04-02 17:25 Jake Smith zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

3 Microsoft Positions Cortana, Skype, AI As 'Future Of Communications' In his introductory keynote for Microsoft's Build 2016 developer's conference, CEO Satya Nadella explained the company's vision for the future of communication. The concept of "conversation as a platform" will serve as the foundation of how we will interact with technology and one another. "We want to take the power of human language and apply that more pervasively to all the computing interfaces and computing interactions," he said, also noting the future "is not going to be about man vs. machines, it's going to be about man with machines. " This will require humans to teach computers human language, conversational understanding, and their personal preferences so technology can be more helpful day-to-day life. Nadella noted how as humans infuse intelligence into everything, it's important for Microsoft to have a principled approach and have a way to guide their communication design. [Study shows Office 365 and Slack are gaining enterprise users .] He explained how there will be three actors in the future of interaction: People who have natural conversation with one another, personal digital assistants who know people, and bots, which serve as new applications that converse with people. "Human language is the new UI layer, bots are the new apps, and digital assistants are meta apps," said Nadella. He acknowledged Cortana, the personal digital assistant Microsoft launched two years ago, as an example of the type of "unbounded" assistant that will work across devices. Microsoft will launch a new Cortana app collection as part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update , but it wants to go beyond this and make conversations as easy as person-to-person chats. It plans to make Cortana's expertise extensible and give developers the chance to add to its capabilities across devices. To improve accessibility in the summer OS update, Cortana will be available straight from the lock screen so users can play music, set alarms, and get directions without entering their device. The assistant will also be available in Outlook, with user permission, for scheduling appointments and emails. Learn to integrate the cloud into legacy systems and new initiatives. Attend the Cloud Connect Track at Interop Las Vegas, May 2-6. Register now! Microsoft is trying to create Cortana so it proactively does things before you instruct it. For example, if Cortana notices you're talking about meeting with someone, it will add the meeting to your calendar and pinpoint conflicts. If it sees a receipt in your email, it will ask if you want to create an expense report and pre-populate the form with the correct information. In other communication updates, the Skype team is integrating intelligent Bots into Skype chats. The next generation of Skype will have Cortana always ready in the upper right-hand corner for one-on-one interaction. Cortana will broker conversations with Bots to be a more proactive assistant and enact the ideas you're discussing. The Bots enable users to hire a cab, book a plane ticket, and perform other actions traditionally done with individual apps. If Cortana notices you're talking about travel to a particular city where a friend lives, the assistant will contact the Bot that will give you options to message them. A new Skype client, with Skype Bots, is currently in preview on Windows, Android, iPhone and iPad. There is also a new Skype developer program available for those who want to start building Bots. Microsoft announced the Bot Connector and Bot Builder, which developers can use to connect bots and create new ones. Senior PM Cornelia Carapcea announced the preview for Microsoft Cognitive Services. This is a new portfolio of 22 APIs that developers can use to build intelligent solutions for seeing, hearing, and interpreting the surrounding world. The idea is developers can expand on existing perceptual intelligence capabilities (vision, text, speech) to experiment with cognitive capabilities like emotion. Some examples of APIs now available for free include the Emotion API for emotion recognition, Speaker Recognition API so the app can determine who is speaking, and Text Analytics API to detect key phrases and topics within text.

2016-04-03 00:02 Kelly Sheridan www.informationweek.com

4 New Acer All-in-One Chromebase Is Designed for Video Conferencing The Chromebase for meetings includes a 24-inch display, speakers, microphones, camera, software and service in a single Chrome OS-based system. Acer is rolling out an all-in-one Chrome OS system dedicated to video conferencing, the latest addition to Google's larger Chrome for Work initiative designed to push the operating system into the enterprise space. The system is a touchscreen Chromebase with a 24-inch display that includes the necessary hardware, software and services in a single device, and it comes backed with technical support from Acer. It's designed for businesses that want to bring video conferencing capabilities to smaller meeting rooms, according to company officials. The Chromebase for meetings system can support up to 25 people in a Google Hangout across multiple devices, from notebooks and tablets to smartphones. "So now, you can collaborate and meet over video from a dedicated device at home, your desk at work or a phone room," Vidya Nagarajan, senior product manager for Chrome for Work at Google, wrote in a post on the search giant's blog. "Chromebase for meetings gets technology out of the way; just plug it in, connect it to your network and you're up and running securely. " Google two years ago introduced Chromebox for meetings, a system designed for video and audio collaboration that has to be connected to a display. A range of system vendors, including Acer and Hewlett-Packard, rolled out Chromebox for meetings offerings, and according to Nagarajan, companies like Pinterest and PwC, and the state of Wyoming government, adopted the products. With Chromebase for meetings, Acer and Google are taking the need to connect to a display out of the equation, putting everything into a single package. The 24-inch display on the all-in- one system includes Full HD (1920-by-1080) capabilities, four microphones and two speakers. There also is an adjustable HD webcam and a chassis that can tilt. Participants can join the meeting through a link. The system, with the Chrome OS, will automatically update every six weeks, and the data stored on the device or in the cloud is encrypted and protected by the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 chip. Every time the operating system boots up, Verified Boot checks and ensures the integrity and validity of systems files, according to Acer officials. Chromebase for meetings, which is available starting at $799, also can integrate with other video conferencing systems and existing phone systems, they said. The new system comes at a time of transition for the video conferencing market. Big, expensive telepresence systems for large meeting rooms are giving way to software- and cloud-based offerings as workforces become more mobile and employees are demanding collaboration technologies that let them meet whenever and wherever they are, and on any device that they're using. "Video continues to be a key component of collaboration and places high on the list of priorities for many organizations," Petr Jirovsky, research manager for IDC's Worldwide Networking Trackers unit, said in a statement in March. "Among the challenges customers are currently working through are determining exactly when and how to provision their video deployments as more software-centric and cloud-based service offerings become part of the enterprise video market landscape. " Established collaboration companies like Cisco Systems, Microsoft and Polycom are rapidly growing out their cloud and software portfolios, while smaller companies like Vidyo and Blue Jeans Network are looking to carve out space in the market. There also is a growing emphasis on bringing video conferencing technologies into smaller meeting rooms where three to five people can congregate at a time. Industry analysts and vendors estimate there could be as many as 21 million small "huddle rooms" worldwide, and that fewer than 1 million of these rooms have video capabilities, opening up a huge market opportunity for companies like Acer and Google.

2016-04-02 22:01 Jeffrey Burt www.eweek.com

5 Web Users Must Stay Extra Wary to Fend Off Stealthy 'Malvertising' NEWS ANALYSIS: Computer users have to be more wary than ever to avoid malware infection via "malvertising" downloads, but there are ways to protect yourself. I was visiting a Website belonging to a well-known Macintosh publication reading details about the iPhone SE when a window appeared in the lower right corner of my screen. It was an alert saying that the Malwarebytes security software I use had detected an intrusion attempt, and that the malware was being quarantined. A few minutes later, it happened again. At that point, I recalled Robert Lemos' article on infected ad networks along with a newsletter I'd received the day before from Malwarebytes describing new levels of threats from malware appearing to be legitimate advertising. The malvertising now seems to be showing up on major Websites using well-known ad networks such as Google's DoubleClick. The problem, it seems, is worse than most people suspect. The reason that malvertising is being distributed by the top ad networks is because the malware writers are actually buying ads and then feeding the ad servers content that is infected with malware, but the latest tactics are even more sinister. Now the malware can simply infect your computer without any action on your part. No longer do you have to click on an infected link. In fact, according to Jerome Segura, senior security researcher at Malwarebytes, the newest types of malvertising will run on your computer, deliver their payload of malware and you'll never realize they were there at all until the payload executes or your security software catches it. Unfortunately, it's not certain that your security software will catch anything because the malware creators will scan their products before sending them out to make sure that they aren't readily picked up by antivirus software. "It's interesting to see the steps the rogue advertisers take to defraud the ad network," Segura said. "They use existing domains and create a subdomain. " Segura said the malvertisements will then begin by impersonating a legitimate Website and serve material that's not infected for long enough to be accepted by most security white lists, and only then will they start serving malware. "Some wait for as long as six months," he said. To make it harder to catch the rogue advertisers, the path taken by the malware has also become more sophisticated. Where once an infected banner ad would simply take you to the download site and start transferring malware, that's changed. "Now it's doing fingerprinting to see if it's a real user," Segura said. Then the rogue site will take additional steps to make sure they have a real user rather than a honey pot, which is a site that's designed to catch malware servers, or security researchers scanning for malware. Segura said that the fingerprinting process will check to see if the computer is using a residential IP address, whether it’s running a real copy of Windows on a real machine or whether it's actually running in a virtual environment.

