Android’s new filters will help you purge unused apps

Use a smartphone for long enough and you’ll likely accrue a bunch of apps you don’t really use — think dead social networks or games you only ever tried once. How do you do that spring cleaning without sifting page by page through your app list? On Android, you now have some help. After some earlier experimentation, Google has started the broader rollout of a Play Store update that gives you more control over your “My apps & games” section. Installed apps and updates are now separate, and the installed section now lets you sort by alphabetical, last updated, size… and most importantly, last used. If you have a slew of apps you haven’t touched in ages, you can get rid of them all in short order.

Updates themselves are better. It now takes just one tap to update a specific app where you previously had to visit each app’s store page to upgrade. That’s more than a little helpful if you’re pressed for time. You can also refresh the updates section to look for fresh apps instead of having to relaunch the app, and it’s easier to quickly install apps from your library. And did we mention that the app listings themselves are much more compact, so you won’t have to scroll quite so much?

This isn’t a perfect update. It’s no longer possible to easily mass-install library apps, so you may have a harder time bringing back all your apps on a new phone. From a first glance, though, it looks as if Google has made a number of small Play Store updates that could make a very practical impact on your day-to-day use.

Source: Android Police, Droid Life

Apple Pledges to End Mining and Use 100% Recycled Materials for Products

Just ahead of Earth Day, Apple has released its 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report [PDF] with a lofty new goal: ending mining. Apple says the company is working on a “closed-loop supply chain” that would allow it to stop mining the earth for rare minerals and metals.

“One day, we’d like to be able to build new products with just recycled materials, including your old products,” Apple says on its updated Environment site. In an interview with VICE, Apple vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson commented on the mining plan, saying “it’s where technology should be going.”

“We’re actually doing something we rarely do, which is announce a goal before we’ve completely figured out how to do it,” Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives and a former head of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, told VICE News during an exclusive visit to Apple’s environmental testing lab on Monday. “So we’re a little nervous, but we also think it’s really important, because as a sector we believe it’s where technology should be going.

Much of what goes into an iPhone isn’t recycled, but Apple wants to change that by more aggressively using components taken from old iPhones and combining that with “high quality recycled metals” purchased from suppliers. Apple will double down on investments like Liam, the robot that breaks iPhones down into component parts, and it plans to continue to encourage customers to return products through the Apple Renew recycling program.

While Apple plans to source more of its materials from recycled goods, Jackson says that though a “product that lasts is really important,” the company doesn’t have plans to make its devices easier to repair to increase longevity.

Jackson also defended Apple’s history of making products that are hard to repair. Allowing customers to repair Apple products themselves “sounds like an easy thing to say,” she said. But “technology is really complex; it is sophisticated to make it work, to ensure that you have security and privacy, [and] that somebody isn’t giving you bad parts.”

Because of this, Apple won’t be taking a “right to repair” approach to meeting its environmental goals. “All those things mean that you want to have certified repairs,” Jackson said.

Other environmental milestones are also outlined in Apple’s report. 96 percent of the power used by Apple facilities around the world comes from clean energy sources, and as has been the case for several years, 100 percent of the electricity that powers Apple data centers comes from solar, hydro, and wind energy sources.

Apple now has seven suppliers that have committed to using renewable energy, and the company plans to help suppliers bring 4 gigawatts of renewable power online by 2020.

When it comes to packaging, more than 99 percent of the packaging used for Apple products is responsibly sourced. Virgin paper is sourced from protected sustainable forests, and the company has successfully protected or created enough working forests to cover all of its packaging needs.

Lisa Jackson’s full comments on the 2017 environmental report can be read over at VICE, and Apple’s full Environmental Responsibility Report, which goes into much more detail on its recycling efforts, packaging, water usage, and carbon footprint, is available here.

Tags: Environmental Responsibility, Apple environment
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Apple Buys Rights to ‘Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives’ Documentary

Apple purchased the rights to the documentary “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives,” reports Billboard. The documentary will premiere tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

The film was directed by Chris Perkel and is based on music producer Clive Davis’ autobiography, released in 2013. Davis was the president of Columbia Records from 1967 to 1975, and he founded Arista Records, where he was president of the company until 2000. He went on to found J Records, and then served as CEO and chairman of RCA Music Group.

