XAMI

Samsung's Galaxy Note 7s are an explosive issue for the company right now. With batteries self-combusting left, right and center, the smartphone's launch has become a total disaster, despite overwhelmingly positive reviews about the handset's actual features. With a recall underway, and Samsung set to have replacement devices next week, the Note 7 is set to return to retail shelves. However, it will be interesting to see if it sells in any significant quantities when that happens, considering users could still face difficulties using the phones on airplanes and in other places, even with fixed batteries. Would you consider purchasing a Galaxy Note 7 after Samsung puts the phone back on sale? Are the issues with exploding batteries a significant deterrent even with a completely fixed battery inside? Or would you only consider buying a Note 7 on a significant discount? Comment here what you think about this!

Epson last year vowed to put an end to printer ink refill woes with its EcoTank printers. Now, it has turned its attention to another peripheral whose glory days have long since come and gone – the digital scanner. Epson’s new FastFoto FF-640 is described as the world’s fastest scanner (in its class), able to scan in an image in just one second. That’s handy for one-off jobs and exponentially so if you’ve got multiple photo albums or shoeboxes full of images to work through. Accompanying software can also restore old, faded images to their original glory with a single click thanks to its Smart Photo Fix (SPF) technology. Epson’s software can also help with sorting scans and if there happens to be something like a handwritten note or a date on the back of your print, Single-step technology captures both sides simultaneously. Mike Isgrig, vice president, North America Consumer Sales and Marketing, Epson, said there are billions of unscanned photos in the US and that every year, countless images are forever lost to fires, floods and other natural disasters. With FastFoto, he adds, families can protect their memories for generations to come in a matter of hours and days versus months and years with competing solutions. Epson’s FastFoto FF-640 is available as of writing priced at $649.99. That’s no small investment for a peripheral that many of us probably haven’t owned in a decade or more but again, if you’ve got a lot of print photos that haven’t been converted to digital and perhaps don’t have a lot of free time, it may be worth it. After all, you can’t put a price on memories.

Mad Catz announced on Thursday evening that it has sold its Saitek brand and line of flight, space and farm simulation controllers to Logitech for $13 million in cash. I didn’t even know farm simulation controllers were a thing but I digress. As per the agreement, Mad Catz will hand over trademarks, equipment and tooling, inventory, technical data, records and any other documents necessary for the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of the aforementioned controllers. What’s more, Logitech will be welcoming eight of the company’s research and development employees. Karen McGinnis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz, said in a statement that after a thorough and deliberate process, they believe this sale to Logitech brings Mad Catz attractive and certain value for the flight, space and farm simulation line of Saitek products. She added that they are pleased to find a company like Logitech that will lead Saitek into its next phase of growth and best support its strong acceptance within the flight simulation community. Saitek got its start in the late ‘70s as a maker of electronic chess games. The company eventually expanded to include PC peripherals and made quite the name for itself – so much so that Mad Catz came knocking in 2007 with a check for $30 million. Selling Saitek to Logitech for just $13 million may seem like a steep loss (and who knows, maybe it is) but there’s more to the story. Logitech is getting everything mentioned above but will retain the mouse and keyboard product lines that have developed out of the Saitek brand.

Welcome Keshav!

Welcome Diego. Te recomiendo antes de publicar o comentar leer las reglas del forum

One of the more po[CENSORED]r game engines, Crytek's CryEngine, will be receiving some handy updates over the next few months that increase support for low-level and potentially performance-increasing APIs. As spotted by OC3D, perhaps the biggest update to CryEngine is coming in mid-November with version 5.3, which will include Vulkan API support. And it's not just Vulkan support on desktop platforms: CryEngine's roadmap also lists mobile GPU support, which would bring the game engine to Android and possibly iOS for the first time. Another update to CryEngine, version 5.4, is scheduled for late February with DirectX 12 multi-GPU support. CryEngine has supported DirectX 12 since earlier this year – a Chinese martial arts MOBA called King of Wushu was the first CryEngine game with DirectX 12 – however it hasn't supported multi-GPU configurations. These two major updates to CryEngine will help it compete with Unreal Engine 4, which is its main rival and an engine that has already gained significant traction in the developer community. With that said, Unreal Engine 4 does not include full Vulkan support just yet, so CryEngine could beat it to the market with the impending November release. Several games using CryEngine are still in development, including Star Citizen, medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and several free-to-play games from Crytek.