2016-04-02 21:57 Wayne Rash www.eweek.com

6 Why the 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Works as a MacBook Air Replacement As a longtime Apple device user, I was immediately intrigued when the company introduced the iPad Pro in 2015. The tablet's high- powered A9X processor, coupled with its Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, made me wonder whether it was worth spending some extra cash to buy this new model. It may have taken months of thinking, saving and some procrastination before I would make a decision. And for some time I was admittedly enticed by the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. But I ultimately broke down and bought the high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 128GB WiFi and cellular connection. I also picked up the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil to get the full iPad Pro experience. And at least so far, it hasn't disappointed me. In fact, the iPad Pro and its accouterments have replaced the MacBook Air I often use, and they are by my side whenever I'm out and about. In this slide show, I'll talk about my experience with the iPad Pro and why, even in light of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro's launch, Apple's larger slate is a worthy buy for enterprise users and consumers who want a high-end tablet.

2016-04-02 22:38 Don Reisinger www.eweek.com

7 Managing Governance, Risk and Compliance with ECM and BPM Many of the elements involved in meeting compliance and regulatory requirements are best managed by content and records management systems, particularly where core business processes are document-centric. ECM and RM also come into their own for the management of policy records, internal audit evidence, or documents related to an incident. BPM and workflow systems can provide automated scheduling and approvals, management dashboard and reporting, and risk and compliance monitoring. Download this white paper as it highlights many specific issues related to policy lifecycle management, operational risk control, internal audit, and supply chain management, but a common thread found is that key documentation is not stored in one place, processes are inefficient and manual, and systems are home-grown. 2016-04-02 21:32 www.itworldcanada.com

8 LG sells its G5 phone with a lot of Jason Stathams and a little exaggeration Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives. I'm not sure I want my phone to have lots of additional bits. LG isn't sure I know what I want. So it's released the G5, a so-called modular phone that has attachments you can insert -- such as a camera grip, an interchangeable battery and a high-res audio pack. The mere idea of a whole world of Jason Stathams might fill some with queasiness. So might this ad, as it rushes through scenarios in which the G5's bits are featured. Here's Statham on the subway. There's Statham in drag. And there's Statham robbing a bank. It's all frightfully exciting. What's slightly less exciting is that he appears to insert each of the different modules with ease and then use the phone straight away. This isn't quite how the G5 works. In fact, every time you insert a module, you have to wait for the phone to start up again. This ad, then, is a Statham of intent, rather than a Statham of actual fact. Indeed, in the subway scene, a Statham quickly inserts the battery module and starts to use the phone. A tiny caption beneath says: "Dramatization: a battery change requires the phone to be turned on manually. " Still, you like Jason Statham, so you'll be mesmerized by his standing on top of Pamplona's raging, rampaging bulls while holding a fire extinguisher. Will it make you buy the phone, though?

2016-04-02 21:37 Chris Matyszczyk cnet.com.feedsportal.com

9 Smartphone survival test: Swapping my iPhone 6s for a $200 Android handset Four years ago, I called it quits with the Android smartphone platform. I was, shall we say, frustrated with the state of software/hardware stability and application quality relative to the price of phones you could buy from Apple at the time. I saw no reason to spend $600+ on a Android device when I could spend about the same money on an iPhone, and get a better quality experience overall. Two years ago, I re-evaluated my position and came to the same conclusion -- I wanted nothing to do with Google's smartphone platform. In those four years I've gone through several iPhones. A 5, a 5S, a 6, and now a 6S. I've enjoyed using all of them, but I've paid a considerable premium for owning Apple products. I've migrated between models not so much because I have needed to, but because as a technology writer, keeping up with these things is a cost of doing business. But as a private citizen, if I did not have an outlet for writing about these things, I am not sure if I could justify the expense every year of replacing my smartphone at full retail non-contract pricing. It's still a good chunk of change even if I do get partial trade-in value, which is usually around half of what I paid for it a year earlier. Although the trend seems to be much lower trade-in valuation, year after year. My last purchase, an unlocked 128GB iPhone 6S, ran me about $900. That's a lot of money. Even a 64GB or 32GB model would have run me about $700 or so. While I have no desire to replace my 6S with the recently-released iPhone SE -- as from a technology perspective, they have the same innards -- the release of this "lower-cost" device has gotten me thinking about upgrade cycles and whether or not I want to continue on this path of going to the latest and greatest iPhone indefinitely. The burning question is thus: Does it really makes sense to be spending this kind of money when perfectly viable alternatives exist for significantly less? I also do not want to get caught in the trap of being a technology writer that is permanently stuck in a "well if it was junky and problematic before, it's still crap" mindset and having a stale perspective on Android that would negatively impact my credibility as an authority on the subject. Four years is a long time in the technology space, And it's time I started looking at Android again. There are a number of reasons why I want to do this. First and foremost is understanding what is happening in the manufacturing space from Chinese companies that are now releasing high- quality products for much less money than what Apple is charging for iPhones. Some of these products have not landed in a big way on American shores yet as far as retail presence, or have only gotten a small amount of exposure through online sales. But this is only temporary as these firms shore up more and more distribution and carrier relationships. Still, one thing is to analyze the state of the industry. Another is to use the products themselves in real-world scenarios. So I'm going to put my money where my mouth is. I'm going to put my iPhone 6S on the shelf for a month, and use an inexpensive Android smartphone instead. For this "Smartphone Survival Test" I've picked out a several Chinese-made Android devices which cost between $200 and $400 and have similar specifications. I'm going to alternate between them so that I get a representative sample and one device does not disproportionately set the tone of my experience. These phones are: I am also going to use for the most part the same exact core applications that I use on the iPhone. These are: The only apps that differ between the iOS and Android platforms are my Twitter client (on iOS I use Tweetbot) and my web browser (I normally use Safari). So what am I hoping to accomplish with this? Well, I think if it ends up that I can use an inexpensive Android device interchangeably with iOS without significant migration pain, it will have been deemed a success. I'm also hoping that if certain things do arise as far as usability issues or scenarios that I did not anticipate, I'll be able to document and work around them -- and if I can't, these will be documented as well. In any case, let us begin the Smartphone Survival Test, week one.

