Posted by Hadouch
|
op
12:09
|
It seems that PC gamers, specifically those who use Steam, love Windows 7.
In a recent survey carried out by Steam, Windows 7 showed itself to be very popular amongst gamers, installed on a whopping 23% of the Steam gamer’s PCs. Interestingly, 64-bit Windows 7 holds a commanding lead over it’s 32-bit brother, with 15.61% and 7.45% shares respectively.
Here’s the OS breakdown:
* Windows XP 32 bit - 44.77%
* Windows Vista 32 bit - 20.71%
* Windows 7 64 bit - 15.61%
* Windows Vista 64 bit - 10.00%
* Windows 7 - 7.45%
* Windows XP 64 bit - 0.64%
* Windows 2003 64 bit - 0.64%
* Windows 2000 - 0.10%
* Other - 0.08%
Windows XP and Vista still have a lead over Windows 7, but I think that Vista will be surpassed by 7 pretty soon.
Let’s take a look at a few other interesting statistics on offer:
CPU:
* GenuineIntel - 69.06%
* AuthenticAMD - 30.94%
System RAM:
* Less than 512 MB - 0.65%
* 512 MB to 999 MB - 4.07%
* 1 GB - 11.72%
* 2 GB - 30.94%
* 3 GB - 29.99%
* 4 GB - 15.04%
* 5 GB and higher - 7.59%
CPUs/Cores:
* 1 cpu - 18.08%
* 2 cpus - 56.93%
* 3 cpus - 0.95%
* 4 cpus - 23.99%
* 6 cpus - 0.00%
* 8 cpus - 0.05%
GPU manufacturer:
* ATI - 29.82%
* Intel - 3.61%
* NVIDIA - 65.01%
* Other - 1.58%
Posted by Hadouch
|
op
12:03
|
The clock is winding down to the big reveal on Wednesday at Apple's major press event. It could be an iSlate, or an iSlab, or an iTablet, or perhaps even an iPod Tablet Edition. There are almost as many potential names for the mythic device that may not exist as there are pundits speculating about what the device will or won't do--myself included...if it exists
If Apple does not announce a touchscreen tablet device of some kind it may be the single biggest failing in the history of the rumor mill. There are some rumors that seem wilder than others--like the Apple tablet will have 3D graphics, but there is also a diverse selection of very plausible speculation.
Based on the prevailing rumors, my PC World peer Bill Snyder predicts that the Apple tablet will be all flash with no substance and will not have any place in a business environment. I disagree. While I agree with some of the potential pitfalls Snyder lays out, I believe the Apple tablet PC could be uniquely suited for small business environments.
A platform like the Apple tablet--if it is based on the iPhone mobile operating system and is equipped to run the extensive library of iPhone apps--could be perfect for small business. Smartphones in general have evolved to the point that they are just very small computers, and for just about any function a business user could want to perform "there is an app for that".
There have been times, both as an iPhone owner and as a Windows Mobile smartphone owner, that I have chosen to leave behind my notebook when traveling. The smartphone can get my email, surf the Web, conduct instant messaging chats with colleagues, and view and edit documents (with the right tools depending on the platform).
The legions of iPhone users already try to use the device for everything, and there is a growing segment of apps aimed at endowing the iPhone with more enterprise-friendly capabilities, and enabling the secure integration of the iPhone with the business world.
While newer devices like the Droid and Nexus One have leapfrogged the iPhone in terms of hardware specifications, the iPhone is still relatively fast, has an intuitive interface, is equipped with a clear and bright display, and has apps available for virtually any purpose. The biggest obstacle to simply using the iPhone as a primary mobile computing device is size.
An Apple tablet that provides the brilliant display, extensive battery life, intuitive interface, and endless catalog of apps of the iPhone in a larger form factor you can actually read and interact with could be a device perfectly suited for small business users. Not only is there "an app for that", but most apps are free or very cheap--especially when compared with the investment required for full-blown computer software.
I certainly don't expect large enterprises to abandon traditional desktop and notebook computers and deploy tens of thousands of Apple tablets--especially if the tablet is running on the iPhone mobile operating system as opposed to Mac OS X. A Windows-based tablet has an automatic advantage in the enterprise, although the HP device demonstrated by Steve Ballmer at CES this year was less than compelling.
Let's face it. Until Wednesday rolls around and Apple unveils the epic new tablet PC...or it doesn't, Snyder's speculation is just as possible as mine. Assuming that Apple launches a tablet PC of some kind or another at this event, the success of that device will be determined by its overall functionality and utility balanced against its price...mixed with a healthy dose of Apple's Teflon reputation and devoted fan base.
Posted by Hadouch
|
op
11:46
|
One of the most innovative features of Google's new Nexus One is the built-in voice recognition. But there's one major limitation that Reuters discovered while putting the smartphone through its paces: the phone is a bit of a prig.
N1Screen1Try uttering a curse word into the Nexus One, and the well-mannered device will automatically replace the offensive expression with a string of # symbols.
Thus, a jocular text message inquiring about a buddy's whereabouts is transcribed as "Hey #### where are you?" on the Nexus One; A spirited rejoinder to a dubious assertion becomes "that's bull #### and you know it."
While perhaps not as politically charged as Google's censorship of Internet search results in China (a practice Google recently said it will no longer engage in), this restriction of free speech for the foul-mouthed is puzzling, and somewhat inconvenient.
So why the no-curse policy? After all, what business is it of Google's if a person chooses to be profane in their private communications?
