Apple’s Mac Lineups to See Significant Graphics Upgrades as New GPU Launches Loom

Major graphics processing providers AMD and Nvidia are set to unveil new GPU products this year featuring Global Foundries’ 14 nm FinFET and TSMC’s 16 nm FinFET Plus processor nodes, respectively, allowing for significant improvements in graphics performance.

AMD’s “Polaris” and Nvidia’s “Pascal” architectures both utilize the latest FinFET silicon processes and will represent the first GPU process node change since 28 nm GPUs debuted in 2011. Both AMD and Nvidia skipped the intermediate 20 nm node, elongating the typical release cycle of consumer graphics processors.

While TSMC had traditionally provided multiple process offerings within a node, including one specifically tailored to higher power applications such as GPUs, the company found that the traditional planar geometries of its 20 nm node gave the firm less differentiation with its normal set of tweaks, rendering it a poor candidate for power hungry GPUs.

In a statement released earlier this year, AMD claimed that the new 14 nm Polaris GPUs will offer over double the performance per watt of their 28 nm predecessors. This news also confirmed AMD’s use of Global Foundries’ 14 nm FinFET process, rather than TSMC’s 16 nm process, which Nvidia will use. While AMD confirmed the use of TSMC for its higher power product offerings, any products developed from that process node would be destined for the Mac Pro only, as Apple has traditionally used mobile GPUs for its notebook and iMac product lines.

The new FinFET process nodes promise a big performance jump for AMD’s Polaris architecture
Product launches for these new GPUs are expected to occur around the summer timeframe. While Nvidia introduced its massive new Tesla P100 graphics card just this week, one rumor pegs the broader launch of the company’s GeForce Pascal line around the time of Computex, which takes place from May 31 to June 4.

In addition to the new process nodes, both new architectures are expected to utilize a variety of new high-speed memories such as GDDR5x and HBM2, which promise improved memory bandwidth and memory size, in HBM2’s case. AMD has already previously successfully launched a product utilizing a new 3DIC memory technology with their debut of the “Fury” line in 2015.

Though GPU rumor cycles tend to focus on desktop products, AMD’s CEO stated that both desktops and laptops featuring the new Polaris GPUs are expected to launch before the back to school season. Apple has traditionally alternated between GPU offerings from both AMD and Nvidia when it comes to its product lines, with AMD owning the wins for the latest iterations of both the 27-inch iMac and MacBook Pro lines.

The MacBook Pro in particular is due for an update, and rumors have suggested new models could arrive at WWDC in June, but it is unclear whether Apple would be able to feature the upcoming GPUs within that timeframe. Apple has sometimes been very quick to incorporate the latest technology from its partners, but other times as waited quite some time before upgrading. Updates for the 27-inch iMac are less imminent, as the line was just upgraded to Intel’s latest Skylake processors in October.

Related Roundups: iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook Pro
Tags: Nvidia, AMD
Buyer’s Guide: iMac (Neutral), Mac Pro (Don’t Buy), Retina MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy)
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Twelve South Announces ‘TimePorter’ Travel Case and Charger for Apple Watch

Twelve South today announced the launch of a new product designed for the Apple Watch, the TimePorter. Described as a travel tote and portable charging stand, the TimePorter is shaped like an eyeglasses case with room inside a hinged compartment for an Apple Watch charging puck, a power adapter, and extra Apple Watch bands.

The Apple Watch charging puck fits into a slot at the top of the TimePorter, with the lid serving as a dock for the Apple Watch. Apple Watches can fit around the TimePorter vertically or rest on top horizontally. When opened up, the TimePorter turns into a multi-angle viewing stand. A cutout for the Apple Watch charger’s cord allows it to be routed out of the side of the TimePorter for charging purposes.