2016-04-02 18:24 Jason Perlow zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

10 Hands-on with the Pelican Marine waterproof case for Apple iPhone 6s Plus Tech Industry These are the best 2016 April Fools tech pranks on the Web Smartphones Budget smartphones: Cheaper alternatives to the iPhone SE Mobility 2016: The best high-end tablets for business users

2016-04-02 17:42 zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

11 Intel Goes On Storage Offensive With SSD Blitz For Data Center, Client And Embedded Segments Intel Thursday unveiled an array of solid state drives geared toward entry-level cloud and data center deployments, Internet of Things and enterprise PC applications. Intel executives said the new SSDs, rolled out at the Intel Solutions Summit this week in Orlando, Fla., are optimized for the channel so partners can better monetize the explosion of data. “With the data explosion, there are massive opportunities for everyone in the channel, from integrators to resellers who deal with value- added solutions,” said Chris Tobias, director of channel marketing for Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel's Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group. “Anyone in the channel will see a significant business opportunity from this, which is why Intel’s investing in SSDs.” [Related: Intel Channel Chief Todd Garrigues: We Want Double-Digit Channel Growth In 2016 ] For the data center segment, Intel unveiled the P3520 and P3320 series, its first SSDs built on 3-D NAND, a technology the company introduced a year ago as the “world’s highest-density flash memory.” Channel partners were specifically asking for 3-D NAND storage offerings as they make SSDs a more affordable option when deploying multiple NVMe storage arrays for processing large sets of data, said Tobias. These PCIe-based series are optimized for cost-effective performance and are targeted at read-intensive applications in cloud and data analytics. Partners applauded Intel’s new SSDs, particularly in the data center segment, as critical in helping their customers keep up with the explosion of data in enterprise cloud and client computing applications. “Intel’s new line of SSDs are faster, more reliable, and have better value,” said Donna Shepard, senior vice president of Dallas-based M&A Technology, an Intel partner. “The range of SSDs include all the things customers have come to us saying they want for servers being built.” Intel also released the 3700 and 3600 Series for partners focusing on the data center, touting them as its first dual-port PCIe-based SSDs. These SSDs, aimed at mission-critical cloud and enterprise storage solutions such as online transaction processing, work well in situations where businesses need to ensure data is accessible at all times without interruption, even when there is a single point of failure. Beyond the data center, Intel unveiled SSDs designed for both consumer and enterprise client applications, including the SSD Pro 5400s Series, targeted at business client needs with enhanced security and manageability features. This series includes support for the Trusted Computing Group’s Opal 2.0 protocol and Microsoft eDrive, has storage capacities ranging from 120 GB to 1 TB, and is available in both the 2.5-inch and M.2 form factors. Partners were particularly pleased by the 5400s Series’ remote secure erase feature, which allows enterprises to wipe sensitive corporate data remotely on compromised devices, Tobias said.

2016-04-02 14:16 Lindsey O www.crn.com

12 Top Windows Mobile news of the week: Phone not a focus for Microsoft, Redstone hits slow ring, Surface Phone coming While rumors of a phone by Microsoft with Surface branding have been around for a while, word is now being spread that it will appear soon at the IFA in Berlin. The Surface Phone will be the firm's first that shares the branding with the Surface product line. Source: NVO News Critics have long felt that Microsoft is not giving sufficient focus to Windows Phone, and it seems this year they are correct. At the Build conference a Microsoft rep stated that "We're fully committed to that 4-inch screen, there will be a time for it to be our focus, but right now it's part of the family but it's not the core of where I hope to generate developer interest over the next year," Source: The Verge Windows Insiders in the slow ring have a new build available. Build 14295 is out for members of that ring in the Insiders program. This brings the Redstone build to this ring for the first time. Source: Neowin

2016-04-02 16:00 James Kendrick zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

13 Now you can get your Windows desktop in VR too You've probably already heard a lot about the ways virtual reality is going to usher in a new set of experiences with games and movies, but the computing platforms of the past aren't necessarily going to get left behind. For instance, take a look at Virtual Desktop , a new VR experience for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive that does exactly what its name suggests - it turns your Windows 8.x or Windows 10 desktop into a wraparound experience. "You can browse the web, watch movies, Netflix or even play games on a giant virtual screen," explains developer Guy Godin. Of course it's great for all those 360-degree videos on YouTube and Facebook too. Users have reported some small bugs in terms of applications and readability, but by and large it's a smooth and stable experience that can be yours for £10.99/$14.99. It works with multiple monitors as well, which can be positioned as you like. For the area outside the desktop, users can choose from a range of spectacular space and nature backdrops, and there's the option to create your own as well. If you want to watch 2D movies on a massive virtual screen, that's possible too. It's not the most radical piece of software for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive you're ever going to see but it's a great example of the way new technology can be used to enhance existing software. For more on the brave new world of VR, check out our Virtual Reality Week features. Via Kotaku Article continues below

2016-04-02 15:25 By David feedproxy.google.com

14 NatApp All Flash FAS: Performance of flash with feature-rich enterprise storage functionality Storage vendors such as NetApp have a solid portfolio of proven data services yet are innovative; vendors that can optimize the functionality of their systems to accommodate the latest technologies — like flash — should be on a short list for end users to consider. Download this white paper as it explores how NetApp’s All Flash FAS arrays provide the performance end users expect from all-flash arrays while also delivering mature data services that new AFA products can’t yet provide, such as integrated data protection, multiprotocol support, and native support for multitiered environments.

2016-04-02 13:11 www.itworldcanada.com

15 In American football, VR will reinvent the film room "What we wanted to do was identify a way to teach and train athletes – we never set out to be a virtual reality company," EON Sports VR CEO and co-founder Brendan Reilly says. That's not exactly what you expect to hear when you're talking to one of the minds behind SideKiq QB, EON Sports VR's virtual reality (VR) software for training American football quarterbacks. But, perhaps it takes individuals that aren't mired in the minutiae of VR, but rather simply driven to improve athletics training, to spur real change. Reilly co-founded the Kansas City-based firm in 2013 after working with University of Kansas basketball coach Bill Self training student athletes on the practice court. Today, he and his team of engineers are advised by storied football coach and quarterback trainer Terry Shae as well as MD-and-Ph. D.-holding medical and neuroscience advisors. "We became a virtual reality company once we learned that's the best to teach and train not just athletes, but anybody – people who are pilots, surgeons," Reilly says. "It's simulated learning, [and we're] incorporating that as a piece of the regimen within the training process. " To date, EON Sports VR has convinced three teams in the MLB ( the firm has a hitting app, too ), collegiate organizations like the Big Ten Conference and even the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers to adopt its technology. And, the benefits have shown through almost instantly, Reilly says. So, how does it work, exactly? A student tries SideKiq QB using an early Oculus Rift SideKiq QB is, essentially, a football playbook simulator that translates football plays into three- dimensional simulations – as if the player were on the practice field with his fellow teammates. First developed using high-end VR headsets, like the Oculus Rift , the app is now available on iPhone and Android coupled with almost any compatible headset. (I'm told that the firm is waiting on whether to bring the software to Samsung Gear VR , though its baseball hitting app is available on the platform.) A typical quarterback training scenario using SideKiq QB goes a little like this. The coach or coordinator uploads plays into the quarterback's SideKiq QB app using the computer-generated playbook configurator known as the SideKiq Game Engine. (See how it looks from inside the headset below.) "The reason that's compelling to these guys is that they don't always have 22 guys at their disposal, running plays whenever they want," Reilly says. "Especially during the season when everyone is injured, getting guys to run the exact plays the right way – all of that is really hard. " Reilly tells me that the SideKiq Game Engine started with this hypothetical question: "Is there anything that I can just quickly and easily create these situations, and then put you – the user – into the viewpoint of what you would actually be seeing in a real-life game? " This is exactly what the SideKiq QB app does. To measure effectiveness, the app employs eye- tracking through the smartphone's cameras to ensure the quarterback is looking in the right places at the right times, according to play drill being run. And it all happens at the speed of a real-life practice drill. Then, Reilly says, the app incorporates active quiz components on what he calls "the display side," or when the phone isn't strapped to your face. "It's dynamic enough to respond – if you're not progressing or understanding what concept is being thrown at you," Reilly says, "for the most part, you're not going to be able to advance to the more complicated schemes of the coaches. " Former MLB slugger Jason Giambi tests EON Sports VR's baseball hitting app Project OPS According to Reilly (naturally), not only is SideKiq QB effective, but it is by a magnitude no one on the team was expecting. EON Sports VR conducted a study with a group of student athletes of varying age and athletic ability using its SideKiq headset and app. Reilly and crew put kids through a series of tests using over three days, jumbling up a regimen of 30 plays to keep them on their toes. Just like using the app, the students would have to decide, "'Hey, I'm throwing to so-and-so,' then identify the coverage," Reilly says. At the end of those three days, the EON Sports VR team was hoping to show a one or 2% increase in the students' decision making as enough validation of the app's effectiveness. "Well, we saw in just those three days of tests, there was an up to 60% – and the group's average increased by 30% – increase in their ability to diagnose what they're seeing, make decisions, et cetera," Reilly says. "So, you start think, 'What is the compounding effect if you did that for four years, all throughout high school, and got to see your opponents' defenses,'" Reilly asks rhetorically. "That, if used in the proper context, is really powerful," Reilly says, and EON Sports VR's partners seem to agree. "We used EON's VR technology last year at Syracuse and had a ton of success with it," Purdue University quarterback coach Tim Lester said recently in a statement, "especially when it came to getting our true freshman QB ready. " Last year, UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone remarked in a statement that, "this technology allows us to prepare our quarterbacks not just for next week's opponent, but prepares them for the NFL. We can now simulate any situation; the possibilities are endless. " One of the VR bounding boxes used by EON Sports VR's top-tier clients Now, mind that EON Sports VR's software is far from a full simulation. Reilly tells me that the app cannot currently track and measure a quarterback's throw, for instance. (But, as 3D camera and sensor technology improves, something tells me it won't be long.) Ultimately, what SideKiq QB aims to do is bolster quarterbacks' decision-making speed and accuracy. That's just as important – if not more so – as his ability to run the ball or get it to a wide receiver another 40 yards down the field. But, more important is that the app allows players – even safety's, I'm told – practice these processes without all of their teammates and without the risk of injury. (How many NFL teams were hampered by practice injuries during the 2015-2016 season, for instance?) Just as the iPad – ahem, Surface – replaced the playbook, virtual reality is poised to become the new film study for football players. Article continues below