Out of the Box The UP3216Q, like its predecessor, is packaged and shipped in environmentally friendly cardboard – no foam here. Tucked neatly inside is the monitor itself, an aluminum monitor stand with cable pass-through, a plastic cable cover that goes over the rear I/O connections for a tidier look, a power cable, a miniDisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cable, an HDMI cable, a USB 3.0 upstream cable for connecting the monitor to your computer, an optical disc that includes drivers and documentation, a quick setup guide, obligatory safety and regulatory information and a factory calibration report. Dell UltraSharp 4K UP3216Q - $1270 Diagonal Viewing Size: 31.5 inches (16:9) Panel: In-Plane Switching Native Resolution: 3,802 x 2.160 @ 60Hz Contrast Ratio: 1,000 to 1 (typical) / 2M to 1 (dynamic) Brightness: 300 cd/m2 (typical) Response Time: 6ms (gray to gray) fast mode Viewing Angle: 178° vertical / 178° horizontal Adjustability: Tilt, Swivel, Height Color Support: 1.07 billion colors Pixel Pitch: 0.182 mm Backlight Technology: LED light bar system Display Screen Coating: Anti-Glare with 3H hardness Color Gamut: 99.5% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB, 100% REC709 and 87% DCI-P3 Three-year limited hardware warranty Connectivity: 1x DisplayPort, 1x miniDisplayPort, 1x HDMI (MHL), 4x USB 3.0 ports, 1x USB 3.0 upstream, 1x media card reader Physical Specifications: Dimensions (With Stand): Height: 482.6 mm (19.0 inches) / 572.4 mm (22.5 inches), Width: 749.9 mm (29.5 inches), Depth: 214.0 mm (8.4 inches) Dimensions (Without Stand): Height: 444.6 mm (17.5 inches), Width: 749.9 mm (29.5 inches), Depth: 51.5 mm (2.0 inches) Weight (panel only - for VESA mount): 8.6 kg (18.92 lbs) / (with packaging):15.2 kg (33.44 lbs) Every UP3216Q leaves the factory with an average Delta-E < 2 calibration but more on that in a bit. If you're familiar with the first-generation monitor, the UP3216Q will feel like an old friend. Sitting side by side, you'd be hard-pressed to spot visual differences between the two as they look virtually identical (at least, when powered off). The IPS display is of the matte variety with a mild anti-glare coating that's framed by an inch-thick black plastic bezel lined by a silver strip as you round the corner. A single power backlit button is positioned in the bottom right corner of the bezel. Just above it are five unlabeled capacitive touch buttons that light up when activated, launching the on-screen menu beside them. Along the bottom bezel in the very center is a shiny Dell nameplate that I could do without as the reflections it picks up can be distracting at times. Sitting discretely on the left edge of the monitor is a 6-in-1 card reader and around back, a bank of connectivity ports comprised of – from left to right – the power connector, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort, a miniDisplayPort, a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB 3.0 upstream port and three USB 3.0 ports. A fourth USB 3.0 is distinctly positioned outside of the group on the right side as a charging port for your smartphone or other wireless device. On the opposite side, you'll find a security lock although a cable lock isn't included. Unlike some monitors, there aren't any integrated speakers. Dell sells an optional soundbar (model AC511) for about $20 that attaches to the bottom of the display to provide basic audio if that's all you're looking for. Getting started with the UP3216Q is about as easy of an experience as you can imagine. With the monitor out of the box, you can elect to install it on a wall or dedicated arm assembly via VESA mount or do as I did and use the included aluminum stand. The easiest way to do this is to lay the monitor face down, insert the top portion of the stand's mount first then snap the bottom into place. Initial Use, First Impressions More than a decade ago when flat panel televisions were just starting to trickle into the market, one of my best friends purchased a 50-inch plasma TV (I recall he paid several thousand for a Zenith set). At a time when the largest CRTs were in the 32- to 36-inch range, a 50-inch plasma was like heaven on Earth. Its sheer size and HD resolution ensured that you'd need a bib to catch all the drool. My first week with the UP3216Q afforded a very similar experience. Up to that point, I had been using a triple monitor configuration comprised of two 22-inch and one 24-inch 1080p monitor so needless to say, 32 inches was a big step up. Adjustments, Features and OSD The included aluminum stand offers basic height, tilt and horizontal swivel adjustments although vertical rotation (for portrait mode) isn't possible. At its highest point, there's just shy of five inches of space between the table and the bottom of the monitor and at its lowest point, you've got just 1.5 inches. You also get 45 degrees of left / right swivel as well as a mild forward tilt and a bit more aggressive rear tilt (around five and 20 degrees, respectively). Height and swivel adjustments were fine although I found the monitor a bit “wobbly.” With my arms on the desk typing away, motion can sometimes transfer through the desk to the monitor, exhibited as a small bit of side-to-side shake (as if you were trying to rotate the display into portrait mode). Indeed, this is magnified greatly if you lift up on one corner of the monitor. Elevating the monitor from its bottom-most position helped alleviate some of the issue although at this price point, I'd much prefer a sturdier feel. It's easy to be swooned by the UP3216Q's size and pixel density but that's only the tip of the iceberg. As an UltraSharp monitor with PremierColor, you'll get true-to-life color options right out of the box without the need for extensive calibration. The UP3216Q displays 99.5 percent of the Adobe RGB color space, 100 percent of the sRGB gamut, 100 percent of the older REC709 standard and 87 percent of the newer DCI-P3 gamut. The two latter standards are likely ones you haven't heard but if you're in the television or movie industry, rest assured that the UP3216Q can handle those color-critical projects. For most, if a monitor meets the “eye test,” it's good to go. That's not always the case, however, as some are sticklers for specifications and performance or simply demand it to work purposes. Dell ships each UP3216Q only after it has gone through color calibration from the factory. You'll receive a report specific to your monitor that charts a number of metrics including color uniformity, brightness uniformity, gamma, grey-scale tracking and more. Optionally, you can pick up a colorimeter to further fine-tune the display to your liking, but for my use, that wasn't necessary. Touching the small “dot” just above the power button activates the on-screen display and lights up the corresponding touch-sensitive buttons beside them. The menus are clean and well laid out with various settings exactly where you'd expect them. If you're familiar with other UltraSharp displays, you should feel right at home here. I actually prefer this touch-activated approach versus physical buttons as those are often positioned on the side (or even on the back) of monitors which makes it difficult to see their descriptions from a normal seated position. What's really neat here is the ability to virtually split the monitor into two and have one color space on the left and another on the right. Again, this will really only benefit professionals in settings where color accuracy is paramount. A couple of other nifty features are PIP (picture-in-picture) and PBP (picture-by-picture). With either of these modes activated, you can connect a secondary system and view its output on the same screen as your primary computer. It's something that'll probably go under-utilized but the option is there if you need it. Image Quality and Performance The panel features a subtle anti-glare coating, making it ideal for use in brightly-lit environments like office cubicles or home offices with the blinds pulled back. The coating only introduces a tiny amount of grain and is really only present if you get real close and are looking for it. At an average distance of around 23 inches from the screen (give or take a few inches), the 140 PPI panel looks absolutely stunning. Text is razor sharp (even when you lean way in, you can't make out the individual pixels) and images, especially high resolution ones from photo-sharing sites like Flickr, look gorgeous. As best I can tell, there's no yellow tinge around the edges like we did with the UP3214Q. The panel seemed to exhibit a tiny bit of IPS glow but this appears to be the work of viewing angle more than anything as the glow disappears when I back up from the screen by a couple of feet. What is concerning, however, is image retention. Also called image persistence or ghosting, image retention shows itself as a faint remnant of a high contrast image that may have been on the display in a fixed location for a long period of time. I typically run a solid black wallpaper with just half a dozen or so icons on the desktop. While inspecting the UP3216Q for IPS glow and backlight bleed, I discovered that my desktop icons were very faintly visible with a solid black image over that area. Dell is certainly aware of the risk as it offers an LCD conditioning function in the monitor's settings menu. I ran the conditioning program for nearly an hour but the faint images are still visible. Perhaps more time would rectify the issue but since we're giving away this monitor (and Dell's XPS 13 notebook), it'll be up to one of our lucky readers to determine. Wrap-Up The Dell UP3216Q is one hell of a monitor, period. The key difference between this new version and the one we looked at a few years back is the non-tiled design. As a result of this, as well as more mature hardware and compatibility, I didn't run into any quirky issues – even when running Windows 7. Those who use Windows 10 will be happy to learn that scaling works, and reliably so, if you need. Some older programs do spoil the experience, looking a bit blurry, but for the most part you'll get a seamless experience. If you read my recent article on the XPS 13 as a desktop replacement, you already know that I'm a huge proponent of productivity. Before the UP3216Q showed up at my doorstep, I'd been using a trio of lower-resolution displays to maximize productivity albeit at the expense of physical space on my desk. The UP3216Q has been a real eye-opener. Running at its native resolution without scaling, I can have six windows open and in view at all times with plenty of physical space to spare on my desk. Needless to say, my triple HD monitor days are numbered as I fully intend to make the jump to a single, large 4K display just like this one (hopefully sooner rather than later). As of writing, the Dell UP3216Q can be yours for around $1,270 from Amazon, which is in the neighborhood of other premium priced displays in this category. What you get, however, is a flexible, wide-gamut display with astounding image quality that'll surely be the envy of all who lay eyes on it. The design isn't all that inspiring but that concern quickly fades when you power it up. For the average user, this is likely going to be too much monitor. Unless you spend a significant amount of time behind the keyboard (for work or entertainment), you'll probably be best served to keep some cash in your wallet and spring for something a bit more affordable. What's more, diehard gamers will almost certainly want to pick up something that supports Nvidia's G-Sync or AMD's FreeSync for a higher/variable refresh rate. The 6ms response time (in fast mode) is more than acceptable for most but if you want the absolute best display for gaming purposes, it'll be found elsewhere. It's still relatively early for 4K but it's far enough along that buying into the hardware makes sense for many. 4K is on its way to becoming the next big thing and with 8K still many years away, you might as well take advantage of the best that's currently available. Review By: TechSpot

