AMD optimizes ‘For Honor’ in latest Radeon Software Crimson ReLive update

Why it matters to you

AMD’s latest Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition software has some fixes and improvements you’ll want to snatch up.

It’s tedious at times, but keeping up with the latest drivers is the best way to make sure your PC is performing at its best. That’s true no matter what component you’re talking about, and it’s definitely true about one of the most important components, the graphical processing unit (GPU).

While many component drivers are updated when the operating system is updated, some are most often updated separately, and the GPU falls into the latter category. In fact, AMD just released the latest version of its Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition software, offering a number of important fixes and enhancements.

More: AMD’s Radeon cards can now chill out with the launch of Crimson ReLive Edition

First up for version 17.2.1 is the obligatory performance improvements. This time around, AMD focused on two titles. For Honor received optimizations providing up to a four percent performance improvement on an RX 480 compared to AMD’s 17.1.2 software version. Sniper Elite 4 is the other optimized title, receiving up to a 5 percent performance improvement. In addition, both titles also received multi-GPU support for DirectX 11.

AMD also fixed a number of issues in version 17.2.1, and here are the highlights:

• For Honor should no longer crash when switching to full screen or menu view while playing on multi-GPU configurations.
• A problem that caused some Radeon GCN products to experience corruption when fast forwarding or seeking through DXVA H.264 encoded video.
• Some full-screen applications that were causing AMD FreeSync technology to fail to load should no longer do so.
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive should no longer show incorrect slider values when Radeon Chill is turned on.
• The system information overlay on video captured using Radeon ReLive should no longer omit graphics processor information.
• DayZ should no longer crash when Radeon ReLive Instant Replay/Recording is active.
• Radeon R9 380 series GPUs should no longer experience having their memory clocks become locked at low states.
• Radeon ReLive recording played in fullscreen mode in Windows Media Player or Power DVD should no longer demonstrate flickering.
• AMD Radeon HD 7900 series GPUs should be able to disable shadows in Civilization VI without experiencing shadow corruption.

You can download the new drivers at the AMD support pages. While there, you can also check out the complete list of changes to the Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition.

How to configure the hardware shortcut buttons on Android Wear 2.0

Watches are all about personalization — yes, even the hardware buttons.

Android Wear 2.0 opens up new hardware possibilities for wearable makers, including the inclusion of extra hardware shortcut buttons on the case. These buttons typically land above and below the power button on the side of the watch, and can be customized to launch any app that you have installed.

So if you have a watch with extra buttons running Android Wear 2.0 — like the LG Watch Sport — know that you don’t have to stick with their default configuration. Here’s how you can customize those hardware shortcut buttons.

Swipe down on your watch face and tap the settings gear.
Scroll down and tap Personalization.
Scroll down and tap Customize hardware buttons.
Choose the hardware button you want to change the function of.
Scroll through the list and tap the app you wish to launch with the button.

That’s all it takes to swap out the default functions of these buttons for something new!

You may also notice that some apps provide more than one option for the button. For example, you can configure it to launch the main Google Fit app, or you can set it to launch directly into the workout picker instead. Play around and see which actions make sense for the buttons.

Android Wear

• Everything you need to know about Android Wear 2.0
• LG Watch Sport review
• LG Watch Style review
• These watches will get Android Wear 2.0
• Discuss Android Wear in the forums!

The Raspberry Pi Zero makes a great, super cheap Kodi box

The Raspberry Pi 3 isn’t the only cheap Kodi box you can make yourself.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has another insanely affordable computer that you can make things with. The Pi Zero costs a ridiculously low $5 and is every bit as accessible, if a little more limited, than its bigger brother.

Just as we did with the Raspberry Pi 3, we made a little Kodi box out of the Pi Zero and frankly, it’s amazing something this cheap can do such a thing at all.