2016-04-02 14:30 By Joe feedproxy.google.com

16 Top iOS news of the week: Don't close apps, bug fix in iOS, FBI gets in terrorist's iPhone In response to a bug in iOS 9.3, Apple has already released 9.3.1 that "fixes an issue that caused apps to be unresponsive after tapping on links in Safari and other apps," according to Apple. Source: ZDNet Leaving one iOS app to run another sends the first app to the background. While it was originally thought that these apps sitting in the background were taking up resources, Apple has admitted that is not the case. According to the firm iOS now handles apps and resources very well, and it handles it better than device owners can. Source: Media Street While he doesn't have the clout the FBI thought it had with Apple, a grieving father has asked the firm to help him retrieve photos from his dead son's iPhone. The boy died of cancer late last year and the family would like to see the last photos he took before passing away. It's not yet known if Apple will help unlock the phone. Source: The Advertiser The FBI and Apple have been battling over the San Bernardino terrorist's iPhone for a while. The agency took Apple to court to force them to unlock the phone for its investigation, but Apple has steadfastly refused. That's all over now as the FBI got help from another source to get into the phone in question. Source: ZDNet

2016-04-02 14:00 James Kendrick zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

17 Possible hidden chambers in King Tut's tomb get new radar scans Though King Tutankhamun's tomb has been well studied, it may still hide a significant mystery. In mid-March, Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities announced the discovery of two hidden chambers behind the northern and western walls of Tut's room. Experts conducted a fresh round of scans using digital ground-penetrating radar on Thursday. Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Anany, sworn in as the new minister in March, is leading a team of experts on the new round of high-resolution scans, which seem to back up the initial investigation's findings regarding the cavities. The earlier scans suggested the presence of metal and organic material in the northern chamber. Few pharaohs, of course, have the name-recognition of the boy ruler, whose nearly intact tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings was uncovered in 1922. Popularly known as King Tut, Tutankhamun's short life, brief reign and artifact-laden burial chamber are all objects of fascination for both archaeologists and the general public. The next step is for more radar scans from the outside top of the tomb at the end of April. A press conference with more details on the findings will take place in May. It seems the mystery will continue.

2016-04-02 15:35 Amanda Kooser cnet.com.feedsportal.com

18 Top Android news of the week: Samsung Assist, Office gets better, Google Wallet cards to go away The Office apps for Android now have the ability to export to PDF and insert photos directly from the camera. These new features bring more utility to the free versions of the Android apps and can be used in all the major apps. Source: Android Community A single store for everything is always easier than multiple locations, and Samsung has merged two stores. Gear apps for the company's wearables are now in the same online store as Galaxy apps. This will be especially welcomed by owners of both Samsung watches and phones. Source: Android Authority The dreaded tech support call may now be over for Samsung device owners with the launch of Samsung Assist. Invoked from the Samsung+ app, this service allows support staff to access Samsung devices remotely to troubleshoot problems. Source: CNET Google will stop supporting physical Google Wallet cards on June 30 of this year. These are the cards that some customers use instead of paying by phone in the real world. Google wants to concentrate on paying by device as Google Wallet was designed to do. Source: Android Authority

2016-04-02 12:00 James Kendrick zdnet.com.feedsportal.com

19 iPhone SE: India, China Offset Slow US Demand Apple's new iPhone SE failed to attract the crazy lines and fevered "gotta-get" attitude among US consumers when it went on sale March 31, according to an analyst report from Piper Jaffray. Overseas, a different story may be brewing. In spot checks across 100 Apple Stores in the US, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster found the iPhone SE launch on Thursday did not attract the typical lines snaking outside the door and down the block. Perhaps more alarming for Apple, the stores Munster visited had 90% availability of inventory, according to his report, which was emailed to InformationWeek. "We view the both the lack of lines and the high level of product availability as in line with expectations, reinforcing our view that the SE will be largely incremental to the model in replacing the low-end iPhone 5S," Munster stated in his report. Are you prepared for a new world of enterprise mobility? Attend the Wireless & Mobility Track at Interop Las Vegas, May 2-6. Register now! The analyst checked stores in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Minneapolis for availability of the Space Gray iPhone SE with 16GB of memory. He also visited stores to inquire about demand for the iPhone SE in other colors, but ended up with similar tales about lackluster interest. Although slow sales are never good for any manufacturer, it appears Apple may have been bracing for the worst. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted during the company's first quarter earnings report that iPhone unit shipments may decline in the second quarter. Apple's iPhone shipment growth wasn't all that impressive in the first quarter, either. The company sold 74.8 million iPhones in the first quarter, an all-time record but barely a blip above its previous quarter of 74.5 million shipments. Overseas, though, demand appears to be high, particularly in India and Australia, and to a lesser degree in China. That may bode well for Apple, which earns two thirds of its revenues from sales outside the US. When Apple unveiled its iPhone SE on March 21, traffic to its websites worldwide averaged an 83% increase from the previous day, according to a 9to5Mac report. However, one-day traffic to its India site rose 160% from the previous day, while its China site jumped 150%. In Australia, demand was incredibly strong, according to users' comments posted in an iPhone forum on MacRumors. "Dropped by the Apple store to … get the SE, but they're sold out. Every store in Sydney is apparently," said user gladoscc in a MacRumors forum post. Another user, 2ilent8cho, said, "Just checked in the UK for all the Apple stores around me, yesterday they were all available for pickup, not today all showing unavailable and online order shipments are going to the 21st April for 64GB space gray. " Although analyst Munster did not view the iPhone SE a huge hit for Apple, he still is not giving up on the company. "[Apple] remains our top pick as we approach [the Worldwide Developers Conference ] in June and the iPhone 7 launch in September," Munster said in his report.