InFocus, makers of the Kangaroo line of pocket-sized PCs, has announced a new product that’s in a category of its own. The Kangaroo Notebook is a bundle of sorts that includes a barebones notebook dock and two modular PC units, each being a self-contained computer loaded with Windows 10. The idea is that you essentially get two PCs in one, something that could be a great idea if you have kids. A brother and sister, for example, could each have their own separate PC but would have to share (not a bad habit to develop early) or perhaps you could use one of the modules for your personal stuff and let the kids use the other (thus creating a physical firewall between you and the kids). Each PC module contains a quad-core Intel Atom x5-Z8350 Cherry Trail processor clocked at 1.44GHz (burst up to 1.92GHz), 2GB of RAM, integrated HD 400 graphics and 32GB of eMMC flash. The modules plug into a notebook shell featuring 11.6-inch display (1,366 x 768 resolution), a full-sized keyboard, Synaptics trackpad, a webcam, battery, speakers, microphone, SD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a couple of USB ports. As Engadget points out, the modules use proprietary connectors meaning you can’t just plug them directly into a monitor. The InFocus Kangaroo Notebook goes on sale next month exclusively at Newegg for $299.99.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have finally arrived. For a select few, that means putting Apple’s latest smartphones through the wringer to determine just how durable they are, filming the process and putting it on YouTube for all to see. One of the first out of the gate is YouTube user JerryRigEverything who gets right down to business by testing the iPhone 7’s scratch resistance using a set of mineral picks to determine where the phone’s glass falls on the Mohs scale. The results suggest the iPhone 7’s glass is on par with other modern smartphones as it took a level six tool to scratch the glass. If you recall, the Gorilla Glass 5 on the Galaxy Note 7started scratching at a level three – claims that Samsung and Corning disputed. Moving on, the new solid state home button also scratched at level six which suggests it isn’t made of harder sapphire glass. The same was true with the glass covering the rear camera which means Apple doesn’t appear to be using sapphire anywhere on the iPhone 7. The matte black anodized aluminum on the rear of the device held up well to scratches from a key although a razor blade was able to scratch it without much effort. The rear LED flash cover and antenna bands appear to be plastic as they were marked easily using a razor blade. In the screen burn test, the iPhone 7 lasted nearly 10 seconds while in contact with a flame from a lighter before the pixels got too hot and shut down. Interestingly enough, the pixels came back to life once the screen had a few seconds to cool down. In the bend test, we can see that the waterproofing adhesive lining the underside of the display becomes exposed, almost certainly rendering the device less water resistant than it once was. With regard to the removal of the headphone jack, the YouTuber sees this as a bad move as the single Lightning port used for headphones and charging will no doubt wear out quicker as it will see more use. Just how long it’ll last, however, won’t be known anytime soon.