At the current time, Davis is the chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment. Davis has influenced many important music artists over the course of his career, including Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Santana, Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

“Apple is a global innovator that has revolutionized the distribution of music,” said Davis in a statement. “It is a touching honor to share the music and unique stories that have shaped my career with millions of Apple Music subscribers around the world. I am overjoyed to work with them to continue this incredible journey!”

Apple has not announced when it plans to release “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives,” on Apple Music, nor has the company said whether the film will have a theatrical release.

Tag: Apple Music
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Strava makes it easier for weekend warriors to coordinate workouts

Why it matters to you

It’s sometimes tough to schedule outdoor activities but Strava’s new Events feature makes it easier.

Strava, the self-styled social network for athletes, is getting better. On Wednesday, it took the wraps off Club Events for iOS and Android, a social feature aimed at coordinating meetups between members.

It’s a new component of Strava Clubs, informal groups of like-minded users. You can join a Club from Strava’s smartphone app, and once you do, you will see recent rides and runs logged by other members, a comment section, and a club widget that shows your club rides and runs on your blog or website.

The update lets Club administrators create Events from the Strava app and post event details with other Club members. Participants get alerts for new events and event details and can respond to event invitations and see route information.

There is a new Apple Watch complication, in tow, too. It acts as a shortcut to Strava’s companion smartwatch app.

“Bringing our Club Events feature to mobile is another way we’re continuing to help our community of athletes engaging with one another,” Will Lee, a product manager at Strava, said in a statement. “From talking to Club admins, we learned that they were looking for an easier way to plan group activities with members, especially on mobile. Club Events on mobile allow athletes in a club to quickly organize a real-world activity. Bringing Club events to mobile is our latest step to build thriving communities on Strava.”

The update comes on heels of Strava 2.0, a redesigned smartwatch experience that added the ability to record and upload workouts without the need for a paired smartphone.

It’s not the only improvement Strava has made recently. In August, it gained Beacon, a feature that lets users share distance, caloric expenditure, and speed in real time.  In March, it added Live Segments, a cyclist-focused feature that serves up real-time audio and visual cues.

Some users have gotten creative with the app’s tracking capabilities. Athletes in the U.K. ran 28 miles to plot the outline of a dragon in Strava’s shareable map.

The app is free to use, but the Premium tier ($60) adds daily schedule and riding advice, plus plans tailored to take into account the time you have to ride and the date you want to achieve your goal. You get leaderboard filters (by age and weight), a workout effectiveness ranking (Suffer Score), a real-time emergency monitoring feature, the ability to download third-party routes, and more.

The Eve 5, a crowdsourced Windows 10 tablet, is finally entering production

Why it matters to you

If you’ve been waiting to replace your Surface Pro 4, you’ll be glad to know that the Eve 5 Windows 10 tablet is shipping next month.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 has enjoyed a good run as one of the more premium Windows 10 slates, although it’s getting a little long in the tooth and fans continue to hope for its successor. In the meantime, Microsoft’s original equipment manufacture (OEM) partners continue to churn out their own versions, and the detachable slate market is becoming increasingly crowded.

One of the more interesting Surface Pro 4 competitors has been the Eve 5, a crowdsourced Windows 10 tablet that has been teased for a while now. It looks like the long development and testing cycle is finally over, and Eve Technology is finally planning to begin production, with shipments starting next month.

Eve Technology started on its odyssey of letting users help design Eve 5 in July 2015, after deciding that its first Windows 10 tablet suffered from a lack of input. The company decided that its next Windows 10 tablet would be created via crowdsourcing, and it created the Eve Community to solicit input on what features and functionality should be built into its next device.

The result is the Eve 5, a tablet with impressive specifications that’s similar to the Surface Pro 4 in many ways but seeks to exceed it with the latest available technologies. In many ways, the Eve 5 is what the Surface Pro 5 could look like if Microsoft ever gets around to releasing it.