A Google spokeswoman provided a statement suggesting that replacing curses with # symbols aimed less at enforcing etiquette than to ensure that offensive words don't accidentally appear in transcriptions – a potential concern given the fact that voice recognition technology is still not perfect.
"We filter potentially offensive or inappropriate results because we want to avoid situations whereby we might misrecognize a spoken query and return profanity when, in fact, the user said something completely innocent," said Google.
"Ultimately our goal is to return results that show exactly what you said, and we're constantly working to improve the technology to better fit our users' needs," the statement continued.
In other words, until the technology improves, you'll have to be civil, whether you like it or not.
Posted by Hadouch
|
op
11:45
|
Minor speed bumps for the budget-minded
Having lost the CPU performance race, AMD has been focusing on the low and mid-range PC market instead. Today the thorn in Intel's side is expanding its Phenom II and Athlon II lineup with some minor speed increases.
The new Athlon II X2, X3, X4 and Phenom II X2/X4 (energy efficient) families have new siblings that are rated 100MHz higher. AMD says that continual process and engineering improvements on GlobalFoundries' 45nm process have allowed it to release the new models.
The new models use the AM3 socket and are compatible with AM2+ motherboards that have the proper BIOS support enabled. AMD sees them as a good upgrade for budget-weary consumers.
AMD is currently working on several new 800-series AM3 chipsets that are expected to be released in several months. Some will feature integrated DirectX 10.1 graphics, but ATI has recently released several new discrete DirectX 11 GPUs aimed at the value-market that should tempt even the most frugal of gamers.
Several six-core CPUs in the Thuban family should also be released in the second quarter.
Processor Model TDP Frequency Price
AMD Athlon™ II X2 255 65 W 3.1 GHz $74
AMD Athlon™ II X3 440 95 W 3.0 GHz $84
AMD Athlon™ II X4 635 95 W 2.9 GHz $119
AMD Phenom™ II X2 555 80 W 3.2 GHz $99
AMD Phenom™ II X4 910e 65 W 2.6 GHz $169
Posted by Hadouch
|
op
11:35
|
With the launch of what Apple is calling its "latest creation" just days away, it's officially Tablet Week for the entire industry.
Publishers recently contacted by Apple about the launch tell 9to5Mac blog to expect a major partnership announcement, likely with "all of the major publishers."
They also say Apple has been pitching itself against Amazon's model, arguing that its own "Agency model" gives publishers more control and freedom over pricing.
Corroborating multiple accounts, the publishers describe the tablet as "a very-readable 10-inch glass screen smaller in size than the Kindle DX with a similar weight," but insist that it won't cost anywhere near the $1,000 price-point being reported elsewhere.
Meanwhile, rumor has it that Steve Jobs is telling friends and colleagues, "This will be the most important thing I've ever done" -- referring to the soon-to-be-launched Apple Tablet.
Claiming to have "detected" Tablet testing on Apple's Cupertino campus, mobile app analytics startup Flurry observed roughly 200 different applications in use. Because the vast majority of detected app are related to gaming and entertainment, Flurry is calling the tablet a "media machine."
"Historically, tablet devices have been considered substitutes for anything where workers use clipboards, note pads or day runners," Flurry adds. "However, there was a surprising dearth of applications that support these use cases ... Instead, the largest category was games ... With a larger screen, more memory, multi-touch and multi-tasking expected, games will play better than ever on Apple handheld devices."
Similarly, The New York Times sees the apps market -- already booming thanks to the iPhone and Android-supported mobile devices -- flourishing under the reign of the tablet.
Citing Flurry, The Times writes: "The tablet ... will run applications designed for the iPhone, judging from data that an app-tracking company is picking up from devices in use around Apple's headquarters."
Adds The Times: "But the larger screen -- most likely 10 inches diagonally -- and other features of the tablet could inspire developers to create new twists on apps, like games that two or more people can easily play at once on the same device."
Posted by Hadouch
|
op
11:33
|
Capcom's online action game given April launch window, $60 bundle with North American debut of Nintendo's updated pad.
Two hit Japanese Wii products will be making their long-awaited North American debuts in tandem. Capcom today announced that when Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii arrives in April, it will be accompanied by Nintendo's Wii Classic Controller Pro.
The black Classic Controller Pro will be bundled with Monster Hunter Tri.
The game will be available on its own for $50, or in a bundle with a black Classic Controller Pro for $60. Those wanting the controller but not the game will be able to buy it a la carte in white and black versions for $20.
A redux of the more-traditional gamepad primarily used for Virtual Console games, the Classic Controller Pro features a number of aesthetic and ergonomic tweaks over its original iteration. Namely, the ZL and ZR shoulder buttons have been moved behind the existing L and R top buttons in a manner similar to Sony's DualShock line of controllers. Also calling up images of the PlayStation gamepad, the Pro features protruding hand grips. Lastly, the Wii Remote connection cord now extends from the top of the controller instead of from the bottom.
The controller's similarity to Sony's efforts is one reason to pair its launch with that of Monster Hunter Tri. The Monster Hunter series debuted on the PlayStation 2 and was console-exclusive to Sony's systems prior to Tri's release. Even that game was initially announced as a PlayStation 3-exclusive. However, citing the "high development cost of titles for PS3," Capcom said in October 2007 that it would be releasing the title for Nintendo's console instead.
Monster Hunter is already a best-seller in Japan, where it went on sale last summer. Multiplayer is a central part of the action game, which will sport four-player online co-op as well as two-player split-screen action. Lone gamers can also compete in a single-player mode, questing through the game's remote wilderness with a survival expert companion. GameSpot's preview has more details on the game.
Posted by Hadouch
|
op
11:29
|