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It’s only a matter of time before Nvidia reveals its GTX 1080 Ti, a souped-up version of its already fast GTX 1080 graphics card. Just how much faster the Ti will be, however, has remained a mystery… until now. Specifications allegedly belonging to the upcoming card have surfaced over on OC3Dcourtesy of one of its forum members. The poster claims the card, based on the GP102 core design, will feature 3,328 CUDA cores (for reference, a standard GTX 1080 carries 2,560 CUDA cores while the pricey Titan X packs in 3,584 cores) and run at a base clock of 1,503MHz (boost to 1,623MHz). Elsewhere, we’re told to expect 52 SM units and 12GB of GDDR5 that provides 384GB/s of bandwidth over a 384-bit bus. All things considered, the GTX 1080 Ti should be good for 10.8 TFLOPs of compute performance which is just shy of the Titan X’s 11 TFLOPs. The GTX 1080 Ti will carry a TDP of 250 watts and draw power from a single 8-pin connector plus a 6-pin connector, just like the Titan X. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two is the type of memory the GTX 1080 Ti uses – GDDR5 vs GDDR5X – as evident by its reduced memory bandwidth. It does seem odd that Nvidia would opt for GDDR5 when the slower GTX 1080 also came with faster GDR5X but I suppose sacrifices have to be made somewhere in the name of saving money. As always, we remind you to take rumors just as they are – rumors, not fact.