This gorgeous capsule is both a case and a stand. TimePorter holds your charging cable, an extra Watch band, your USB charger and more in a neatly designed, silicone-lined case. Pop your charging disc into the integrated opening in TimePorter and drape Apple Watch across the top to charge. With Apple Watch resting on TimePorter, open the case to the preferred angle and TimePorter transforms into a viewing stand, perfect for viewing notifications and the time.

Black or white leather covers the exterior of the TimePorter, while inside, silicone covered cord wraps keep cords neatly coiled — even the 2m Apple Watch charging cable. Twelve South says there’s enough space inside the TimePorter to accommodate multiple USB chargers, extra watch bands, and a portable battery.

Twelve South plans to begin shipping the TimePorter in May for $49.99. Customers can sign up to be notified of its launch by clicking this link.

Tag: Twelve South
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Revisiting cashback services: Do they really work? – CNET

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. And find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.

Quick housekeeping note: Tomorrow is your last chance to enter the Cheapskate’s Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge giveaway! This is one of my best contests ever, if I do so say myself.

What follows is an update of a post I wrote back in 2014. The subject: one of my all-time favorite money-saving methods. Read on to learn how to use it and, more importantly, whether it’s worth the trouble.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

You’re familiar with cashback credit cards, right? The most famous one, Discover, pays you back 1 percent of everything you buy. That’s a pretty tiny percentage, but it adds up.

Web-based cashback services operate much the same way, offering you a percentage (sometimes 1 percent, sometimes more) of your purchase in the form of a cash rebate.

For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7-inch tablet is currently on sale for $399.99. But if you visit Ebates.com on your way to Samsung’s online store, you can get a 4 percent rebate — which works out to $16. Meanwhile, over at Groupon, the refurbished Pebble Time Round smartwatch is already a deal at $129.99. Start at Fatwallet.com, however, and you’ll get 6 percent back, or $7.80.

Eyeballing the Asus ZenBook UX305 at the Microsoft Store? It’s $599, but TopCashback will give you back 1 percent of that, or $5.99.

This is not big money, obviously, but like I said before: it adds up. You save 1 percent here, 3 percent there and so on, and by the time your rebate check arrives, you could be looking at a decent chunk of change. This isn’t just for tech stuff, either — many of the largest cashback percentages can be found at stores like Kohl’s, Macy’s and Magazines.com.

And here’s the real beauty of it: Cashback services are a piece of cake to use. They’re literally a couple extra clicks on your way to shopping wherever you’re already shopping.

Which invariably leads to some skepticism. Really? A rebate just for visiting Ebates? What’s the catch? What’s the downside?

I’ve been using various cashback services for the past couple years. My take: no catch, no downside. Just easy savings. Allow me to share a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Turn off your ad-blocker

Because cashback services rely on browser cookies for tracking, and because ad-blockers block those cookies, using an ad-blocker will very likely interfere with your rebate. In other words, it might make your purchase “invisible” to the cashback service, thus preventing you from getting credit (i.e. cash) for that purchase.

The solution: Pause your ad-blocker when you go shopping. I don’t mean white-listing the cashback service’s domain; I mean pausing it globally so there’s no risk of interference. All the tracking happens behind the scenes, and you don’t want anything to get in the way.

Be patient

Although you should receive a cashback confirmation within a few days of your purchase, don’t expect your actual cash until much later. Indeed, most services work on a 90-day payout structure. This is in part to prevent people from abusing the system (buying something, getting a rebate, and then returning it for a full refund, for example). But there’s an added benefit: Your rebates will add up to a bigger payout.

Always try to double-dip

Some of the best cashback savings can be found at department stores. Who wouldn’t take an 8-percent cash rebate from Macy’s?

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Suppose you’re able to save 5 percent on a big purchase using a cashback service. Score! But you can get an even better deal if you work a little harder.

For starters, you may be able to apply other discounts, such as coupon codes you’ve received via email or found online. Once you get to the checkout page, just insert the code like you normally would. Obviously your rebate will reflect that discounted price, but ultimately you want the lowest total price you can get. (Just be sure to read the cashback service’s terms before you click through to the store, as there may be exclusions when other discounts are applied. Even so, it’s always better to get, say, 10 percent off up front than 2 percent later on.)

