Another major game engine gets Linux support ahead of Steam Machines launch
The engine that powers the Crysis series, CryEngine, is headed to Linux. That means games like Crysis 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome could see ports on Valve’s forthcoming Linux-powered platform, SteamOS. At very least, it means that developers already working with CryEngine have a shortcut to porting their work to Steam Machines; Crytek will show it off in detail next week at the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Linux support was long-rumored for CryEngine, with job listings as far back as last July hinting that it was coming. It’s unclear when the engine will get updated to support the new platform, but we expect it’ll be long before Valve’s Steam Machines initiative gets seriously underway.
Archos’ octa-core smartphone is surprisingly quick for the price
When it comes to smartphones, hugs and all-you-can-eat buffets, more is better, right? That’s why we had to sit down and play with Archos’ 50c Oxygen. The gassy, Jelly Bean-running handset is one of the first to use MediaTek’s 1.7GHz octa-core MT6592 CPU, housed behind a 5-inch 1,280 x 720 IPS LCD display. Archos has found room for dual-SIM slots, 1GB RAM, 8GB of onboard storage and a microSD card slot, while the 2,000mAh battery should last you at least a day.
Aside from the thinness of the device, some of the design cues, like the light-up strip for the menu buttons, reminded us a little of Sony’s old Xperia handsets, which we always had a soft spot for. Being a budget device, alas, there’s no LTE modem, and instead users will be forced to suck down data on HSPA+. Of course, the star here is the CPU, and while we weren’t able to put this device through the normal barrage of benchmarks that we use in our reviews, a casual run-through revealed that it was a lot more responsive than other devices that we’ve seen at this price. The 50c Oxygen will launch in April, around the same time as its phablet-sized brother, priced at €230 ($320).
Sharif Sakr swore off the all-you-can-eat buffet during this report.
Filed under: Cellphones
Engadget giveaway: win an iPhone 5s courtesy of TurboTax!
It’s that time of year again, when you have to try and wrestle back as many of those hard-earned dollars as you can from the insatiable gaping maw of the tax beast. In an effort to assuage that annual suffering, the folks at TurboTax created the free SnapTax app for 1040EZ/A returns and this year they’ve upped the ante for one lucky Engadget reader by offering an unlocked gold iPhone 5s so they can file on the go. Available for iOS and Android, the SnapTax app lets users file by simply snapping a photo of their W-2, answering a few questions and clicking “file my return.” This is one little slab of gold that you won’t want to stash in a safety deposit box, so head on down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning. And don’t forget: It’s time to do those taxes!
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive one (1) Apple iPhone 5S (Gold, 16GB, GSM (sim-free, unlocked) ME298LL/A).
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Apple, TurboTax and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until March 12th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt, Apple
Power strips don’t have to be ugly, just ask Powerdrobe
Yes, power strips aren’t the sort of thing we usually discuss on this august periodical but sometimes we spot something at a trade show that simply demands attention. Normally, it’s the sort of gear that you tuck behind or under your desk, but Korean designer Sangki Kim wanted to make something a little more stylish. That’s why he built the Powerdrobe: a box that sits beneath your display (or all-in-one) to keep everything nice and tidy. Kim, who also designed the Desk Phone Dock we reviewed a few years ago, gave the box a classy rounded look and chrome toggle switches, so turning on your computer makes you feel like you work at NASA, circa 1965. On one side of the unit, there’s a pair of USB ports for charging mobile devices, while on the other side you’ll find either a US or European mains socket, depending on which version you buy. The back offers up either four or six further mains sockets to satisfy your lust for power, with all the mess hidden behind a solid plastic screen. The four-socket model will arrive in April and set you back $40, with the bigger unit coming later and costing a few dollars more.
Sharif Sakr flipped some switches for this report.
Filed under: Desktops, Peripherals
Save to Pocket and Evernote from your inbox with CloudMagic’s Cards
Try as we might, we just can’t escape email. Apple, Google, Microsoft and others have tried to do more with our messages, but only recently have we seen apps and services try to provide better context on their contents. With its latest update, CloudMagic, a free iOS and Android email app we’ve recommended in the past, has included new feature that ignores your need to reach Inbox Zero and focuses on extracting all of the important data in your email so that you can actually do something with it. To do this, it uses “Cards”, workflows that connect to popular online services like Pocket, Evernote and Trello and allow you to save to-do lists, notes and web links without leaving the comfort of your inbox.
CloudMagic’s Cards are loaded by double-tapping on an open email message or by hitting a small icon located next to a sender’s name. Right now, it features a number of business-centric services like Salesforce, Zendesk and Mailchimp, but the app’s creators have opened Cards to all and are actively working with developers to support more tools like Evernote and Pocket in the future. While Google’s Gmail app provides similar hooks, if you don’t want to be part of its ecosystem, you’re out of luck. CloudMagic sidesteps the issue by including support for Google, Exchange, Outlook, iCloud and other email services while using its own cloud algorithms to make your emails easier to find. CloudMagic’s updated apps are available via the App Store and Google Play, you can find them by using the links below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
Source: CloudMagic (App Store), CloudMagic (Google Play), CloudMagic
How Technology Affects the Modern Society Travellers
Most people have already adapted to a society that is totally dominated by modern technology. Residences are now centrally heated and incorporated with high tech materials for more comfort and safety. People have learned to consume scientifically engineered food and travel efficiently in high speed vehicles.
Technology has extended the ways of communicating making it available anywhere you are in the world through portable gadgets. Booking flight for Hurghada holidays and other country holidays is made more convenient by technology. It has a profound effect on the interpersonal dynamics, the natural environment and people’s mind. As it continues to dominate people’s lives, technology has become more important in the society than it used to be many years ago.