Microsoft is making the Windows Store more useful by allowing traditional desktop apps into the mix. The Windows Store was previously restricted to apps built for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), however a recent change now allows developers to publish their standard desktop apps through the marketplace with few (if any) modifications. This update has been made possible thanks to Microsoft's Project Centennial, which is a simple tool that helps developers repackage their desktop Win32 apps for the Windows Store. The tool doesn't convert Win32 apps into UWP apps, so the sandbox restrictions don't apply, but it does package in the Windows Store's slick installation and upgrade system. Project Centennial, now known as the Desktop App Converter, also includes tools to help developers integrate some aspects of UWP apps into their desktop apps. Making use of Windows 10's notification center is one such upgrade that developers can harness, along with other things like Live Tiles and Cortana integration. By allowing traditional desktop apps into the Windows Store, Microsoft is making the Store a more useful aspect of Windows for desktop users. Many desktop users don't bother installing UWP apps from the Store in favor of downloading their favorite Win32 apps through a browser, but Win32 apps are typically more cumbersome and annoying to install and update. Having Win32 apps in the Store could give the best of both worlds. One of the first Win32 apps in the Windows Store is Evernote, which has been repackaged for the Store with support for notifications and Live Tiles. The basic app functionality is the same as their previous desktop app, but it should be easier to download and update through the Store.

Per-orders for Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus opened in the wee hours of September 9. As is often the case, the initial supply went quickly – perhaps aided by the fact that Apple and its wireless carrier partners somehow managed to get their act together this year to make the process as smooth and seamless as possible. Traditionally, those that don’t secure a pre-order from the beginning for whatever reason still have a shot at getting a new iPhone on launch day by visiting an Apple Store or retail partner as a walk-in customer. It’s a gamble of course buy many people have had success with this method in the past. Unfortunately for iPhone 7 Plus hopefuls, that option won’t be on the table this year – at least, not at Apple retail stores. Apple said the iPhone 7 Plus has completely sold out and thus, there won’t be any available – in any color or capacity – for walk-in customers at Apple retail stores on launch day (tomorrow). There will be limited quantities of the standard iPhone 7 for walk-in customers at its stores although not in the new jet black color. Those hoping to score an iPhone 7 Plus or a smaller iPhone 7 in jet black will instead need to try their luck elsewhere such as through their wireless provider or a retailer like Best Buy or Target. Even then, one has to think the odds are pretty slim. The only other option I can think of would be eBay or Craigslist although you’ll certainly pay a premium to get what you want.

Most people weren’t too surprised when Apple revealed that the iPhone 7 wouldn’t come with a headphone jack. Rumors and speculation over the decision had been circulating for months, but a lot of fans were still angry about it. Apple, however, thinks it was the right choice, and the company may eventually do the same thing with the MacBook Pro. MacRumors was the first to notice that Apple has been sending out surveys to MacBook Pro users asking about a number of features found on the laptop. But the question that sticks out the most is: “Do you ever use the headphone port on your MacBook Pro with Retina display?” Other questions ask how satisfied users are with their laptop’s battery life, how often they use specific ports, and what method they use to upload photos from a digital camera to a MacBook. Apple is expected to release its refreshed MacBook Pro series next month. Leaked imagesof the laptop's chassis suggest it will include a 3.5mm headphone jack, along with four USB Type-C ports. It also shows an absence of an SD card slot, HDMI port, USB-A port, and MagSafe connection. Assuming the images are accurate, it seems that it could be a while before Apple decides the MacBook Pro should follow in the iPhone’s footsteps and abandon the 50-year-old 3.5 mm connector. Exactly how long could depend on the responses it receives from the survey. Some other rumored changes expected to arrive on the refreshed MacBook Pro include a slimmer design, flatter keyboard, and an OLED touch panel.