Even better, pay for your online purchases with a cashback credit card. That’s a guaranteed additional rebate. And if you can somehow leverage all three? Triple-dip savings for the win!

Shop around

Ebates, FatWallet and TopCashback are probably the best-known cashback services, but there are dozens of others. And within all of them, cashback rates can vary.

For big purchases in particular, it pays to shop around. If you’re spending, say, $500, and Ebates offers 5 percent to FatWallet’s 3 percent, you’re looking at a $25 rebate instead of $15.

Yes, there’s a bit more hassle involved this way, as you have to sign up for and keep tabs on more services — but that extra effort can yield bigger returns.

They work

Still skeptical? That’s OK — cashback services really do seem too good to be true. But as long as you pay close attention to the specifics of the offer (not all rebates apply to all products) and make sure to keep tabs on your purchases and payouts, you’ll get your money. I’ve used Ebates and TopCashback extensively, and I can report they’ve always delivered as advertised (even on the rare occasions I had to contact customer service for a purchase that didn’t get tracked).

Your mileage may vary, of course. But I’m a huge believer in the cashback option, and a big fan. With very little personal information up front and just a few extra clicks in your shopping process, you stand to get extra money back. It’s kind of a no-brainer.

Bonus deal: As I predicted a few weeks back, Pebble Time smartwatches are continuing to make their way to deal sites. To wit: Groupon has the refurbished Pebble Time for $99.99 shipped, with your choice of a black, white or red band. (If it’s your first time using Groupon, use coupon code WELCOME at checkout for an extra $10 off.) Click the Option pull-down and you’ll also find a refurbished Pebble Time Round for $129.99. The latter is definitely the snazzier of the two, though unfortunately it has much shorter battery life and lacks the square Time’s water-resistance. Check out CNET’s review if you want to know more.

Bonus deal No. 2: Not very long ago (I’m talking November, 2014), the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 would have cost you $600 off-contract. Today, and while supplies last, Mywit (via eBay) has the refurbished Galaxy Note 4 for $229.99 shipped, in your choice of black or white. This fab phablet (which scored top marks from CNET) comes with 32GB of storage and is locked for use on Verizon — though you should be able to get it unlocked without much trouble. Then you can take it to Sprint or a Sprint-based MVNO if you wish.

Synek Somm Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Drinking wine is really fun. In fact, going to Napa Valley to visit wineries and taste expensive wines is one of my favorite trips. But the drinking-to-learning ratio’s got to be right. That’s why you don’t see many people sitting on couches, reading a book on varietals without a glass of pinot in hand to help the information go down more easily.

Here’s where smart home tech comes in: Ideally, a smart wine device lets you drink wine, learn about that wine and feel cool all at the same time. I’ve tested one wine device before and had mixed feelings about it, but the potential is definitely there. And now Synek, the company behind the Counter Top Beer Dispenser, is taking on the project.

With its newly launched Kickstarter campaign, Synek hopes to fund a device called Somm (short for sommelier, a professional wine expert). Essentially Somm will house wine, keep it at ideal temperatures, limit aeration to prevent degradation and, finally, educate users through the companion app. It’s a cool concept, and it could be worth the $199 (about £140 or AU$260) pre-order price or $299 (£210 or AU$395) final price — if it works.

Synek

How it works

Synek’s Somm is a large, freestanding, counter top device. The cartridges that fit into it are much larger than typical bottles of wine. Instead, each cartridge — called a Sylo — holds about three bottles’ worth. A small chip on the Sylo tells Somm what temperature to keep the wine at and how aerated the wine should be before drinking. When the wine is ready to be poured, a diastolic pump pulls the wine out of a collapsible membrane, aerates it appropriately, and pours the glass.