Here are the Eve 5’s final specifications:

• CPU: Intel 7th Gen Core M3/i5/i7.
• RAM: 8GB/16GB LPDDR3.
• Storage: 128/256/512GB SSD.
• Connectivity: 801.11ac Wi-Fi with 2×2 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, Wireless Display Wi-Fi.
• Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 USB-A, 1 x 3.5mm audio, 1 x MicroSDXC reader.
• Display: 12.3-inch IGZO LCD, 2736X1824 resolution, 1:1400 contrast ratio, 450 nits brightness.
• Touch Panel: Gorilla Glass with anti-fingerprint and anti-reflection coating, Metal Mesh technology.
• Battery: 48Wh.
• Sensors: Fingerprint, Hall, Gravity, Light, Gyroscope, GPS.
• Audio: Quad speaker at 1w each, dedicated headphone jack audio amplifier by TI, two noise-canceling microphones.
• Cameras: 2MP front, 5MP rear.
• Stylus: N-trig, Surface compatible, 1024 pressure levels, two buttons.
• Keyboard: Pogo-Pin and Wireless keyboard with backlight, latest glass ClickPad by Synaptics, Bluetooth 4.2 support for up to three devices, 15 hours of battery life.
• OS: Windows 10.

The use of seventh-generation Intel Core processors along with USB Type-C ports offers a significant advantage over Microsoft’s sixth-generation-based Surface Pro 4, including what Surface fans seem to hope might arrive with the next version.

According to Eve Community members, the Eve 5 offers similar performance compared to the Surface Pro 4 and Asus Transformer 3 Pro machines, even though it utilizes passive cooling. The Eve 5 performed well in a variety of tests, including Cinebench R15, PCMark 8, and CrystalDiskMark, which bodes well for the machine’s ability to keep up with the competition.

If you’ve been waiting for a viable Surface Pro 4 replacement, then the Eve 5 might be something to think about. If so, you can join the 4,000 or so members of the Eve Community by adding some strong social interaction to the mix.

Keep your kids reading this summer with the Kindle for Kids bundle, now $25 off

Keeping your kids free from online distractions can be a challenge, with modern mobile devices giving them ready access to videos, games, and more. A dedicated ebook reader for your child is a great alternative to a tablet, but if you’re looking for a device with built-in learning apps and a better warranty than most, then check out Amazon’s Kindle for Kids bundle.

Children’s literature tends to be fairly short and if your kid loves to read, you know how quickly they can burn through a stack of books. An ebook reader not only gives you access to much cheaper ebooks, but keeps all of them on a single device, making them ideal for road trips and reading on the go.

The Kindle for Kids bundle includes the standard Kindle ebook reader along with a folding case that protects the screen, and boasts the e-ink display that made the Kindle famous. This screen uses multiple shades of gray to mimic the appearance of paper, virtually eliminating the eye strain that comes from staring at a bright LCD display — an even bigger concern for children whose eyes are still developing.

Let’s face it: Kids can be rough-and-tumble with their stuff, so along with the protective cover, the Kindle for Kids bundle is covered by a generous two-year worry-free warranty from Amazon. If anything happens to your child’s device, Amazon will replace it for free, no questions asked. This ebook reader also comes loaded with features like Kindle FreeTime, Word Wise, and Vocabulary Builder to help your child learn new words, set goals, and track reading progress.

The eighth-generation Kindle alone normally costs $80, while the Kindle for Kids bundle is currently on sale for $100 after a neat $25 discount. This means that for a limited time, you can get your child a Kindle with a protective cover, two-year worry-free warranty, and built-in kid-friendly features, for just $20 more than the standard ebook reader.

$100 on Amazon

Firefox 53 adds Quantum Compositor for a more stable experience and compact themes

Why it matters to you

If you’re a Firefox user, you can download the latest version for enhanced stability and a more compact user interface.

The browser wars continue to rage, even as Google’s Chrome maintains its dominant position in the market. For example, Microsoft is working hard to improve Edge and gain back some of the market share it once enjoyed with Internet Explorer. For example, the recent Windows 10 Creators Update brought significant improvements to Edge’s functionality.

And today, Mozilla updated its own Firefox browser with some welcome features of its own. The latest version is Firefox 53, and it focuses on giving web pages more focus and making Firefox more stable.

First up is the introduction of Mozilla’s Project Quantum Compositor Process to Windows. A browser’s compositor is the software that flattens a web page’s elements and draws them as a single image. With Firefox 53 on Windows, the compositor is now run separately from the main program, go if the compositor crashes, it won’t take the entire browser down with it and can simply be restarted.

Next are new light and dark “compact” themes that are making their way to the production version of Firefox from the Firefox Developer Edition. These new themes aim to minimize user interface elements and thus maximize how much of a web page is shown on screen. The new themes can be selected by heading to the Themes menu in Customize mode.

