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Augmented reality startup hires Steve Mann, world starts paying attention

Graham Templeton — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:30:40 +0000

Steve Mann is sometimes referred to as the "father of wearable computing." He's been involved in the field of computational photography for as long as the field has existed, and his famous skull-grafted Digital Eye device has earned him the (disputed) title of the world's first cyborg.

Intel: Haswell will draw 50% less power than Ivy Bridge

Sebastian Anthony — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:38:13 +0000

Presumably in response to a glut of AMD-related news, Intel has preempted its formal Haswell unveil to announce that its chips will draw "50% less power" than Ivy Bridge on "active" workloads, such as playing a game or watching a movie. This is a dramatic turnaround, considering the latest leaks and rumors had suggested that Haswell was struggling to reach its TDP targets.

Is the Xbox One always online?

Sebastian Anthony — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:07:48 +0000

Is the Xbox One always online, or not? You'd think it would be easy question to answer, but for some reason Microsoft continues to be very coy about the matter. A month ago, at the peak of the always-online controversy, a leaked Microsoft memo said the console would not require an always-on internet connection. Recently, following the Xbox One unveil, Microsoft reiterated that the console wouldn't be always online -- but that the console will not work if it isn't connected to the internet.

The third prong of AMD’s new mobile assault: Lower power Richland APUs

Joel Hruska — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:30:53 +0000

AMD's Kabini and Temash have drawn the lion's share of attention today, but they aren't the only new parts rolling out of Sunnyvale. AMD's new low-power APUs are shipping today as well, with bumped up clock speeds and improved features.

The first quantum entanglement of photons through space and time

Sebastian Anthony — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:30:43 +0000

Ready for a mind-bending news story that will forever change your perception of life? Quantum physicists in Israel have successfully entangled two photons that don't exist at the same time. They create one photon and measure its polarization, destroying it -- they then create another photon, and though it never coexisted with the first, it always has the exact opposite polarization, proving they're entangled.

Xbox One: Hardware and software specs detailed and analyzed

Sebastian Anthony — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:10:12 +0000

Yesterday, Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One. Putting aside the insanity of the console's name (Xbox 1 -> Xbox 360 -> Xbox One), we now have a fairly good idea of the software and hardware inside the Xbox One. In true console-maker style, Microsoft hasn't told us everything, and is certainly being very coy about some parts of the new console, but we know enough that we can infer a lot of the missing details. For a true breakdown of the Xbox One's software and hardware, we'll obviously have to wait until the console has been released and reverse engineered by enterprising hackers and crackers.

Xbox One vs. PS4 vs. PC: How the hardware specs compare

Sebastian Anthony — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:15:59 +0000

Tomorrow, Microsoft will finally unveil the Xbox 720. Not only will we find out its real name (the money seems to be on Xbox Infinity), but more importantly we will find out how the Xbox 720's hardware stacks up against the PS4 and gaming PCs. Merely comparing hardware specs is incredibly naive, though -- to find out why, read on.

Can the Xbox One take over the living room?

James Plafke — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:30:42 +0000

Microsoft's new video game console, the Xbox One, has been revealed. The majority of Microsoft's focus, however, wasn't on video games. Instead, the One is reprising the intended role of the Xbox 360 before it -- being the home's entertainment hub. The Xbox 360 didn't become the central household hub, but will the new-and-improved Xbox One have a fighting chance of taking over the living room?

Nvidia’s GTX 780: Titan-like performance, without the $1,000 price tag

Joel Hruska — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:39:00 +0000

Wanting a GTX Titan, but don't have $1000 to drop on it? Nvidia's GTX 780 is designed to scratch that itch -- at a fairly high price point.

AMD’s last, best hope: Low-power Kabini, Temash are ready for action; could rejuvenate mobile market

Joel Hruska — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:12:33 +0000

AMD's Kabini and Temash are finally here. Are these the chips that can save AMD's business?