One of our favorite laptops of the past few years is Dell's XPS 13. It packs a slick metal and carbon fiber chassis, a beautiful near-bezel-free display, and more than enough battery life for everyday usage. Today, Dell has updated the XPS 13 for 2016 with all the latest hardware. The biggest upgrade to the new XPS 13 is, as you might expect, Intel's Kaby Lake processors. The XPS 13 will come in three variants, packing either the Core i3-7100U, the Core i5-7200U, or the Core i7-7500U depending on the price point. All of these CPUs are 15W variants with respectable performance and efficiency gains over their Skylake counterparts. Due to Kaby Lake and a slightly larger 60 Wh battery, the 2016 XPS 13 boasts up to 22 hours of battery life if you opt for the 1080p variant. As with previous models, the QHD+ variant comes with a significant battery penalty: Dell only claims 13 hours of life for the high-resolution model. The one other notable change is the switch from Intel and Dell wireless controllers to a solution from Killer. This is possibly due to issues that Dell experienced with the wireless cards in previous models of the XPS 13, as the feature set of the Killer solution – Wi-Fi ac with 2x2 MIMO and Bluetooth 4.1 – is identical to past models. Other features of the XPS 13 have remained in the updated model, including a single Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C port, up to 1 TB PCIe solid state drives, and up to 16 GB of memory. The new version will be available on October 4th starting at $799, in silver, gold, and a new rose gold color.

Toshiba has unveiled a new family of solid state drives under the OCZ banner. The OCZ VX500 series, which Toshiba says targets mainstream desktop and notebook users looking to upgrade from traditional spinning hard drives, will arrive in a variety of storage configurations – all at a very affordable price. Built with MLC NAND flash, the new VX500 series is offered in capacities of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1,024GB with sequential read speeds of 550MB/sec across the board. Sequential write speeds vary from 485MB/sec on the 128GB model to 515MB/sec on the largest drive. IOPS also vary depending on capacity, ranging from 62,000 / 49,000 (read / write) on the low end to 92,000 / 65,000 (read / write) for the top-tier model. All variants consume just 0.125 watts at idle and 3.4 watts at full load. The new drives carry endurance ratings of 74TB (128GB), 148TB (256GB), 296TB (512GB) and 592TB (1,024GB) and are backed by a five-year warranty. Each drive also comes with a copy of Acronis True Image cloning software to ease the migration process although personally, I like to start fresh when moving to a new OS drive. The OCZ VX500 series solid state drives will be available to purchase in the coming weeks. MSRP is set at $64 for the 128GB drive, $93 for 256GB of storage, $153 for a 512GB unit and $337 if you seek 1TB of space.

Ubisoft’s generosity continues in September with yet another game available to download and keep free of charge. Unlike earlier games in the promotion, this month’s freebie is a relatively new title. Now through mid-October, you can score racing game The Crew courtesy of Ubisoft. To get it, you’ll first need to download and install Ubisoft’s digital distribution platform, Uplay (assuming you don’t already have it installed). The Crew, from Ubisoft Reflections and Ivory Tower, made its debut in December 2014 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC (it was also ported to the Xbox 360). It’s described as an online racing game with an open and persistent world in which players can race and free-roam. Although I haven’t played it (a bit ironic since racing games are my genre of choice), it sounds similar to the concept behind Forza Horizon. If you’ve been keeping tabs, you’ll know that this freebie is part of a larger promotion that kicked off in June to celebrate Ubisoft’s 30th anniversary. Each month, Ubisoft has made a different game available to download and keep to anyone that wants it. The first game in the promotion was Prince of Persia: Sands of Time followed by Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell in July and Rayman Origins in August.

It was revealed last month that Uber would be launching a fleet of self-driving taxis in Pittsburgh before the end of August. It may have arrived a couple of weeks later than anticipated, but today marks the first time customers can ride in the autonomous vehicles. At its Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh, Uber announced that its most “loyal” customers have a chance of receiving a ride from one of 14 self-driving Ford Fusion vehicles when they order an Uber X. The company didn’t specify what qualifies a customer as loyal, though it did say it was based on how often they used the service and their location. These regular users are being notified by email that an autonomous Uber car may turn up the next time they order a ride. Journeys in the vehicles will be free, but a spokesperson did say this might eventually change. The Fusions are only being deployed on certain routes where they’ve been extensively tested by the company. Uber said these are some of the most po[CENSORED]r roads in the area, but don’t expect to be able to go anywhere. The vehicles come packed with sensors, including a 360-degree LIDAR unit and a front-facing camera array, but one engineer will be sat behind the wheel ready to take over should the need arise, while another will take notes in the front passenger seat . Customers must also agree to be videoed so Uber can study people’s responses to the self-driving journey. It will be a long time before the cars are allowed to operate without any engineers present, and even longer before they’re ready to roll out on a large scale. But Uber has said that, in time, it will be cheaper and safer to ride in these self-driving cars than in a private vehicle. Eventually, this autonomous technology could result in ‘Uber driver’ becoming another profession threatened by machines.