Technology Gadgets for Travellers
Laptops – This has been around for many years. A lot of versions have been launched in the market by famous providers today. Taking a laptop while travelling is like having a personal computer where people can do the important tasks that they need to be accomplished online. If in any case they might need to book another flight for emergency reasons they can handle the transaction online using their laptop.
Tablets – Many people believe that these are a cheaper alternative to laptops. However, their computing power and ease of use does not match with the real laptops. They are still considered as luxury devices and mostly preferred by some people for playing games, surfing web, interacting with others and playing videos while relaxing.
E-readers – This is another new gadget that travellers love. Although many of them argue that they don’t need this product because they already have a laptop, still others believe that these have better benefits when reading pages compared to a tablet. E- Readers use e-ink making their pages look like the pages of a book for easy reading. These gadgets are perfect for holidaymakers who want to relax while reading in a calm environment.
The Benefits of Technological Innovations
There are many technological innovations these days that help people overcome the difficulties of life. The invention of medical products has prevented deaths from infection and diseases. Electronic gadgets have made communication even better. For anyone who seeks to enjoy their benefits, opportunities are greater in number than people in the earlier times. The benefits of technology are also seen in culture but most people do not have awareness of them. This is because people tend to live inside a technological matrix. Technology has created rapid and easy transportation, travel, global communication and medical intervention all of which affect people’s lives.
The modern society has become dependent on technology that they are able to build a strong relationship with each other. Most of the developing countries are now trying to get faster computers, internet connection, better cell phone providers and more transportation systems in land, air and water. More technological innovations are now required to improve and accomplish the goals of the modern society.
Author Bio: Parker is a computer expert and a writer. In his articles and blogs, he emphasized the value of technology in people’s lives especially in the lives of those who are taking Hurghada holidays.
Jawbone updates its Android app with wireless syncing and push notifications (updated)
If you own a Jawbone fitness tracker, you may have read last week that the company made some changes to its app. Unfortunately for some of us, the updates were all for iOS only — in fact, the company didn’t even bother to mention Android that day. Turns out, Jawbone had a good reason: it was planning an update for the Android app that brings it more in line with its iOS counterpart. In particular, it now fully supports the wireless Up24 band, which is to say it syncs wirelessly and sends out push notifications (e.g., you’re about to hit your daily step goal). In addition, the app includes most of the new features that were introduced on iOS last week — things like sunrise/sunset times in the sleep graph and “Insight Reports,” which establish a connection between things like how much sleep you got and what foods you’re likely to crave the next day. So, even if you own an older Up band you’ll want to head over to Google Play straight away.
Update: An earlier version of this story reported that the Android app would be missing the new features that were just introduced on the iOS version last week. A Jawbone rep later said that the Android app would, in fact, include most of these features, with the exception of custom reminders.
Plextor targets gamers with ’50 percent faster’ SSD starting at €199 ($275)
It’s over a year since we last covered Plextor‘s wares, but the company’s been busy with the next generation of its M-branded SSDs. For the first time, the range includes a premium PCIe option explicitly aimed at gamers, which promises much better speeds by side-stepping the SATA “bottleneck.” This card, the M6e, starts at €199 ($275) for 128GB and tops out at €540 ($750) for 512GB, with claimed sequential read / writes of up to 770 / 625MB/s, and random read / writes of up to 105k / 100k IOPS. Plextor says that’s a gain of around 50 percent compared to the sequential speeds you’d get from the regular SATA option, the M6S, but of course you’re paying for that extra performance: the biggest 512GB M6S will set you back just €332 ($460), for example. We’ve been told to expect availability “very soon,” but in the meantime you can check out some early reviews of the PCIe drive at the links below.
Filed under: Storage
Sony Xperia Z2 can be charged wirelessly; Sony to release charging Accessories
Wireless charging is always a nice thing to have available for your smartphone, yet it doesn’t seem to be as widely utilized as some of us might like; I love wireless charging, particularly as I can just place my phone on the charging plate without needing to feel around for my charging cable and then plug it in. Sony, however, may be joining the light side with this iteration of its devices as Clove has listed a wireless charging case and wireless charging plate for the Sony Xperia Z2, suggesting that the Sony Xperia Z2 can be charged wirelessly.
While Clove doesn’t have any product images yet, it says that Sony is going to be offering the WCR12 Wireless Charging cover in black and white for £69.99 as well as the WCH10 Charging Plate which is going to go for £54.99. Much like other manufacturer branded accessories, these ones err on the side of expensive, though we’re anticipating that the charging cover is simply going to enable Qi-wireless charging, which will open the door for you to get a much cheaper charging plate.
What do you think about the Sony Xperia Z2 getting the ability to charge wirelessly? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: Clove via XperiaBlog
Leaked ad explains why HTC’s putting a ‘Duo Camera’ in its new One
Ever since a leaked image showed off dual cameras on HTC’s next One (aka the M8), the rumor mill has been trying to figure out what they’re for, exactly. Now, an ad from Australian carrier Telstra leaked to GSM Arena appears to have removed all mystery. First off, the phone is referred to as the “All New HTC One (M8),” in the copy, likely to distinguish it from the last model. As for the “Duo Camera,” it’ll bring improved low-light capabilities and let you select the focus of a shot after it’s been taken — as predicted. You’ll also be able to highlight significant areas of a shot, soften the background and add 3D effects. Another big reveal is the 5-inch, full HD, scratch-resistant screen (a step up from the last One’s 4.7-inch display), along with dual “BoomSound” speakers. Finally, the latest Sense 6.0 version will let you double tap the screen to turn on the phone and swipe to access apps and social info. The ad looks like the real McCoy, but if you’re still capable of any skepticism, all will be revealed in exactly two weeks.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: GSM Arena
AIVAnet 