HARDWARE | IT newspaper

Intel releases beta drivers for the Surface 3, allowing Windows 10 to be installed

May 21st, 2015 | Edited by Zoran Stosic | hardware

May
21

Even in this modern computing era Windows is still dogged by driver problems—at least during the technical preview phase. Owners of the newly released Surface 3 may want to hold back on installing the Windows 10 technical preview for now, though it appears Intel has released beta Windows 10 drivers for the Surface 3’s Atom processor and chipset.
“Please do NOT try to install Windows 10 on the new Surface 3. There are no drivers for the Intel x5/x7 Atom processors,” Microsoft Community Moderator and Microsoft MVP Barb Bowman posted on the company’s support forum on May 11. “There are no drivers in the Preview Build because Intel has not yet provided drivers.”
That changed on May 14, when Bowman noted that there are beta drivers for the Surface 3 available via Windows Update.
The $500 Surface 3 uses a fresh, new 1.6GHz Intel Atom quad-core x7-Z8700. Intel does not yet have a release date for the final drivers, according to Bowman.

Since the Surface 3 (and its processor) is so new and Windows 10 is still under development, small hiccups like this are to be expected. Microsoft’s newest operating system is slated for release this summer so we can expect to see final drivers from Intel relatively soon.
Further reading: Windows 10: The 10 coolest features you should check out first
Microsoft’s latest tablet went on sale in early May after being announced in late March. The big appeal about the new non-pro Surface is that it is not loaded with ARM-processor compatible Windows RT. Instead, it’s a full Windows slate compatible with all legacy desktop apps, as well as modern UI apps.
The Surface 3 features a 10.8-inch 1080p display, your choice of either 64GB storage with 2GB RAM, or 128GB onboard storage with 4GB RAM. It also comes with one USB 3.0, mini Display port, microSD card reader, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0.
The impact on you at home: Windows 10 is an exciting update to Microsoft’s OS, especially if you’re running Windows 8 or 8.1. Unfortunately, Surface 3 owners chomping at the bit will have to wait a little bit longer—at least if you want to remain on the safe side.
Some users in the same forum thread where Bowman posted her warning say they are able to run Windows 10 using newly updated Windows 8.1 drivers recently posted on Microsoft’s site, albeit with degraded graphics performance that make the combination “not suitable for daily use quite yet.” Check out the forum for more information, but remember it’s still a risk to install Windows 10 on the Surface 3. Reckless souls can check out our primer on installing Windows 10 and how to create a dual-boot set-up with Windows 8.1.

Source: www.pcworld.com

Denon’s HEOS multi-room audio system climbs on the Google Cast bandwagon

January 13th, 2015 | Edited by Zoran Stosic | hardware

Jan
13

Audio manufacturer Denon Electronics announced at CES that its new line of HEOS wireless multi-room audio system will soon support Google Cast for Audio, allowing you to “cast” music, podcasts, and Internet radio from an Android smartphone or tablet to any of the wireless products in Denon’s HEOS ecosystem.

“Casting” is already a popular way to stream video from an Android device to larger display, such as a TV. Using a Wi-Fi connection, people can queue up their content fairly painlessly. Google’s audio-only version could become just as popular, especially if the capability comes integrated as it does in this case. The growing list of Google Cast Ready apps might provide an incentive to choose Casting over Bluetooth streaming as well.
“Based on the success of Chromecast, we’re excited to expand the Google Cast ecosystem by working with leading manufacturers like Denon to include audio devices,” said Suveer Kothari, Google Cast director of business development, in a press release.
There are three speakers in the HEOS line with increasingly large drivers and amplifiers for different applications: The $299 HEOS 3 is designed for small bedrooms and home offices, while the HEOS 5 ($399) can fill larger bedrooms or a small living room with sound. The largest speaker in the collection, the $599 HEOS 7, houses two tweeters, two midrange drivers, and a subwoofer, each of which is driven by a dedicated Class D amplifier. Denon says the HEOS 7 is powerful enough for very large rooms.
The impact on you: Google’s Chromecast technology has become tremendously popular for streaming Internet video to TVs, but you need to buy a dongle to pull off that trick. Denon’s HEOS speakers have the technology needed for streaming audio from an Android device built right in, so there’s nothing else you need to buy.
Does that make them a good deal? We’ll have to get one in to see how it sounds—and how it stands up against other multi-room audio systems, such as Sonos.
Source: www.pcworld,com