AMD is launching a new game bundle today that's a little different from the company's standard promotions. Buyers who purchase an AMD Radeon RX 480 in select markets will get an upgrade code for Battlefield 1, transforming a Standard Edition of the game to the Deluxe Edition. To be clear, AMD is not bundling game codes for Battlefield 1 with RX 480 purchases: you'll still need to buy the game separately, as this bundled code merely upgrades the cheapest edition to the Deluxe Edition. The difference in price between these editions is $20 through EA's Origin service. If you redeem the code before October 21st, your copy of Battlefield 1 will be upgraded to the Early Enlister Deluxe Edition, which gives you three days of early pre-launch access to the game. Using the code after October 21st still gives you the Deluxe Edition, although as the game is launching on that date, there's no longer any time to give pre-launch access. Aside from early access to the game, the Deluxe Edition includes the Hellfighter Pack, Red Baron Pack, and Lawrence of Arabia Pack, which all unlock various themed items in the game. There's also a further three vehicle skins and five battlepacks. Future DLC is not included in the Deluxe Edition; you'll have to purchase the Collector's Edition to get the season pass. This promotion runs from now until October 18th, so it might be time to purchase a Radeon RX 480 if you're also interested in Battlefield 1. Like previous game bundles, not every retailer participates, so make sure your favorite store is giving out codes before clicking 'buy'.

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Adblock Plus is the most po.p.u.l.a.r piece of ad-blocking software in the world. But its 100 million users may soon start seeing new ads appearing on their screens after the company launched a service that will allow more “acceptable” ads through its blocking technology. The Wall Street Journal reports that Adblock Plus parent company Eyeo has partnered with a firm called ComboTag to create an ad marketplace where websites can choose “pre-approved” ads for their pages. Adblock Plus users who then visit these sites see these ads, which are said to be smaller and less intrusive the regular versions. Google and AppNexus will also help sell ad space from the new platform. “It allows you to treat the two different ecosystems completely differently and monetize each one,” said Ben Williams, Adblock Plus’ operations and communications director. “And crucially, monetize the ad blockers on on their own terms.” The Adblock Plus Acceptable Ads initiative has been around for the last five years. Many businesses that sign up, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, are asked to pay a fee to be put on the “whitelist.” The new marketplace is an extension of that program, making it easier for publishers to be whitelisted and thereby increasing the number of acceptable ads. The Verge notes that 80 percent of the revenue from these marketplace ads will go to the publishers, with the remainder divided up among the other online agencies involved in sharing the ads. For its part, Adblock Plus will take 6 percent of the total revenue. Adblock Plus sees the Acceptable Ads program as a compromise; every single online ad isn’t blocked, and it only allows the least annoying ads to be displayed. However, as Eyeo takes a revenue share from these ads and an increasing number are making their way onto the whitelist, many publishers and users are unhappy about the initiative.

If you're wondering why you haven't yet received the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, a recent email from Microsoft, as spotted by ZDNet, has the answer. Hidden away in a footnote, Microsoft states that the Anniversary Update may take up to three months to reach all users, in what can only be described as a slow rollout. Considering the Anniversary Update began rolling out via Windows Update on August 2nd, we're now a little over a month into the three month roll out. This means that some users could be waiting another two months to get their Anniversary Update through Microsoft's official update delivery channels. Here in the TechSpot offices we have a number of devices that haven't received the Anniversary Update, and it seems as though newer PCs are being prioritized in the rollout. Microsoft is taking its time rolling out the Anniversary Update so it can see what is working and what issues users are running in to. The idea here is that Microsoft can make tweaks to the update during the rollout and before issues can affect the entirety of the Windows user base. And we've already seen a number of issues with the Anniversary Update, including compatibility problems with webcams and McAfee software. For those that desperately want the Anniversary Update on their devices, Microsoft does have an installation tool that will download and install the update for you. This could come in handy if you want to use some of the Anniversary Update's new features, such as extensions in Microsoft Edge, new inking tools, or the Bash shell.