More: How to install Kodi on the Raspberry Pi

If you’re not familiar with the Raspberry Pi Zero, naturally its hardware isn’t up to the level of the Pi 3. Here’s what you’re looking at:

• Broadcom BCM2835 application processor
• 1GHz ARM11 core (40% faster than Raspberry Pi 1)
• 512MB of LPDDR2 SDRAM
• A micro-SD card slot
• A mini-HDMI socket for 1080p60 video output
• Micro-USB sockets for data and power
• An unpopulated 40-pin GPIO header

Installing Kodi on the Raspberry Pi Zero is as easy as on the Pi 3, but due to the small size and limited connectivity, you will need a couple of extra bits of equipment to get it going:

• microHDMI to HDMI adapter
• microUSB to USB-A adapter
• USB Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter

None of these are very expensive and you may even have some lying around. Of the kit listed above, only the top two are necessary over the Pi 3, since you can just use the Ethernet port on the larger Pi if you wish. Some places sell handy little kits for around 10 bucks, with everything you need to get going with the Pi Zero. Something like the PiHut Zero Essentials Kit is a good place to start.

Once you’ve got the equipment you need, installing Kodi is exactly the same process as we’ve covered in our full guide. We went for OSMC again, and the only thing that’s different is that you select Raspberry Pi 1/Zero as the device you’re installing to when you burn the image to your microSD card.

There’s absolutely no difference in how OSMC looks or behaves on the Pi Zero compared to the Pi 3, but things are much slower to load. That’s the only negative here to running the Pi Zero as a Kodi box compared to the Pi 3. Because there’s less horsepower overall, menus and streams take longer to load than on the more powerful sibling.

But if you’re OK with waiting a little longer for things to load, then you’re in for a treat. The crazy small form factor of the Pi Zero means it’s even easier to stash away out of sight — I have mine fixed to the back of the TV below the HDMI ports. And it has the same capability to use with a physical remote or your favorite app on your Android phone.

The added bonus is that it’s actually really portable. The Pi 3 isn’t exactly large, but the Pi Zero can literally fit in any pocket. Throw a couple of cables in a bag and you’ve got a Kodi box on the go for a $5 basic outlay.

The Raspberry Pi Zero is also a tremendous way of dipping a toe into the Raspberry Pi world. The Pi 3 isn’t that expensive but it’s still more of an outlay than this little $5 circuit board. If you’ve never tried and you want to give it a go, then pick up one of these little guys. You won’t be disappointed.

See at Adafruit

Try out Google’s Chrome VR partners with Daydream

Google is bringing Chrome to VR, one experience at a time.

News that Google was enabling VR support inside of Chrome left a lot of people thinking the browser would be the next app added to the ever-expanding portfolio of Daydream apps, but for now that’s not the case. Instead, Google has built parts of the Daydream experience into Chrome itself so you can enjoy Chrome VR with or without a headset.

Here’s how you get started!

Read more at VR Heads

Best apps for advanced math

• Best Overall
• Best for Algebra
• Best for Graphing

Best overall

Mathway

See at Play Store

Mathway delivers a great all-around experience for anyone who needs help to pump up their math skills. Whether you need help just finding the solution to homework problems, or you need the step-by-step directions to solve for X, it’s got you covered. At its simplest, you’ll get the solution to any math problem that you enter into the app, but that definitely isn’t everything this app is capable of.

Mathway covers math problems from basic math to linear algebra and graphing. That makes it excellent for students from high school up and through college. It’s especially handy for students who tend to struggle with math in class and need more hands-on help in order to understand advanced mathematical concepts.

When you jump into the app you’ll first need to choose the type of math problem that you are solving. From there all you need to do is take a photo of the problem or type it in manually. Mathway will automatically solve the equation for you right there. If your answer differs from the correct one, then you can view the problem step by step to see where you went wrong. This includes an explanation of how to find the correct answer and in some cases even a graph to give you the full answer.

Bottom line: Mathway is an excellent aid for anyone who wants to check their answers or who need more in-depth help to master advanced math. It covers everything from simple concepts to advanced problems and can even break everything down step by step to make sure you have a solid grasp on what you are doing.

One more thing: In order to access everything Mathway has to offer, specifically step-by-step instructions for solving problems, you’ll need to upgrade to the full version of the app for $19.99 a month or $79.99 for the full year.

Why Mathway is the Best

Mathway works like a tutor helping you to master even complicated concepts without wanting to bang your head against a wall.