The mechanism should stop air from contacting the wine in the Sylo, meaning it won’t degrade even after you pour a glass. Of course, the Kuvée Bottle was supposed to do that too, but was unsuccessful. Wine is delicate, and oxygen is its enemy. So for now, I’m skeptical of Synek’s approach, though hopeful in what its execution could mean for the lifespan of wine.

The educational side of Somm comes through the app. Using Synek’s app, Somm will tell you about the wine you’re drinking, and it will help you order more. I like the idea, but I wonder if it will be significantly more informative than a quick Google search. And ordering Sylos through Synek will only really seem appealing if it entails discounts.

Synek

Wine from what?

The mechanics of Sylos could work well. I hope they do! But part of me — maybe the purist I try to resist — feels the experience of wine might be diminished if it comes from a dispenser. You won’t get Sylos from Synek to display next to bottles. You won’t get it for a date night. Somm feels more like a cool party device. And that’s where I think its value will be. Getting larger amounts of wine for discounted prices would work well when you’re entertaining. And Synek says both old and new world wines will be represented — a good sign for serving varied tastes.

Synek’s Somm looks like an interesting concept with typical pros and cons. But if it gets funded, if development goes well (which is not always guaranteed in crowd-funded endeavors) and, ultimately, if it works, then it could be a solid purchase.

Official Reddit app for Android is finally available

The official Reddit app for Android is finally here. This app was built in-house by the Reddit team, and will offer a fast experience that has you in mind. With over 200 million people using the service, and half of them browsing from mobile phones, the team wanted to make sure they built a fast app that presented a richer content experience, and the ease-of-browsing you deserve.

With the official Reddit app, you’ll be able to select between a dark and light theme, depending on your preference. The team says that this is just the foundation of the app, and future updates will make it even greater. If you sign into the official app this week, you can score three months of Reddit Gold for free. The app is launching in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia, with more countries to roll out in the near future.

You can grab the Reddit app for free from the Google Play.

Alcatel’s 17-inch Xess tablet will be available online starting April 22 for $499

Alcatel’s 17-inch Xess tablet will finally be available to purchase online starting April 22 for $499. The tablet is aimed at being a kitchen accessory, with partnerships that pre-load it with recipe apps, Nickelodeon content and more. Xess tablets that are sold in the U.S. will include a free IP camera that can be placed in a nursery or kids room so you can keep tabs on them while not in the same area of the house.

Some of the key features of the Xess tablet include:

• Immersive 17.3-inch Full-HD display for a more brilliant viewing experience
• Dual 3-watt speakers featuring JBL Audio® for a high-fidelity home audio experience
• All-day battery life with a 9600mAh battery and magnetic quick release charger so you never have to worry about tripping over cords
• Portable design and adjustable stand for use anywhere in the kitchen or elsewhere in the home
• Powered by a 1.5 GHz MediaTek Octa-Core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (supports up to 64GB of additional MicroSD expandable storage)

You can find additional information about the partnerships and pre-loaded apps below.

Press release:

MEET THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF HOME SIMPLICITY: XESS

Designed to bring more engaging experiences to the home, the 17-inch Xess is the perfect kitchen accessory with pre-loaded recipe applications and other partner content

IRVINE, Calif. – April 7, 2016 – Alcatel – the number four mobile phone manufacturer in North America[i] – today announced a new device category in partnership with the TCL brand, with the North American launch of Xess. Initially unveiled at CES in January, Xess is purpose built to be the perfect 17-inch accessory for the kitchen, whether it’s for discovering and creating new meals via the pre-loaded recipe applications, accessing Nickelodeon content, such as PAW Patrol for kids, or catching up on the latest news and entertainment. Xess will be available for early-access purchase beginning on April 22 for the online exclusive price of $499 USD.