Samsung is working on a software update for stubborn Galaxy Note 7 owners that haven’t yet turned in their potentially defective handsets. The update is scheduled to roll out to South Korean users beginning September 20. The Associated Press, citing a front-page advertisement in South Korean newspaper Seoul Shinmun, reports that the update will prevent users from charging the phone’s battery past the 60 percent mark which should hopefully keep them from overheating and exploding. If nothing else, maybe the charging limitation will serve as a nagging reminder for owners to take action and begin the recall process. Seriously, it's not worth risking it folks. The advertisement stated that the update is a measure to put consumer safety first, adding that they apologize for the inconvenience it may cause. It’s unclear whether or not Samsung will distribute the update outside of its home country although Yonhap News Agency claims the manufacturer is in talks with wireless providers regarding the update. We first learned that Samsung was experiencing issues with its Galaxy Note 7 late last month when the company paused shipments to investigate a possible battery-related issue. On September 1, Samsung confirmed that there indeed was a battery cell problem and halted sales worldwide. DJ Koh, president of Samsung’s mobile communications business, said this past weekend that Note 7 owners should power down and exchange their devices as soon as possible. The executive added that they are expediting replacement devices so users can complete the exchange process as quickly and conveniently as possible. For some, however, the recall didn’t come soon enough. As of September 1, Samsung said there had been 35 battery-related incidents – a number that has no doubt swelled since then. Specific incidents reported in the media include a Note 7 that exploded while charging in a hotel room causing nearly $1,400 worth of damage and another involving a six-year-old boy that suffered burns when the Note 7 he was watching a video on burst into flames. A family in St. Petersburg, Florida, watched as their Jeep Grand Cherokee when up in flames on Labor Day. The culprit? A Galaxy Note 7 charging inside the vehicle. The Federal Aviation Administration has also chimed in on the matter, strongly advising airline passengers not to turn on or charge Note 7 smartphones while onboard and not to stow them in any checked baggage. Note that this is simply a word of warning, not an outright ban (not yet, at least). Specific information about the recall has been hard to come by. According to The Wall Street Journal, Samsung is recalling phones in different markets through different exchange programs rather than conducting a single, universal program. Another piece of the puzzle is that Samsung may simply not have enough inventory of new phones with safe components to replace the millions of devices that have already shipped. Prolonging the process is in the best interest of nobody and couldn’t come at a worse time as Apple, Samsung's largest rival, prepares to launch its next wave of iPhones in just a few days.

Earlier today, Apple released a major iOS update to all modern iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. iOS 10 brings a range of changes and new features, including an overhaul of the lock screen, however the update process didn't go quite as smoothly as Apple would have liked. In the first few hours that the update was available, many users upgraded their device only to discover that the updater had temporarily bricked it. An error message appeared on the screen asking users to plug their device into a computer with iTunes to start the restoration process, provided a backup was available to restore. Apple quickly addressed the problem, and released a statement saying that they "experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability." The company apologized for the inconvenience and says the problem is now resolved. If you haven't yet updated your devices to iOS 10, it's a good idea to make a full backup before you proceed with the installation process. When you do successfully install iOS 10, you'll be greeted with a decent collection of new features and upgrades. The lock screen has been improved with widgets and notifications, allowing users to respond to messages without having to fully launch the corresponding app. Other notifications have also been improved with 3D Touch functionality, while almost every stock iOS app has been overhauled and updated. iOS 10 is now available for the following devices or newer: iPhone 5, 4th-generation iPad, iPad Mini 2, and 6th-generation iPod Touch.

A promotional image for Huawei’s upcoming Mate 9 smartphone seemingly confirms a couple of previously leaked hardware components. The image in question notes that the Mate 9 will feature HiSilicon’s Kirin 960 SoC and a dual 20-megapixel rear camera system. If true, Huawei’s Mate 9 could be among the first handsets to utilize HiSilicon’s Kirin 960 SoC. That wouldn’t be unprecedented as HiSilicon chips have debuted in Huawei-branded phones in the past. As Android Authority notes, not much is known about the Kirin 960 although most believe it’ll consist of four Cortex-A73 cores and four low-power Cortex-A53 cores in a big. LITTLE configuration built on TSMC’s 16-nanometer manufacturing process. The dual 20-megapixel rear camera system, meanwhile, is expected to be certified by Leica (much like the Huawei P9) although it’s unclear exactly how Huawei will use the two cameras. We can also see that there appears to be a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the device just under the camera and flash assembly. GSM Arena further believes that the Mate 9 will feature 6GB of RAM and ship running Android 7.0 Nougat with an Emotion UI 5.0 overlay. Keep in mind that the authenticity of the promo image can’t be verified but its advertised specifications do line up with earlier rumors. Huawei is expected to announce the Mate 9 by the end of the year, likely in time for the holiday buying season.