Firefox 53 also brings new WebExtension features that introduce unique application programming interfaces (APIs) and support more Chrome APIs. These add-ons are meant to work with Chrome, Opera, and Edge in addition to Firefox. The new functionality includes the ability to clear browser information such as cache, cookies, and more, while also enabling OAuth2 token support. The Mozilla blog post provides a complete list of what’s new.

Some additional changes to Firefox 53 include a new modern look enabled in the default media experience and additional CSS support such as CSS masks to partially or fully hide visual elements. Finally, users of Windows 7 and later can now select between 32-bit and 64-bit Firefox during installation.

Firefox 53 is available Wednesday. If you’re running Windows XP or Vista, 32-bit MacOS, or Linux on a Pentium 4 or AMD Opteron, then you’re out of luck — Mozilla dropped support for those platforms with this version of Firefox.

Intel’s Core i7 is tempting, but you probably only need a Core i5

Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processors are ubiquitous. Nearly every modern computer features one of these two chips, and unless you’ve specifically sought out a PC with an AMD processor, chances are you have a Core i5 or Core i7 purring away in your desktop or laptop. But what’s the difference between an i5 and an i7? Like most computer components, there are dozens of models at each tier to choose from, and it can get a little overwhelming.

This guide is designed to help you decide whether you need four cores or two, eight threads or four — and what those terms actually mean, in practice.

It’s worth noting, before we get started, that we’re talking specifically about Intel’s 7th-generation “Kaby Lake” chips and 6th-generation “Skylake” chips here. A lot of the information applies elsewhere, but the newer chips tend to provide noticeable feature and performance improvements over previous generations. You won’t save a lot of money buying CPUs older than the 6th or 7th-generations, and all but the most experienced builders will want to stay away from earlier Core i5 and Core i7 offerings.

What’s the difference?

Overall, Core i5 and Core i7 chips differ in the way they handle processing information. Core i5 processors are usually limited by the number of cores they have, for instance a quad-core i5 processor can maintain four “threads” at once — these “threads” are used by software to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, rather than queuing everything up for execution one-by-one.

Core i7 processors on the other hand, use a feature called “hyper-threading” to reach above and beyond the number of cores they have. So, a Core i7 processor with four cores can actually handle eight threads of data at once. Processors with hyper-threading can effectively double the number of threads they can handle at once.

For concurrent processing tasks — times when your PC needs to handle processor intensive tasks at the same time — a CPU with hyper-threading can make sure you experience minimal system slowdown. Without hyper-threading, a CPU might need to queue things up and process them one-by-one. This is all handled in the blink of an eye, but the cumulative effect can definitely be felt when you’re multi-tasking and running processor intensive applications.

Windows will actually detect extra threads as physical cores, and software will use them as such, but the performance gain is only a fraction of what an extra physical core will provide. Still, the extra threads are useful in demanding software.

Core i5 vs Core i7 on the desktop

Aside from the previously mentioned architectural differences between Core i5s and Core i7s, there are a few unique peculiarities you’ll find on the desktop versions of these processors.

Desktop Core i5s, for instance, almost always have four cores, and this means they’re more robust and powerful than their mobile counterparts. But even though Core i5 quads typically come pretty close to Core i7 clock speeds, they don’t feature hyper-threading and usually have smaller cache sizes — meaning they don’t perform as well on repetitive tasks.

Core i7 processors are a little different. Not only do they have larger cache sizes — meaning they’re better with repetitive tasks — but they typically have quicker clock speeds, and always feature hyper-threading. Another major difference is the number of cores available. On the desktop, Core i5s always have four cores, but Core i7s can have between four and ten cores. That means an eight core i7 can handle 16 threads at once with hyper-threading, and a ten-core i7 processor can handle 20 threads at once.

Core i5 vs Core i7 on laptops

Mobile processors are a slightly different story. Where desktop Core i5s never feature hyper-threading, some mobile versions do, allowing mobile dual-core i5 processors to handle four threads at once.

The Core i5 processors found in laptops come in two configurations: Dual-core with hyper-threading, and quad-core without. The difference between these two types of mobile Core i5s usually comes down to clock speed — quads are generally a little quicker.