2016-04-02 11:06 Dawn Kawamoto www.informationweek.com

20 Hong Kong man builds his own Scarlett Johansson in robot form Many of us like to have a DIY tech project on the go to tinker with in our spare time... a Raspberry Pi media centre perhaps. A self-built PC gaming rig. Or, you know, a life-size humanoid Scarlett Johansson to keep us company at home. Reuters reports that 42-year-old Hong Kong robotics enthusiast Ricky Ma has spent 18 months and more than $50,000 (about £35,000) on the project. His 'Mark 1' robot prototype is built around 3D-printed parts and responds to verbal commands. Ma says his love of robots stems from early childhood. "After I grew up, I wanted to make one," he told Reuters. "But during this process, a lot of people would say things like, 'Are you stupid? This takes a lot of money. Do you even know how to do it? It's really hard'. " Counting out the rather creepy resemblance to a certain Hollywood actress, the humanoid is actually an impressive feat of engineering. Its arms, legs, head and mouth can all move in response to commands - the robot can even wink at you. "I figured I should just do it when the timing is right and realise my dream. If I realise my dream, I will have no regrets in life," he explained to Reuters. Now Ma is looking for investor funding to develop a more sophisticated series of robots. Ma hasn't actually confirmed the robot is designed to look like Scarlett Johansson - though he admits it is modelling on a certain Hollywood actress. Perhaps he was inspired by the recent Spike Jonze movie Her which gives Johansson a clever AI mind but no physical body. Article continues below

2016-04-02 10:15 By David feedproxy.google.com

21 30 Notable IT Executive Moves: March 2016 March Moves: Springing Into Spring As 2016 moved into full swing, companies made their final early-year executive changes. March saw big executive departures at Lenovo, Verizon, Fortinet and Cisco, among others. The changes were intended to breathe new life into channel organizations and reorganize entire businesses -- and some of the moves even had partners up in arms. Companies also added executives: F5 Networks, Apple, AVG and SimpliVity made key appointments during the month. The new leaders have been charged with commitments such as driving higher sales, developing business development strategy and pushing a renewed commitment to partners. Take a look back at who was in, and who was out, for the month of March.

