What is Ethereum?
New cryptocurrencies are sprouting out of thin air all of the time, but only a few have had a lasting impact. Ethereum is one such cryptocurrency, despite only being a couple of years old. It's one of the most valuable and has enabled the creation of many others. What is Ethereum? It's one of the most exciting cryptocurrencies.
Oculus Go vs. Lenovo Mirage Solo
Lenovo is one of the newest competitors on the virtual reality scene and its standalone Daydream headset holds a lot of exciting potential. But how does it measure up against an industry giant like Oculus and its latest efforts? Here we pit the Oculus Go vs. Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream to see which is best.
Intel 9th-generation CPUs are refreshes with slight clock speed bumps
Intel's upcoming ninth-generation CPUs have been detailed in some new leaked slides. They are refreshes of the previous generation with minor clock speed bumps almost across the board. What we don't know though, is what the Core i7 chips will be like and their absence from leaked documents suggest they may have eight cores.
Nvidia could debut GTX 11 Series graphics cards during Gamescom
Unnamed sources claim that third-party graphics card manufacturers will receive Nvidia's next-generation "Turing" chips by the end of August or early September. Actual ship dates are unknown for now as manufacturers could take weeks or several months after receiving their initial GPU shipments.
What is Bitcoin?
What is Bitcoin? It's a question that many recent investors might struggle to answer effectively because cryptocurrencies are a whole world unto themselves. Getting your head around the basics is important if you want to know what you're getting into before buying buying into the latest crypto-craze.
After 14 years, a new generation of Wi-Fi security is coming. Here’s what to know
WPA3 is a new security standard for Wi-Fi hardware that will charge manufactuters with meeting stricter guidelines to be certified to support it. It will bring about greater security and privacy for users in the home and when utilizing 'open' public Wi-Fi networks, as well as better password protections for everyone.
Learn about the roots of the modern computing with the BBC’s free archive
The BBC has expanded its Computer Literacy Archive with hundreds of documentary episodes from the 1980s and 1990s to showcase just how far we've come in computing in the last few decades and look back on classic hardware like the BBC Micro. The archive also includes 160+ classic programs that can be run in modern web browsers.
Nvidia prototype graphics card sports 12GB of GDDR6 memory
A leaked image of a prototype Nvidia graphics card appears to sport 12GB of GDDR6 memory, suggesting that the next-generation will enjoy far greater memory bandwidth than the one that came before. Although missing a GPU core, the new card hints at a powerful new-range of graphics cards coming down the pipeline.
Huawei’s MateBook D could be the new king of powerful budget laptops
The Huawei MateBook D refresh packs the compact laptop with a 1080p display, 8GB of RAM, and a Ryzen with Vega 2500U APU. For just $600 at its discounted launch price, the little laptop offers decent performance for general computing and gaming and its fast-recharge battery will keep you working and playing for longer.
Updating your router to WPA3 could protect your home Wi-Fi network
The Wi-Fi Alliance has officially certified WPA3 security, making routers the world over more secure ... in theory. While new routers will definitely get the new password and encryption protection systems, there is some question over whether already-sold devices will be updated to support it.
Here’s how Microsoft’s Xbox One mouse and keyboard support could work
A joint Microsoft and Razer presentation earlier this year suggested that official keyboard and mouse support could come to the Xbox One. Leaked documents highlight certain limitations, but suggest that Microsoft would soon crack down on companies offering emulator hardware for unofficial keyboard usage.
Leaked Snapdragon 1000 details suggest it could go head-to-head with Intel
New details about Qualcomm's rumored Snapdragon 1000 have been revealed, suggesting that the Windows-oriented SoC could offer competition for 2017 Intel Core processors. Better yet, it'll do so in a smaller form factor and potentially at a lower power draw too, making it a very attractive option for laptop owners.
Is your 1440p monitor actually a downscaled 4K panel in disguise?
A new report citing sources close to the monitor manufacturing business has suggested that some companies may be using extra stock of 4K panels to manufacture 1440P displays. While that might seem like a free upgrade, it can actually result in a worse-looking image due to downscaling and mismatched resolutions.
First Snapdragon 845 Chromebook could be a 2-in-1 with detachable keyboard
More details about "Cheza," the alleged Snapdragon 845-powered Chromebook, have been unearthed from changes made to Chrome OS, suggesting that the first ever laptop running the powerful SoC may not be too far away. It could well be a 2-in-1 as well, with a detachable keyboard, and LTE data connectivity.
Valve VR knuckle controllers can squish, track fingers, navigate with thumbstick
Valve has released a new demo called Moondust to show off the capabilities of its knuckle VR controllers and give developers a chance to play around with its new capabilities. They can squish, track fingers, and allow navigation via a thumbstick input, all while sporting better ergonomics and battery life.
Improving security means killing the password, but that battle has just begun
As much as password reuse is a problem because people use the same passwords for different sites and services, some think that storing passwords in a central location is a bigger problem. As we begin to move beyond password use altogether, do we need to reconsider how our login credentials are stored as well?
Leap Motion’s AR table tennis is a long way from your parents’ Pong
A demonstration of Leap Motion's new Project Northstar table tennis AR experience shows not only that mixed reality offers some great gaming experiences, but that it could be useful for teaching and improving real-world skills at the same time by testing human players against increasingly advanced A.I. opponents.