Similarly, mobile Core i7s are found in two flavors, dual-core and quad-core, but both feature hyper-threading.

So what’s the difference between a mobile dual-core i7 and a mobile dual-core i5 if they both feature hyper-threading? Well, mobile Core i7s feature larger cache sizes, and they’re usually a little quicker when it comes to clock speed.

Quad-cores sometimes have lower clock speeds than dual-core chips. This is most common in mobile chips that must squeeze into a tight power envelope. What does this mean? A dual-core with a high clock speed will beat a quad-core with a low clock speed in applications that don’t use many cores; however, the quad-core will be quicker in applications that do. If the quad has more cores and a higher clock, it will always be quicker.

Should you buy a Core i5 or a Core i7?

So, which processor should you invest in? That depends on your needs, but for most people a Core i5 is going to be the most sensible choice.

While there are a lot of factors in determining overall system performance, most of the time, a Core i5 processor won’t end up bottlenecking your day-to-day performance. Most people, including gamers, will find a Core i5 quad-core perfectly adequate.

A Core i7 makes sense only for users who don’t mind paying a premium for more power, or users who often run extremely demanding software. For example, shaving a few seconds off every minute of encoding 1080p video adds up, if you regularly encode projects that are a couple hours long.

While nice to have, the performance impact of hyper-threading is very dependent on software. Only applications specifically designed to take advantage of multiple threads will see a performance increase. The feature is most useful to people who run productivity applications.

Intel Core i5 on Amazon Intel Core i7 on Amazon

Updated 4-18-2017 to include information about the latest i5 and i7 processors.

MSI Trident 3 review

Research Center:
MSI Trident 9S6-B90611-02S

Gaming PC manufacturers have been chasing the dream of a console-sized gaming PC for years, and as Intel, Nvidia, and AMD have improved power and thermal efficiency over the last few years, there’s been some success. Yet the combination of power and affordability required in a small gaming rig remains a difficult recipe, and one MSI has struggled with in the past.

Now, MSI is trying its hand at that category once again, this time aided by the appropriately mid-range GTX 1060 with 3GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i7-7700HQ with 16GB of RAM, all for right $1,300. It doesn’t quite cut the price as low as more mundane desktop offerings from competitors, but its compact size could be worth the extra cash. Is the Trident 3 a perfect fit for your living room? Or has the recipe soured once more?

Always improving

With the Trident 3, MSI has strayed a bit from the red-and-black look that’s become synonymous with gaming computers, ditching it in favor of RGBLEDs on the system’s corners. This simple switch is a welcome change, lending the system a more versatile look. It should have no trouble sneaking into a home theater cabinet, or alongside other consoles, thanks to its compact design.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

MSI’s quality has matured in recent years, and the Trident 3 follows that trend with sturdy panels and an attractive, striking look. That said, the stiff panels aren’t put together tightly, so there are still spots where light leaks through from the internal LEDs. Sitting next to a TV, though it’s unlikely anyone will notice a few panel gaps.

Many plugs, but the wrong kind

The Trident 3 doesn’t skimp on connectivity. The front panel houses three USB 3.1 ports — two Type-A and one Type-C — 3.5mm audio in and out, and an HDMI port for virtual reality, which we’ll discuss in more detail in a moment. Around back there’s gigabit Ethernet, another Type-A USB 3.1 port, four USB 2.0 ports, HDMI for the internal GPU, and the VR link HDMI port.

Out of the box, both the internal GPU HDMI port, and the VR Link HDMI port, are plugged with plastic stoppers. The VR Link requires an included HDMI jumper from the GPU into the port on the back. The system then passes that signal to the port on the front for a VR headset.

The Trident 3 has no trouble sneaking into a home theater cabinet alongside other consoles.

It’s a nice thought with some practical problems, the most obvious being the GPU, which only sports one HDMI, one DisplayPort, and one DVI. That means there’s no easy way to simultaneously plug in a VR headset and a HDTV (a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter could do the trick). Also, the HDMI pass-through only brings the port up about 10 inches, and an Oculus Rift will have to plug into the USB 3.1 port on the back anyway, with the Oculus trackers plugged into the front. That rather minimizes the advantage of the HDMI port on the front.