Not everyone can look at math and pick it up without a problem. For some people —myself included— math can seem daunting and confusing. Trying to schedule time with a tutor can be difficult when you are working and going to school, and many teachers and professors don’t have the time to devote to helping a student succeed. Mathway is able to fill in those gaps for you.

Whether you’re taking a remedial algebra class or you’re diving into trigonometry, the app can make sure you find the solution to your problems. With PRO, you’re even able to see every step of a problem while working towards a solution. If the free version is more suited to your budget, you still get plenty of help.

Mathway will solve your problem automatically. It will also tell you the rule for solving a specific problem. While it isn’t quite as awesome as getting every step along the way, it does help you to figure your way through complicated problems.

Best for Algebra

College Algebra Prep, Practice

See at Store

Algebra is ostensibly the beginning of college-level math. Whether you’ve matriculated or you’re returning after years of being away, it’s a fair bet that algebra will be on your course list. College Algebra aims to work as your own personal tutor while you are working your way through the semester.

This app is fully stocked with tons of resources to reduce your anxiety while in math class. There are 56 practice tests to help you prep for test day, and you can take extra time by studying specific concepts, with access to concept-specific flashcards. If you need more specific one-on-one help, you can even find a tutor by inputting your zip code and subject of choice.

Bottom line: College Algebra aims to be your very own pocket tutor while you are working your way through Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. It delivers a great way to find a tutor, practice specific concepts, and even prep yourself for test day.

One more thing: College Algebra is just one of many apps that Varsity Tutors Llc offers. If you like the experience, you can find more apps to help you with other math courses in the future.

Best for Graphing

Desmos Graphing Calculator

See at Store

The days of needing a dedicated graphing calculator in order to properly graph out certain math problems are gone. Now instead of having to drop $80 on a calculator, you can download an app to get the job done, and Desmos Graphing Calculator does an excellent job of it. You can plot out equations, and sliders will allow you how to demonstrate function transformations.

Desmos Graphing Calculator is chock full of features to make sure you have the ability to fulfill your every graphing need. You can plot out polar, cartesian, and parametric graphs with an unlimited number of expressions for each graph. You can see statistics, crate tables, zoom to scale axes, plot inequalities, and plenty more to boot. Best of all, you never need access to the internet in order to use all of the features.

Bottom line: Desmos Graphing Calculator gives you access to everything that you need in order to successfully graph out any problem you need to solve. It’s got tons of features to make sure that you don’t need to purchase a dedicated graphing calculator, because it has everything you need to be successful in math class.

One more thing: By creating an account, you can save your graphs, making them easy to pull up later if necessary.

Conclusion

There are plenty of excellent advanced math apps that are floating around the internet. What we’ve collected are the best apps to make sure that you are successful at what you do in math class. From graphing calculators to practising advanced concepts to having the ability to practise varying math concepts, these apps will help to make sure you grasp even the advanced stuff.

While there are other apps that can get the job done, none of them do it quite as well as the apps we’ve listed here. Out of all of them, Mathway does the best job of delivering everything that you need in order to become a serious math whiz and ace your next test.

Best overall

Mathway

See at Play Store

Mathway delivers a great all-around experience for anyone who needs help to pump up their math skills. Whether you need help just finding the solution to homework problems, or you need the step-by-step directions to solve for X, it’s got you covered. At its simplest, you’ll get the solution to any math problem that you enter into the app, but that definitely isn’t everything this app is capable of.

Mathway covers math problems from basic math to linear algebra and graphing. That makes it excellent for students from high school up and through college. It’s especially handy for students who tend to struggle with math in class and need more hands-on help in order to understand advanced mathematical concepts.

When you jump into the app you’ll first need to choose the type of math problem that you are solving. From there all you need to do is take a photo of the problem or type it in manually. Mathway will automatically solve the equation for you right there. If your answer differs from the correct one, then you can view the problem step by step to see where you went wrong. This includes an explanation of how to find the correct answer and in some cases even a graph to give you the full answer.