How to know when it’s time to replace your router

December 18th, 2014 | Edited by Zoran Stosic | hardware

Dec
18

How’s your home network these days?
Does it seem slower than usual, or just plain slow? Do you find that you don’t get good coverage in all corners of your house? Do you intermittently lose your connection to your ISP?
Any of these issues may be a sign that it’s time for a new router. I say “may” because there are lots of other reasons you’re getting slow or inconsistent performance.
That said, let’s talk about that router, which is as good a place to start as any. The big question: How old is it?
If your router is more than four or five years old, you should definitely think about replacing it. Three reasons why:
1. Over time, heat can damage the internal components, which may explain symptoms like intermittent outages or slow performance. You might try pointing a small fan at your router, or moving it somewhere there’s good airflow, and seeing if that makes any difference.
2. A router that old may not support 802.11n, the most widespread Wi-Fi technology. Indeed, if your router tops out at 802.11g, you’re definitely not getting the speed and range you could be. But some 802.11n models are out of date as well, especially if they were made prior to 2009.
3. It probably doesn’t offer dual-band wireless. It’s possible that some of your other household products, like cordless phones and even your garage-door opener, operate on the same 2.4GHz wireless band as your router, and interference from them can tank your connectivity.
All this is not to say you should run out and buy a new router — but at the very least you should think about it. You could always buy one that comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, try it out, and see if it makes a difference. If not, return it, no harm done.
As fate would have it, PCWorld recently reviewed the latest and greatest 802.11ac routers, a good place to start your search for a new model. Of course, those may be overkill for some home users, as the 802.11ac standard has yet to be finalized. You might be better off with one of last year’s top-rated 802.11n routers, like the Asus RT-N66U.

Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at hasslefree@pcworld.com, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums. Sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

Source: www.pcworld.com

Sony’s e-paper smartwatch prototype has been hiding in plain sight

December 6th, 2014 | Edited by Zoran Stosic | hardware

Dec
06

On Wednesday 26th Oct, word broke that Sony was working on a smartwatch that eschews the typical LCD screen and instead uses a wrap-around e-paper display. But this wasn’t a hush-hush secret project like what you’d expect from Apple: The Wall Street Journal reports that Sony’s Fashion Entertainments group did little to keep its smartwatch prototype under wraps.
According to the Journal, the Fashion Entertainments team showcased the watch—which it calls the FES Watch—in a campaign on the Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake that launched in September. However, since Sony’s name wasn’t on the campaign, it was able to fly under the radar and look like just another crowdfunding campaign.
The story behind the story: Fashion Entertainments is part of a larger group within Sony, called the New Business Creation Department, whose sole goal is “to draw on internal and external insight to provide a catalyst for innovation and to provide the opportunity for new ideas to transition into successful new businesses.” Sony has lost some of its cool and its reputation as an innovator over the years, and these efforts seem to be an attempt to reclaim some of the company’s dulled luster.

Not ready yet…

The FES Watch wouldn’t be the first e-paper smartwatch, but in a market currently dominated by comparatively bulky—albeit more feature-packed—LCD-based devices, the FES Watch prototype looks to be a bold step in a different direction…assuming the company is bold enough to actually release it to a wider audience, that is.
Although contributors to the crowdfunding campaign can expect to get their own FES Watch in May, according to the Journal, a Sony spokesperson stated Thursday that the company “decline[d] to comment on specifics such as the possible commercialization of this project, or any targeted product launch date.”

Source: www.pcworld.com

Low cost, high resolution: Prices for 4K displays sink below $500

November 27th, 2014 | Edited by Zoran Stosic | hardware

Nov
27

Prices for 4K monitors have dropped below US$500, bringing them within the reach of cost conscious buyers looking to replace 1080p displays.
The prices have been falling steadily from $700 or more earlier this year. 4K monitors are available from Samsung, Sharp, Dell, Asus, Acer, Monoprice, and small vendors.
4K gives a resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels, or four times deeper than conventional 1080p resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels.
Dell is selling its 28 Ultra HD P2815Q monitor for $449.99, down from $699.99 when the product started shipping earlier this year. Newegg is selling 28-inch monitors from AOC and Planar for $499.99.
Samsung has also dropped the price of its 28-inch 4K monitor, the UD590, which is now selling for $599.99 through retailers like Best Buy and Newegg.
Not all 4K prices have dipped so low. Lenovo’s ThinkVision 28-inch Pro2840m is still selling for $799.99. It was announced in January and started shipping around the middle of the year.

It’s important to check all the features on lower priced monitors. They often have a all the main features and ports but suffer on refresh rates, which affect the display’s ability to cope with fast-moving images. For example, Dell’s P2815Q monitor has been criticized for its 30Hz refresh rate. Samsung’s UD590 has the more desirable 60Hz refresh rate via its DisplayPort 1.2, but it drops to 30Hz when connected to a PC via the HDMI port.
Increased competition is bringing prices down, as monitor makers try to attract buyers. Intel recently predicted that 4K monitor prices will fall to below $400 by the end of this year.
As with the other types of computer hardware, prices will continue to fall quickly over the next couple of years and then more gradually after that, said Jonathan Gaw, a research manager at IDC.
As more content takes advantage of 4K, including games and streaming video, buyers will be more motivated to buy 4K monitors, Gaw said.
The buyers are mostly consumers. Some want the latest and greatest display while others are merely drawn by the lower prices, said Leslie Fiering, research vice president at Gartner.
The sub-$500 4K monitors have the basic features, so display makers would have to offer significant improvements to justify higher prices. For example, many low-cost 4k displays don’t have touchscreens. Other features that could command higher prices include sound bars, gesture recognition, cameras, wireless capabilities, and more ports.
“The PC monitor industry is banking on two elements in hopes of getting people to pony up for higher-priced monitors: 4K and touch interfaces. Touch interfaces need the OS vendors and the application developers to create more compelling use cases,” Gaw said.

Source: www.pcworld.com

Page 6 of 14« First «...4 567 8...»Last »