2016-04-02 10:00 Sarah Kuranda www.crn.com

22 35 great games for Linux PCs and Steam Machines For the first time in a long time, Linux gamers have a reason to smile. Gaming on the open- source operating system has long meant dabbling in Wine and arcane workarounds , but ever since Valve launched Steam for Linux a year-and-a-half ago the number of native Linux games has positively exploded. Sure, Valve’s embrace of Linux may have a wee bit to do with advancing the Steam Machine ideal —the Steam Controller , Steam Link , and Alienware Steam Machine all kick butt—but any game released for “SteamOS” works just fine on other Linux distros, too. Here are a slew of killer PC games that’ve recently become Linux natives—including two recent two PCWorld Game of the Year winners. XCOM: Enemy Unknown ( also on Linux!) became an instant classic when it launched, mixing tough, strategic combat with perma-death for you customizable soldiers. Especially on Ironmann mode, battling back the alien invasion felt desperate and overwhelming at the best of times— and in XCOM 2 , we learned that it was. The Aliens—now dubbed the Advent—won, and now crush humanity under a velvet boot. In XCOM 2 , rather than being a multinational anti-alien strike force, your team’s a rag-tag bunch of resistance fighters flying around the world in a ship of your own, trying to overthrow the invaders and restore human self-determination. The setup and frequent timed missions add an even more frantic feeling to a game that already rocked high stakes, and XCOM 2 feels far more polished than its predecessor—and tweaks like stealth insertion add even more flavor to the beloved XCOM combat. The Talos Principle couldn’t quite squeeze out a GOTY victory after its late 2014 debut, but its brain-bending blend of killer puzzles and deep philosophical musings almost— almost! — earned it the top spot. Simply put, there hasn’t been a puzzle game this stellar since Portal 2. Speaking of which, Portal 2 is a Linux native, as Valve's been busy porting its deep catalog of gaming hits over to Linux, and they're just as great as they were on Windows. Team Fortress 2 , Dota 2 , Left 4 Dead 2 —the deuces are all here. SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. This marvelous game is the most innovative shooter we’ve played in years , hands-down. Time only moves full-speed when you move. Stand still and everything slows to a crawl. Bullets hang in the air, red trails stretching out behind. People are practically motionless, frozen mid-charge. Superhot is a gimmick game, to be absolutely clear. But as far as one-trick ponies go this one is pretty stellar, doing its damnedest to make you feel like the consummate badass and leaving you with all sorts of “That was amazing” moments, feats that could never be pulled off at full- speed. Play it. Wasteland 2 is PCWorld’s Game of the Year of 2014 , and the one title that Talos Principle couldn’t quite triumph over. It took a full quarter-century for this sequel to the legendary Wasteland to be made, and the wait was well worth it. Wasteland 2 ’s is nothing short of a love post-apocalyptic love letter to old-school CRPG fans , sporting a tantalizing setting, deliciously clever writing, and more far more flexibility to accommodate player actions than 99 percent of games out there. Don’t have a key? Blow up the door. But make your choices wisely—each one affects how the story and characters react to you. The slickly atmospheric SOMA does Bioshock better than Bioshock does Bioshock —albeit with far more exploring and far less gunplay. It’s one of the finest pieces of science fiction in recent memory, and we gave it a perfect five-star review. What more do you need to know? Get this. Euro Truck Simulator 2 won over hordes of gamers despite sounding about as exciting as watching paint dry: You drive a truck, hauling freight from town to town, checking in at weigh stations, buying upgrades and paying speeding fines as they pop up. But once you actually play the game, the magic sets in. The truck handling feels weighty and realistic, and hauling loads down a long highway while rocking out to your favorite radio stations and tunes somehow manages to be both intensely relaxing and stimulating at the same time. American Truck Simulator ’s more of the same, but polished up and featuring American landmarks and cities rather European ones. Early reviews say it’s great. And even if you’re not sure if a driving sim’s up your alley, it doesn’t cost much to dip your toes in: The game’s only $20 and sells exclusively via Steam, which offers refunds now. In other words: Buckle up. Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear is technically DLC for the superb Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition , but don’t let that fool you. This 30 hour expansion fills in the blanks between the two Baldur’s Gate games, maintaining everything that made the originals so wonderful to begin with and adding some interesting new touches of its own (like massive army brawls!). Who knows what possessed Beamdog to make Siege of Dragonspear an expansion to a 17- year-old game, or what devil’s pact coerced them into making it thirty-odd hours long. It’s insanity. But it’s also incredible. Be sure to check it out. Meanwhile Pillars of Eternity , the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate that we’ve all been begging for for over a decade, landed on PCWorld’s list of the top PC games of 2015. Even better than the sublime gameplay and insanely deep and well-written story? It’s available for Linux PCs. Cities: Skylines is everything that the supremely disappointing SimCity wasn’t, also cracking our list of the best PC games of 2015. Yes, Cities: Skylines somehow lives up to the unfair expectations heaped upon it , presenting one of the best city builders in years, and the developers were diligent in ensuring it works on Linux systems as well as Windows PCs. Sid Meier's turn-based, empire-building strategy masterpiece has long been one of PC gaming's crown jewels, and now, Civ 5 has landed on Steam for Linux . (Insert clever "You're supposed to settle early" joke here.) And it's not just the core game either: The "Gods and Kings" and "Brave New Worlds" expansions have come along for the ride, along with a slew of supplementary packs. Valve's upcoming Steam Controller and cross-operating system multiplayer are both fully supported. That alone would be great for Linux gaming, but the team behind the port is almost as exciting. Aspyr has ported dozens of major games to the Mac over the years. If they're focusing strongly on Linux now, the open-source OS could soon be home to many more top-tier games. Civilization: Beyond Earth on the other hand drags the classic Civilization gameplay into the stars. Beyond Earth can be a bit more difficult to get into than Civ V on account of its using fictional, sci-fi-inspired nations and technologies, but once you’ve got the terminology under your belt it’s yet another stellar Civ title. Just don’t mess with the aliens. Ostensibly a turn-based stealth strategy game, the sublime Invisible Inc . blends parts of XCOM , Splinter Cell , and rogue-like games into one heck of a gloriously addicting game. Whether you’re slinking through an office, hacking cameras, or knocking out guards, danger’s always lurking around the corner—this is one tough game—while the randomly generated maps ensure you’ll find new challenges awaiting for as long as you want to keep on playing. And it just oozes style. Simply put, Invisible Inc. is one of the best turn-based strategy games in recent memory. Okay, okay, Techland’s latest open-world zombie slaughterfest aims higher than it manages to hit. The game trips over some details, with a bored-sounding main character and a tendency towards dumb fetch quests. But if you ignore all that and just run around, basking in the game’s killer parkour mechanics and cornucopia of outrageous hidden secrets, Dying Light is a blast—kinetic, brutal fun. It’s gorgeous, too. Build your own spaceships and fly them to the stars without having them explode or crash and kill the crew. It’s easier than it sounds in this amazing—and amazingly tough—physics-based game. Once you’ve got the takeoff under your belt, Kerbal Space Program lets you build spacestations, massive spaceships, and planetary bases in three different game modes. On top of the Linux support, this game's mod friendly, and it earned PCWorld's first perfect review rating in years (though SOMA and Witcher 3 earned similar reviews shortly thereafter). This adventurous romp through Tolkien’s universe takes some of the best action elements from the Batman and Assassin’s Creed series, then ties it all together with a unique Nemesis system that creates tailored enemies for you, down to unique names, personal strengths and weaknesses, and growled greetings that hark back to your previous encounters when you bump into a bloodthirsty Orc yet again. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor landed on a legion of top-ten lists last year, and there’s a damn good reason why. Try it out—though be warned that only Nvidia graphics cards are officially supported in the Linux version. Transistor , from the same developer that brought us Bastion , is a gorgeous, wonderfully crafted game. Everything from the lush visuals to the compelling, customizable combat to the feels- infused narrator and Darren Korb’s haunting soundtrack perfectly complement each other to create a tight, fun experience of a game. It’s beautiful. Don’t miss this. Transistor was my favorite title of 2014 behind Talos Principle and Wasteland 2. Sure, KOTOR 2 may be a decade old, but the game made its Linux debut in 2015, complete with a modern overhaul that added support for 5K resolutions and the Steam Workshop— including day one support for the Restored Content Mod, which adds a bunch of cut content back into the game and fully fleshes out the games amazing story. This is what makes PC gaming so grand. And to top it off, KOTOR 2 is still one of the best RPGs ever released. A long-time Steam Early Access darling, Prison Architect —which tasks you with building and managing a prison—finally hit an official release in October. From our review : “Prison Architect’s genius is in translating a real-world debate into video game terms, forcing players to make tough choices with no good solutions.” And it’s a hell of a lot of fun, too. Metro: Last Light is a flawed, yet unique and fun first-person shooter that sets you loose in post- apocalyptic Russia, with an emotionally-charged narrative told through a number of powerful scenes. We love it. What's more, Metro: Last Light was one of the first big-name games to be ported to Linux after Valve announced its SteamOS endeavor. It was bundled with the Steam Machine prototypes Valve passed out to 300 lucky gamers. If you aren't one of them, you can grab the Metro Redux Bundle (which also includes Metro 2033 , Last Light 's superb predecessor) on Steam for $50, or $25 for each individual game. Shadowrun Returns , uh, returned the iconic series to its glorious turn-based isometric roots when it launched in late 2013, dropping players into a murky world mixing cyberpunk, fantasy, and crime elements alike. It sounds messy, but the game's terrific storytelling and mature approach help it shine. Two expansions/sequels have launched since then and they're even better than the original (and also available on Linux)! Shadowrun: Dragonfall offers the perfect blend of narrative and player choice, and while Shadowrun: Hong Kong suffers a bit from offering almost too much freedom, it's still one hell of a game . After earning an honorable mention in PCWorld’s list of the best PC games of 2014 while still in Early Access, Crypt of the Necrodancer finally has a full release (and also earned an offical slot on our best games of 2015). This Zelda -esque game is a roguelike dungeon crawler, except all movements and attacks are tied to the beat of the music. It may sound weird, but give Crypt of the Necrodancer a whirl—it’s insanely addicting. Europa Universalis IV is a grand strategy game about colonization, enlightenment, overthrowing tyranny, religious upheaval, nation-building, mercantilism, piracy, feuding monarchies, and political intrigue. Or none of that. Like most Paradox games, EUIV is a virtual sandbox with a ton of systems and no real end goal. It’s dense, but if dense strategy games are your thing, this is a killer pick. Another Paradox title, Crusader Kings II is still going strong years after release because of the developer’s devotion to releasing awesome new content on a regular basis. This deep strategy games plops you down in medieval Europe and is pretty much a less-graphic, strategy game version of Game of Thrones. The behind the scenes intrigue is nothing short of a soap opera, full of adultery, murder, incest, political marriages, pope bribing, and the occasional slaughter of friends and enemies—all in the name of advancing your goals. This strategy sandbox sinks its hooks into you and won’t let go. Gearbox’s loot-crazed shooter series has nestled in nicely on Linux, with both Borderlands 2 and the stopgap ( but still fun ) Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel gracing open-source shores. (The original is not, alas.) If you can round up a couple of friends to play with these fast-paced firefests are a ton of fun, though they can feel like a bit of a slog after a while if you’re playing by yourself. Dinosaurs, weapons, multiplayer, and survival elements. Is it any wonder that Early Access title ARK: Survival Evolved has taken the world by storm? As Steam user Kakaloto put in a review of the game , “Ark is a childhood fantasy come true. It’s like a mix of Jurassic Park and Minecraft with a touch of DayZ.” Sold. PCWorld’s 2013 GOTY also calls Linux home. Papers, Please may sport NES-era graphics, but the stark visuals only drive home the feel of the game. Everything, from the droning music to the overall aesthetic to the mechanics, supports the telling of a subtle but realistic and powerful story. The whole package is exemplary. Papers, Please is proof that a great story married to great mechanics can be a powerful tool for storytellers, transforming the simple life of a border official into a must-play game. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is essentially The Legend of Zelda ’s dungeons meets randomized Rogue -like gameplay meets monsters and rooms full of poop. If your sensibilities can handle the heavier story aspects, this finely tuned game is borderline impossible to put down— especially if you can find a buddy to play co-op with. Terraria ’s long been a hit among Windows gamers thanks to its delicious mix of exploration, compelling crafting, and a procedurally generated world that ensures the game never gets old. The developer regularly releases sweeping, free updates that other games would call an expansion and charge you for. Not bad for $10—especially since you can now buy it for Linux PCs, too. You don’t necessarily enjoy this brutal look at civilian life in the middle of a warzone as much as you experience it. Just play This War of Mine already, eh? Super Meat Boy isn't the only Indie Game: The Movie gem to receive an open-source makeover. Fez , Polytron's acclaimed puzzle platformer, became available on Linux (and OS X) in September 2013, after debuting on Xbox in April 2013 and hitting Windows PCs in May 2013. If you haven't enjoyed the game's revolving, 3D take on 2D platforming, definitely give the game a whirl. It'll bring you racing back to the NES days of old and is easily worth the $10 asking price (though you can often find it on sale for less). Just don't get your hopes up for a Fez 2. Grim Fandango is the prime example of adventure games done right, and the recent remaster proves that Manny Calvera’s Day of the Dead-inspired trip through the Underworld is just as compelling as you remember (though you may want to keep a guide handy for some of the obscure old-school puzzles). The writing is hilarious, the characters and setting are creative as hell, and Grim Fandango ’s ambitious and mature in a way that not a lot of games before or since have accomplished. Buy it now. Goat Simulator is dumb. Goat Simulator is short. Goat Simulator is frequently broken. But oh wow, is Goat Simulator glorious in a wonderfully stupid kind of way . If Wasteland 2 is a love letter to old-school CRPG fans, Shovel Knight is a pitch-perfect homage to the side-scrolling platformers of old, built from the ground up to mimic the look, sound, and even the feel of games like Mega Man and Duck Tales. Be warned: Like the 8-bit games of yesteryear, this game pulls no punches when it comes to difficulty, but the controls are so tight that you won’t care. Love Neil Gaiman books? Then you’ll love the thoughtful, magic-tinged world of Kentucky Route Zero. Only three of a planned five episodes in this saga about a highway in the caves under Kentucky are complete thus far—and it takes a long time for each new episode to be published —but KRZ ’s already one of the most memorable adventures since, well, Grim Fandango. Whew! That’s a veritable bounty of top-notch PC games, all of which will run without you needing to partake in WINE. And even better, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Door Kickers. FTL. The Swapper. Rogue Legacy. NEO Scavenger. Octodad. Hotline Miami. Monaco: What's Your is Mine. Jazzpunk. Mountain. Hexcells Infinite. Don’t Starve. Many, many more. It's still not quite the year of Linux on the desktop , but one thing's for certain: Linux's gaming prospects are looking brighter than ever before .