“We’ve been committed as a company to expanding the reach of our consumer technology and how it can bring better experiences and value to the lives of our customers, and with Xess, we’re delivering a meaningful connected kitchen hub that allows users to access more of the content they want and need, “said Steve Cistulli, President and General Manager for Alcatel, North America. “By bringing Xess to North America with the TCL brand, we leveraged their consumer electronics expertise with Alcatel’s proven record of bringing the perfect amount of mobile technology to our customers at affordable prices. This also allows us the opportunity to work with new partners like Viacom, and others to bring valuable content to our customers.”

“Through this partnership with Alcatel we are leveraging the power and reach of the Nickelodeon brand and our beloved IP, to connect kids and families with a seamless entertainment experience on the Xess that will greatly improve the time they spend together,” said Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Consumer Products, Nickelodeon.

Every Xess sold in North America will also come with an in-box IP camera, perfect for keeping an eye on the nursery, playroom or living room. The Xess launcher also comes with a dedicated IP camera portal, so parents can be at ease and keep a lookout on their kids while working in the kitchen or another room in their home where they may have Xess setup. The real star of Xess though is the content you have access to from partners like Viacom and others to be named later.

Nickelodeon content just for kids at families’ fingertips Xess truly is made for families, right down to providing easy access to content from Nickelodeon, a Viacom media network, that includes hit shows such as TV’s number-one preschool series, PAW Patrol, and the award-winning Nick App, as well as the Noggin App. With this partnership, kids are able to have direct access to Nick branded content with ease, and thanks to Xess’s Android software, parents are also able to download additional content for their kids, like educational games, directly from the Google Play Store.

Discover, plan and prepare great meals Planning meals is a whole lot easier with Xess thanks to pre-loaded recipe applications to find new recipes and cooking how-to videos for your favorite meals; making meal discovery and planning simple and something the whole family can take part in. Preparing those new meals is a breeze as well, with step-by-step how-to videos to help along the way and integrated shopping applications pre-loaded on Xess, allowing users to order groceries easily through these apps.

Xess Key Features Include:

• Immersive 17.3-inch Full-HD display for a more brilliant viewing experience
• Dual 3-watt speakers featuring JBL Audio® for a high-fidelity home audio experience
• All-day battery life with a 9600mAh battery and magnetic quick release charger so you never have to worry about tripping over cords
• Portable design and adjustable stand for use anywhere in the kitchen or elsewhere in the home
• Powered by a 1.5 GHz MediaTek Octa-Core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (supports up to 64GB of additional MicroSD expandable storage)

For more information on Xess, please visit Alcatel’s website.

Twitch broadcasts can now stream directly to BlueStacks, and vice versa

Twitch broadcasts are now able to stream directly to BlueStacks, and you will also be able to stream from BlueStacks through Twitch. The two companies are working together to make it easier for gamers to broadcast what they are playing, and make it easier for people to watch those broadcasts.

Both Twitch and BlueStacks have enabled new APIs that the teams made use of to allow for all of this integration to be utilized with just a single click. BlueStacks Product Manager Shashi Kant Sharma told us:

“Up until now it’s been extremely tricky to stream an Android game to Twitch. We’ve worked to consolidate everything onto one device – your PC. It just happens to be the most popular device to stream games from anyway. It’s a seamless match.”

It’s great to see the companies working together to enhance the experience for everyone in a simple way. Full details about the new capabilities can be found below.

Press release:

BlueStacks Integrates Twitch to Bring Mobile Game Streaming and

First­-ever one-­click streaming of mobile games from PC; Company celebrates with 1st Annual Content to 130 Million Users via BlueStacks TV

BlueStacks Hearthstone Invitational broadcast on Twitch

Palo Alto, CA April 7, 2016 ­ M​obile company BlueStacks has announced the ability to both stream and consume mobile gameplay inside its popular App Player. BlueStacks’ 130 million users of mobile games on PC saw BlueStacks TV go live today. The company is the largest yet to integrate Twitch’s recently launched APIs. Twitch currently boasts 1.7 million broadcasters worldwide, mostly playing C titles.