Bottom line: Mathway is an excellent aid for anyone who wants to check their answers or who need more in-depth help to master advanced math. It covers everything from simple concepts to advanced problems and can even break everything down step by step to make sure you have a solid grasp on what you are doing.

One more thing: In order to access everything Mathway has to offer, specifically step-by-step instructions for solving problems, you’ll need to upgrade to the full version of the app for $19.99 a month or $79.99 for the full year.

Nest Cam update literally shows you the door

An update to the Nest app for Android makes some big improvements to notifications using machine learning.

It sounds like a bad joke, but thanks to advancements in machine learning, Nest is now able to automatically add “activity zones” for doors, something that had to be done manually before now.

The company announced the software update for its Nest Cam line, which includes the excellent Nest Outdoor Cam, along with a number of notification improvements to its Android app.

When you get an alert from Nest Cam, there’s a thumbnail image that shows you what’s going on at a glance. Nest Aware subscribers using Android 7 or iOS 10 can even see an animated preview of the Nest Cam video clip – without having to open the app.

We’re also improving the alerts that Nest Cam owners get from Nest Protect. Now, if Nest Protect warns you of smoke or dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, you’ll automatically see live video from all your Nest Cams. It’s just another way Nest products work better together.

The company also revealed that Nest’s app now supports App Shortcuts on devices running Android 7.1 Nougat — a small number for now, but it’s great that the Google-owned company is paying attention to the market.

Do you own a Nest Cam? Do you use activity zones?

See at Amazon

LG G6 hint suggests Pixels will be the only premium phones without waterproofing

You probably shouldn’t use water for that burn, Google.

The folks at LG are really going crazy with the daily hints leading up to the official announcement of the G6. In the past we’ve seen shadowed devices with blurbs, but this year we get brightly colored cards sent to each major tech blog willing to play this silly game with them.

The folks at PocketNow are the latest to get a card from LG, and while it may not seem super obvious at first this card is probably a direct shot at Google’s Pixel phones.

Resistance under pressure, when talking about phones, means water resistance. It’s something the LG G5 didn’t have because the whole bottom of the phone could be removed, and it looks like LG is making sure everyone knows this is going to be a feature moving forward.

The current Android champion for water resistance is Samsung, with their IP68 rating as a standard across their premium lineup right now. That means a Galaxy S7 can go into 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes and still be functional when you rescue it. We don’t know if LG plans to meet or exceed this rating with the G6, but if the company is willing to hint about it as a feature you can bet it’s going to compare the G6 rating to other premium phones.

Read more: Everything you need to know about IP ratings

That, of course, is where Google is going to be a little embarrassed. The IP53 rating on Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL has been a talking point from day one, but if LG releases a significantly water resistant G6 it’s going to mean these pixels will be the only phones treated as premium experiences that lack the feature. It likely also means Pixels are the most expensive phones on the market to lack water resistance, which is not going to help sales as we move into the next Flagship season.

This hint may not be enough to get everyone drooling over the G6 just yet, but for those that are it’s nice knowing such excitement won’t damage this phone when it’s in your hands.

LG G6

• LG G6 rumor roundup
• LG forums
• All the LG G6 news
• What the LG G6 needs to succeed

Best microSD Cards to Expand Storage on Honor 6X

Get more space in your Honor 6X with a quality microSD. intro

The Huawei Honor 6X is a great budget phone that doesn’t feel like a budget phone. It features a solid aluminum build, two quality cameras, and an impressive 3,340mAh battery that should carry you through most days.

The only spec that’s lacking is the 32GB of internal storage. Huawei has mitigated that by including a microSD slot with compatibility for cards up to 128GB. That’s more than enough room to load all your favorite media onto your phone or snap and store an endless stream of photos.

We’ve curated the best microSD card options, so you can get the most out of your Honor 6X.

• Samsung EVO+ 128GB
• PNY Elite 128GB
• Lexar Professional 1000x 64GB
• SanDisk Extreme PLUS 64GB

Samsung EVO+ 128GB

Samsung makes some of the best microSD cards you can buy. The 128GB EVO+ is water, temperature, X-ray, and magnet-proof — A.K.A. virtually indestructible — and also features speedy read/write speeds of 90MB/s.