2016-04-02 03:46 Brad Chacos www.itnews.com

23 The FBI's 10 most wanted cyber criminals Technology brings a lot of good into the world, but with the good comes the bad. And, in this case, the bad is a new field of criminal activity: cybercrime. In fact, according to a recent study by the Ponemon Institute , conducted in partnership with HP, cybercrime in the United States has risen 19 percent year-over-year. And perhaps more alarming than that, all companies will fall victim to cybercrime to some degree. Cybercrime is on the rise as technology invades every aspect of our daily lives, and the threat it poses to companies, the government, and even individuals is significant. With more data stored electronically than ever before, and the rise of online payments and e-commerce, skilled cybercriminals can gain access to sensitive data, steal victims' identities, access their bank accounts -- and then turn around and sell the data in a flash. To identify and track down the bad guys, the FBI dedicates an entire "Most Wanted" list to cybercrimes. Here are the FBI's top 10 most wanted cybercriminals still at large. [ An InfoWorld exclusive: Go inside a security operations center . | Discover how to secure your systems with InfoWorld's Security newsletter . ] Firas Dardar is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), a group that is alleged to have committed hacks in support of the Syrian Regime. Dardar's involvement is specifically linked to crimes committed between September 2011 and January 2014, during which time he allegedly committed numerous attacks against the U. S. government, media organizations, and private companies under the nickname "The Shadow. " Beyond that, he's also accused of committing cyber extortion schemes that targeted both U. S. and international companies. The FBI says he is currently living in Homs, Syria, and says he also goes by the aliases "Ethical Dragon" and "Ethical Spectrum," among others. Reward: For any information leading to the arrest of Firas Dardar, the FBI will award up to $100,000. Ahmed Al Agha, also known as "Th3 Pr0," is another cybercriminal allegedly involved with the SEA, according to the FBI. He's accused of committing hacks for the SEA between 2011 and 2014 against the U. S. government, media organizations, and private companies. He's thought to currently reside in Syria, where he was born. He's in his early 20s, according to the birth date he's used, and he wears prescription glasses. Reward: The FBI is offering up to 100,000 for any information leading to Ahmed Al Agha's arrest. Evgeny Mikhalilovich Bogachev, known online as "lucky12345" and "slavik," is accused of "involvement in a wide-ranging racketeering enterprise and scheme" that installed malicious software onto unsuspecting victims' devices. The virus was known as "Zeus," and it captured personal data such as bank account numbers, passwords, PINs, and other relevant banking info for identity theft. The virus arrived on the scene in 2009, with Bogachev using his job as an administrator to help distribute the link along with accomplices. By 2011, there was a modified version of the virus circulating, known as GameOver Zeus (GOZ), which the FBI believes is responsible for over one million infected computers with an estimated loss of over $100 million. Currently, the FBI believes Bogachev may be traveling the Black Sea in his boat and notes that he owns property in Krasnodar, Russia. Reward: For any information leading to the arrest of Bogachev, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $3 million. Nicolae Popescu, also known by the aliases "Nae" and "Stoichitoiu," is wanted for his alleged involvement in a "sophisticated Internet fraud scheme," according to the FBI. Popescu is alleged to have posted ads on online auction sites for items that didn't exist, complete with fraudulent invoices from "legitimate online payment services. " Popescu's conspirators in the United States also used fake passports to open bank accounts under false identities so that victims could wire them money. Once the money was wired from the victims, it was withdrawn and sent to other conspirators with instructions sent via email. Popescu has been on the FBI's radar since 2012, when a federal arrest warrant was issued for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Passport Fraud, and Trafficking in Counterfeit Service Marks. According to the FBI website, Popescu speaks Romanian and may have traveled to Europe. Reward: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $1 million for any information leading to the arrest of Nicolae Popescu. Alexsey Belan is wanted for crimes allegedly committed against major e-commerce companies in Nevada and California between 2012 and 2013. The FBI alleges that Belan stole user databases to gain access to account information and passwords; then once he got what he needed, he sold the data. He's Latvian, speaks Russian, and may be residing in Russia, Greece, Latvia, the Maldives, or Thailand. His known aliases include Magg, M4G, Moy. Yawik, and Abyrvaig, and the FBI also notes he may wear glasses and has been known to dye his naturally brown hair either red or blonde. He was last known to be in Athens, Greece. Reward: For any information leading to Belan's arrest, the FBI is offering $100,000. Jabberzeus Subjects is a group wanted by the FBI for wide-ranging racketeering and participation in the Zeus virus mentioned earlier. This group includes Ivan Viktorvich Klepikov, aliases "petr0vich" and "nowhere;" Alexey Dmitrievich Bron, alias "thehead;" and Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, aliases "tank" and "father. " The FBI believes these individuals are currently in Russia and Ukraine, and are accused of allegedly participating in distributing the Zeus virus to collect data on and transfer funds from unsuspecting victims' bank accounts. Reward: The FBI is not offering a reward for information on these individuals, but tips can be reported to your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Carlos Enrique Perez-Melara is wanted by the FBI for alleged involvement in a spyware program that breached unsuspecting victims' privacy. The spyware was designed as software to "catch a cheating lover," and malware was delivered via a seemingly innocuous e-card. When the recipient opened the e-card, software was installed on his or her computer and it proceeded to collect key strokes, passwords, correspondence, and websites visited. The service would then email the purchasers the information they were looking for, whether it was passwords, conversations, and website logs. It was originally known as "Email PI" but was later changed to "Lover Spy" in 2003. Perez-Melara was in the United States on a travel visa and then a student visa, with ties to San Diego, Calif, but he was last spotted in San Salvador, El Salvador. Reward: The FBI is offering up to $50,000 for any information that leads to Perez-Melara's arrest. Sun Kailiang is one of five members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and has been charged with 31 criminal counts, according to the FBI. Charges include conspiring to commit computer fraud, accessing a computer without authorization for financial gain, damaging computers via code and commands, aggravated identity theft, economic espionage, and theft of trade secrets. Along with other officers of the PRC's Third Department of the General Staff Department of the People's Liberation Army, Kailiang provided his expertise to help access the networks of various American companies that were involved with "negotiations or joint ventures or were pursuing legal action with, or against, state-owned enterprises in China. " Beyond that, he's accused of helping to steal private information and trading secrets involving nuclear plant designs, controlling victims' computers, and sending malicious emails. Reward: The FBI isn't offering a reward for any information regarding Kailiang, but you can give any tips to your local FBI office, an American Embassy, or Consulate. Huang Zhenyu is another member of the PLA of the PRC and is wanted on the same counts as Kailiang: aggravated identity theft, damaging computers, economic espionage, and theft of trade secrets, among others. Like Kailiang, Zhenyu was part of a conspiracy to obtain information and data from American companies that were in talks with or had legal action with companies in China. Once he gained access into their networks, Zhenyu used his expertise to access email exchanges, nuclear plant plans, and other proprietary information. Reward: The FBI isn't offering a reward for any information regarding Zhenyu, but you can send any tips to your local FBI office, an American Embassy, or Consulate. Wen Xinyu is another member of the PLA of the PRC, wanted on the same 31 criminal counts as on the FBI's list. His aliases included "WenXYHappy," "Win_XY," and "Lao Wen. " Wen is alleged to have controlled victims' computers in an attempt to assist with conspiracies to gain information on numerous American companies. Like the others accused on the list, Xinyu was recruited for his specific technological skills and ability to gain illegal access to corporate networks. Reward: The FBI isn't offering an award for information on Xinyu, but you can submit tips to the FBI, American Embassy, or Consulate.