Intel’s hyperthreading blocked on OpenBSD amid hints of new Spectre-like bugs
The main developer of OpenBSD has announced that Intel chips will have hyperthreading disabled on the operating system in order to ward off potential Spectre-like exploits that take advantage of the way that simultaneous multithreading technologies work. This barring of the technology will be expanded to other chips.
AMD one-ups Intel with free Threadripper upgrade for 8086 competition winners
AMD is offering anyone who wins one of Intel's Anniversary Edition Core-i7 CPUs a free trade-in for one of its own high-powered offerings, the Threadripper 1950x. With 16 cores and 32 threads, it is more powerful in multi-threaded scenarios and is more expensive if you were to buy it yourself.
Miss Windows 7? Here’s how it would look if Microsoft released it today
A new concept video for an imagined 2018 edition of Windows 7 has fans of the classic operating system wishing it would become a reality. The clean Windows 7 layout with Windows 10 aesthetics makes for a potent blend of simplicity and beauty and offers a great companion to the creator's other videos.
HPE’s 145,000-core supercomputer could help manage U.S. nuclear stock
HPE has developed a brand-new type of supercomputer built around efficiency of physical space and faster access to memory. The new ARM-based system has more than 145,000 cores across thousands of servers and could help accelerate simulations that aid with the management and handling of the United States' nuclear stockpile.
AMD will only release Ryzen APU graphics drivers every three months
An AMD representative has clarified that it only plans to update the graphics drivers for its Raven Ridge APU chips once every three months. This is less often than its discrete graphics cards, which for the past couple of years have received monthly updates and a yearly refresh of entire software suite.
Mozilla goes all-in on voice commands with its latest browser concept
A recent Mozilla Foundation talk saw it discuss the possibility and architectural requirements for a new kind of web browser that would have fully integrated vocal commands at its core. The new browser ideal would build on existing vocal systems to provide a platform that was intuitive for those with sight limitations.
You’ll want to perk up when it comes to the new ‘Lazy State’ Intel CPU bug
A new Intel CPU bug that's similar to Spectre and Meltdown exploits has been discovered. Although it is much easier to patch and has already been shored up on most operating systems, it still has the potential to do serious damage to a systems' security if left unpatced, especially on server systems.
FBI lands a big catch, busts 74 and shuts down $16 million phishing ring
The FBI and counterpart agencies around the world have arrested more than 70 people and recovered more than $16 million in a crackdown on phishing emails. The scam run by this group targeted companies and tricked employees into handing over financial details or sending money to fraudulent accounts.
Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 ‘urgent’ update calms noisy fans for quieter computing
A new BIOS update for Dell's XPS 15 2-in-1 should fix one of the most glaring issues with the system, namely that the fans spin up very fast and loud when the system is charging. Early reports suggest the problem is far less pronounced after the update, ticking off one of the few issues with the convertible laptop.
Intel “forgot” to mention its 28-core CPU demo was bogus
Intel's demonstration of an allegedly new CPU at Computex with 28-cores and running at up to 5GHz on all of them has proved to be an over-exaggeration of overengineering hardware. In comparison, AMD's Threadripper 2 announcement is very much real and makes for an exciting rest of 2018 in the consumer CPU space.
Net neutrality is dead, but it could make a comeback
The repeal of net neutrality has been enacted and the principle has been effectively killed off at the federal level. However, there is a glimmer of hope for its fans, as many local government officials have been pushing legislation and making demands that could help enshrine its principles for the foreseeable future.
Unify your PC and accessory lighting with Razer’s expanded Chroma support
Razer now supports Chroma integration through a new API with seven different PC manufacturers, making it possible for AMD, MSI, NZXT, Lian Li, and more, to leverage Chroma lighting control in their products. That should make gaming PCs with various accessories look far more uniform than they have before.
How 20th century check fraud is helping prevent 21st century data theft
Social engineering is as problematic today as it's ever been, and that's a scary concept when so much personal information is accessible to hackers and fraudsters. Yet that also means we can learn from the lessons of the past. That's why digital validation company Trusona uses Frank Abagnale of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ fame to future-proof its systems.
Yahoo Messenger will soon die as Squirrel lives on in its wake
Yahoo is closing the doors on its instant messaging application, Yahoo Messenger for good. Existing users have until July 17 to enjoy its features before they lose access to it forever. The only caveat to longtime fans is that any conversations saved on the platform can be downloaded and saved for posterity.
Intel Anniversary Edition 5GHz six-core CPU hits 7.2GHz in supercooled overclock
The Intel Core i7-8086 Anniversary Edition CPU, which boosts to 5GHz, will be on sale soon. The binned 8700K CPU made its first appearance on June 8, lining up with the 40th anniversary of its original 8086 CPU. The new chip is the fastest six-core CPU Intel has released and it's giving away thousands for free.
Shatter, crack, and pop — Apple Watch lawsuit alleges long-term screen defect
A new class-action lawsuit alleges that Apple has been negligent in its dealing with flaws with the Apple Watch, refusing to fix outstanding problems with screen damage and failing to redesign it to avoid the issue in the future. The plaintiffs are seeking $5 million in compensation for their troubles.
Microsoft dumps a 40-foot data center to the ocean floor off Scotland’s coast
Microsoft's Project Natick enters stage two by dropping a 40-foot prototype datacenter 117 feet below the ocean surface near Scotland's Orkney Islands. It contains 12 racks playing host to 864 servers, and connects to a single cable feeding it power and a fiber optic network connection.