See at Amazon

PNY Elite 128GB

If you’re looking to maximize your phone’s storage at a budget price, the PNY Elite is your best bet. It’ll max out your Honor 6X’s storage without maxing out your credit card. It features a read speed of up to 85MB/s, so you’ll have no problem accessing your media files on the card.

Since this product is fulfilled by Amazon, if you have any issue with it or think you might have been sold a counterfeit product (as some Amazon reviewers have alleged) you should be able to return or exchange it with little hassle.

See at Amazon

Lexar Professional 1000X 64GB

If 64GB of extra space seems like more than enough for you, consider getting the Lexar Professional 1000X. It comes with Lexar’s super fast USB card adapter featuring UHS-II technology for read transfer speeds of up to 150MB/s. It also comes with a free downloadable copy of image recovery software in case you erase the wrong file or the card is corrupted.

The 64GB card is currently just over $30. There’s a 128GB option available here, too, if you want to double up.

See at Amazon

SanDisk Extreme PLUS 64GB

SanDisk also makes a quality microSD card, although they’re also the priciest option on this list. The 64GB card is available for just over $50, with the 128GB card checking in at $90 before shipping and handling.

However, if you’ve used and trusted SanDisk for your storage needs in the past, you can buy with confidence knowing you’ll get a durable card with reads speeds of up to 95MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s.

See at Amazon

ICYMI: Transient luminous events and bipedal robots

Today on In Case You Missed It: We get a much closer look at electrical discharge phenomena courtesy of a video filmed from the International Space Station. Called “Transient Luminous Events”, the phenomena are notoriously hard to study as they occur 25-60 miles above thunderstorms. Even satellites have had little luck at capturing images of the upper-atmosphere lighting. However, viewing angles were less of a challenge for ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen who was able to a highly-sensitive camera to snag video footage of 245 flashes of blue lightning while he was stationed on the ISS in 2015.

Meanwhile, Agility Robotics introduced us to Cassie, a bipedal robot that can walk smoothly over pavement, grass and lose soil without issue. The three-month old bot walks much the same way as humans do, which makes it more adept at handling various types of terrain, and has a similar three-planed hip joint movement which makes it more steerable than earlier bipedal models. While Cassie’s ultimate goal will be to aid search-and-rescue operations, it will start out by delivering packages.

And one savvy drone owner finally found a clever workaround for rescuing drones that have crashed in unreachable locations: Use a larger drone and a coat hanger for a DIY retrieval operation. (Adding an intense action movie score is optional). As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

The Nokia 3310 will reportedly return this month

The Nokia 3310 needs little introduction. Easy to use. Borderline indestructible. A battery that seemed to last forever. Oh, and it had Snake. It’s been a while since the phone was at the top of the mobile heap, but like Rocky Balboa, it could soon be making a spectacular comeback. Renowned phone leaker Evan “Evleaks” Blass reports that HMD Global, the new owner of the Nokia name, is preparing a handset that shares the 3310 moniker. Like its beloved predecessor, the device is reportedly a feature phone that focuses on the absolute basics. It’ll cost €59 (roughly $63) and compete directly with the growing number of low-end Android smartphones.

Otherwise, details are scarce. The Nokia 3310 is a technology icon, so reviving the brand makes sense. It’s a name people recognise and will draw some attention to the broader Nokia name revival. HMD Global has already released a “dumb phone” called the Nokia 150, so a new-look 3310 wouldn’t be new ground for the company. The back-to-basics handset cost just $26 and ran the Series 30+ software platform, rather than Android. Since then, however, the Finnish phone maker has also unveiled the Nokia 6, a proper smartphone running Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

Blass says the company will unveil two cheaper options, the Nokia 5 and Nokia 3, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month. The Nokia 5 will go for €249 ($265) and reportedly feature a 5.2-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM and a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera. The Nokia 3, meanwhile, will be the company’s new entry-level Android offering, and reportedly retail for €149 (roughly $158). We’ll find out for sure later this month when the Engadget crew descends on the coastal Spanish city.

Source: VentureBeat