2016-04-02 03:00 Sarah K www.infoworld.com

24 HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift: which VR headset is better? Not only are true virtual reality headsets at long last here in 2016, there are two to choose from. That's forced us come to grips with actual reality and decide: HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift. Which is a better VR headset? That really depends on the immersive experience you're looking to get sucked into, the controls you want to hold onto, and the price you can afford. Tattooed dude with Oculus Rift Oculus Rift started as a Kickstarter project and now has big names backing it, like famed video game designer John Carmack and new parent company Facebook. They've essentially launched modern day virtual reality. HTC Vive, meanwhile, is built by established hardware and software giants. HTC has crafted top-rated phones and tablets, while Valve is a long-time ally of PC gaming fans with Steam. Your considerably less tattoted author wearing HTC Vive They're expensive, so you're likely only going to be able to buy one. To help you wrap your head around these VR headsets, here's our HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift comparison. Both successfully offer expansive video game worlds and out-of-body experiences within your living room, and that's because the technology backing them up is similar in a lot of cases. This is what you see, every which way you turn The all-important HTC Vive and Oculus Rift displays are really two OLED panels that combine for a 2160 x 1200 resolution. That means each eye has its own 1080 x 1200 resolution. With a 90Hz refresh rate on both headsets, this means there are 233 million pixels flying at your face every second. This makes for a grown-up VR experience vs the 60Hz Samsung Gear VR. HTC Vive and Oculus Rift also have a wider 110 degree field of view (measured diagonally). This causes the virtual reality world to feel as if it truly wraps around your head. Here, put this on. It'll change your world You're not going to be able to break free of the required computer, as both headsets have to be tethered to a powerful Windows machine with a number of cables in order to function. However, besides the 37 sensors in the Vive headset that provide fluid, seamless movement, there's also a front-facing camera that can make a virtual world of difference. HTC's camera allows for a Chaperone safety system, casting a blue outline on walls and objects when you get too close. You can even turn it on for a Matrix-like look at everything at once. The HTC Vive camera has incredible potential Chaperone is a mind-blowing safety net that serves to foster room-scale VR within the 15 x 15ft tracking space allowed by Vive's two lighthouse base stations (which look like small speakers, but emit invisible lasers). Oculus Rift doesn't have a camera on the front of its headset for augmented reality vision, and its VR space is limited to 5ft x 11ft. But it does have 360-degree positional head tracking. Your gateway to other worlds is through a VR headset strapped to your noggin via adjustable velcro. It's the ski mask of a dystopian future with no clear visor, but you can see so much more. The Oculus Rift is a little more compact This is where the Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive differ the most, actually. While both are comfortable enough with face padding and are lightweight, there's definitely more heft to the Vive. Oculus Rift is a bit more refined looking with a compact design that amounts to a big, black brick sitting against your face. There are lightweight headphones that are thankfully removable. HTC Vive is bespeckled with 37 visible sensors, and while it's otherwise black like the Oculus, it is noticeably larger. It looks almost as if the Oculus headset has had a puffy allergic reaction. HTC Vive is noticeably larger, but it's not like you're seeing it from the outside And though I said Vive is lightweight, it's technically heavier at around 555g without headphones included. Oculus is 470g by comparison and throws in headphones. That bigger size and weight does have advantages: a lens distance knob moves the Vive lenses further and closer to your face. This is a helpful extra for people who wear glasses. Oculus Rift supports glasses, too, but the headsets doesn't have this handy adjustment knob. Neither VR headset requires a phone, like the Samsung Gear VR, but HTC Vive does connect to your phone via Bluetooth for answering calls and messages. You can really wear it all day. Stepping into virtual reality is surreal enough, but it really becomes a tangible world when you can reach out and seemingly feel the VR environment with controllers. This is one of two Oculus Touch controllers - but it's not out yet That deeper experience wasn't ready for March's Oculus Rift launch, but its Oculus Touch controller with a hand-confirming, half-moon shape are slated for later this year. "Oh, I'm never going to get the hang out this" was my reaction when I was briefed on the controls for Bullet Train. Seconds later, I was hit switches and picking up guns, then throwing them at enemies when they were spent. Oculus Touch needs to hurry up, however, because while Rift ships with a normal Xbox One gamepad, the HTC Vive comes with two unique-looking controllers with buttons and touchpads. The HTC Vive controllers look odd, but really put your hands in the game... today Weidling these Vive controllers puts my hands into the game virtually, and I've demoed the same with the Oculus Touch. It's just that one is here now and the other is not.

2016-04-02 02:55 By Matt feedproxy.google.com

25 Square Enix Could Bring Final Fantasy XV to PC While the main draw of Square Enix ‘s Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event was Final Fantasy XV (FFXV)’s release date, it was revealed early due to a video leak by Gamespot. However that doesn’t mean there was nothing else of note. Aside from announcing a companion mobile game, an anime series called Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV, and Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy, a computer-generated movie, there’s also a good chance of seeing FFXV hit the PC eventually. FFXV director Hajime Tabata told Engadget that the studio isn’t currently working on a PC version of the game. But, Tabata said he was “aware of the big call for a PC version.” “Unfortunately we weren’t able to do simultaneous development on a PC and console version for XV,” he said. “We had to focus on the console version and our goal was to maximize, optimise everything for the HD consoles. Once that’s done, then we will definitely take a good, hard look at PC and what we need to do, and consider all our options. But right now we aren’t decided, we’re still considering a lot of things.” We won’t be surprised to FFXV land on PC eventually and perhaps faster than the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy on Steam. Of late we’ve seen Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below available on PC merely months after its PS4 release and I Am Setsuna (earlier known as Project Setsuna) slated for PC around the same time as its release on the PS4 and PS Vita. [ Gadgets 360 ]

2016-04-02 02:00 PC Tech pctechmag.com

Total 25 articles. Created at 2016-04-03 00:03