“This was a natural combination,” said BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. “BlueStacks has mobile equivalents of the most popular games on the Twitch platform, midcore RPG titles especially. It used to be hard to stream a mobile game. It involved multiple devices: a tablet, a webcam and wires. We’ve cut all of that out. From a PC it’s easy to stream. It’s why Twitch has become so popular so fast. BlueStacks users are already playing mobile games like Hearthstone, Castle Clash, Vainglory and others ­ we just built a bridge between our platforms. This combines the power of two huge user bases.”

Mobile developers and publishers also gain a large new distribution channel. “We’ve always known our mobile games look and sound awesome on PC, but streaming them from a phone is complicated,” said IGG SVP, Mark Zhang, developer of the popular Castle Clash title. “We’ve been approached to put an SDK in our games, but that’s bandwidth we don’t have. We’d rather focus on our games. The fact that millions of people can stream Castle Clash to Twitch without us doing anything is massive.”

The simplicity of BlueStacks’ new broadcasting function is also a boon to streamers. “The simpler streaming becomes and the more games that are easy to stream, the better for the whole ecosystem,” said top Hearthstone streamer Aleksandr “Kolento” Malsh. “If I’m going to stream mobile games I don’t want to change my PC setup. This lets people keep everything the same.”

To commemorate the launch of BlueStacks TV, the company is hosting a 16­player tournament of top Hearthstone competitors using the mobile version of the game to stream live to Twitch.

The tournament is single­elimination and the winner will receive $3000, sponsored by Game.tv and Glory4Gamers. The tournament begins on Twitch at 915AM Eastern Daylight Time April 7 on the BlueStacksInc channel (https://Twitch.tv/BlueStacksInc) and is sponsored byGlory4Gamers.

T-Mobile’s latest plan offers two lines with 6GB of LTE data each for $80 a month

T-Mobile is launching yet another limited-time promotion for new customers. This time, the carrier is offering a plan for two lines, each with 6GB of LTE data, for $80 a month.

T-Mobile says:

“Families who want fewer lines deserve a better option and we’re giving them one! Don’t let Verizon trick you with their misleading ads. They lure you in with the promise of a ‘Large’ serving of data for $60, only to sneak in another $20 PER LINE in monthly access fees – to use the data you already own! At Verizon, $60 actually means $100 for 2 lines and 6 GB!” said John Legere, President and CEO of T-Mobile USA. “Even worse, these guys charge you those access fee again and again, every single month. Don’t believe the BS; come to T-Mobile where we do data different!”

The $80 plan will be available starting on Friday, April 8, but there’s no word on when this promotional offer will end. T-Mobile is also offering a way for new and current customers to get either a LG K7 or Samsung Galaxy Core Prime for $0 down when purchased on an Equipment Installment Plan.

Google’s self-driving cars will make their way to Phoenix, Arizona

Google has expanded its self-driving car project testing to the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. This will be the fourth city in the U.S. that will have the company’s driverless cars on the road.

Reuters stated:

“Arizona is known as a place where research and development is welcome, innovation can thrive, and companies can set up roots,” said Jennifer Haroon, head of business operations for the Google Self-Driving Car project. “The Phoenix area has distinct desert conditions, which will help us better understand how our sensors and cars handle extreme temperatures and dust in the air.”

Google began testing self-driving car prototypes near its home base in Mountain View, California several years ago. In mid-2015, it expanded to Austin, Texas and earlier in 2016 it began testing those cars on the roads of Kirkland, Washington.

Facebook Messenger makes it easier to connect with the other 900 million users

Facebook Messenger is adding some new connection features, even as its user base continues to increase. The company announced that the chat service now has over 900 million monthly users worldwide.

According to Facebook’s David Marcus, Messenger is getting some features that are similar to ones found in Snapchat:

We’re starting to roll out Messenger Codes, Usernames, and Links (with the amazing m.me/[yourusername] URL) available to people and businesses, making it easier than ever to connect.

This should help users connect faster with friends and companies. Marcus also stated that over 1 billion messages every month are sent between consumers and businesses.