Like many small form factor systems with ITX motherboards, the Trident 3 sports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. If we’re just counting ports, the Trident 3 punches up a weight class, but its graphical outputs keep it limited to home theater or living room applications. It seems like an avoidable problem, considering the system sports an MSI GPU.

Do not open

MSI’s clean, tight construction makes an immediate impression, but left us wondering how to open it up. As it turns out, that may be MSI’s goal. The manual specifically forbids cracking the lid on the machine, instead insisting users send the system back for MSI to upgrade.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

We’re not a fan of that approach. This is an expensive high-end gaming desktop, and users shouldn’t be afraid to reach inside to fix parts, upgrade components, or simply dust out the inside of the case. That didn’t stop use from opening it up to see what was inside. The motherboard isn’t anything special or clever, it’s just a standard ITX motherboard. The cases’ GPU area is small, but it’s nothing most half-length cards can’t squeeze into, as long as they don’t need extra PSU power.

You’re stuck with the blower cooler on the CPU, as it’s unlikely you’ll find anything efficient enough that will fit, but everything else is off the shelf. RAM is easily accessible, and there’s space for a 2.5” SSD or HDD around back, next to an M.2 slot. There’s basically nothing inside you couldn’t replace or upgrade if you wanted to, except the power supply, which is an external unit.

The processor holds up

Our configuration sported an Intel Core i7-7700, a four-core CPU with Hyper-Threading, and 16GB of RAM. Apart from a lack of overclocking support and a lower 65-watt TDP, the chip bears a close resemblance to the enthusiast Core i7-7700K, and should provide excellent performance for the size.

As a side note, our MSI Trident 3 was an engineering sample with a bit of an odd configuration. It packed in the higher-end CPU and GPU, with 16GB of memory, but only a 128GB SSD. The more typical $1,300 model sold at retail includes a 256GB model. This won’t impact processor performance, but it’s worth noting.

No surprises here. The Intel Core i7-7700 holds its own against similarly-minded systems, taking a strong lead against the slightly more budget-friendly Dell XPS 8910 SE. The Core i7 makes an even bigger difference in the Handbrake 4K video conversion test, where it dominates the Core i5-6400 in the XPS 8910 SE.

Whether it’s synthetic or real-world benchmarks, the MSI Trident 3’s performance is commendable, and for the price point, very competitive. The Digital Storm Velox beats it out by a wide margin, but its Core i7-7700K chip is much more expensive, in a higher-end system, with a lofty 5GHz overclock on it. For what it is, the Core i7-7700 in the Trident 3 holds its own quite well.

Storage and options

MSI outfitted our review unit with a Kingston 128GB SATA SSD and a 1TB mechanical HDD. The SSD holds the OS and any demanding applications or oft-used files, while the larger mechanical drive keeps extra files and media. It’s a cost effective option, and one that provides a lot of versatility.

As expected, the SSD’s read speeds far outweigh its mediocre write speeds, a trend we see in most drives like it. It shouldn’t drag while loading big applications, and makes startup lightning fast, although our review unit only boasted 128GB, which we quickly filled with games. Higher-end systems like the Digital Storm Velox are moving to PCIe and NVMe drives, but for the price point, we don’t expect that.

Instead, MSI has thrown an extra HDD inside, a 1TB data drive in our case. It’s unsurprisingly slow and lumbering, but it will allow you to stash extra games or movies without having to use up a plug with an external option. Its competitors aren’t always as thoughtful, and the Dell XPS uses only a mechanical drive, which is far from ideal.

Not a runner

MSI portrays the Trident as a gaming system, so we’ll make sure to put it through the full ringer of graphical benchmarks. Equipped with a 3GB GTX 1060 from MSI, it should be capable of pumping out decent framerates at 1080p, unless its petite size gets in the way.

Nothing scary to report here. The Trident 3 holds its own under the demanding 3DMark graphical test, with the CPU allowing the GTX 1060 to basically run at its full potential. Both the XPS 8910 SE and Velox take a strong lead here thanks to their improved graphical options. The 3DMark benchmarks tend to be a lot harder on the CPU than most modern games, so it’s always worthwhile to see how it fares against commonly played PC titles.

Steady jog

Most games don’t challenge the CPU very much, and our test suite is indicative of that. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI tends to be the only game that puts a lot of stress on the processor, while the rest place most of the strain on the GPU. Still, we want to see how the combination fares together, and whether the CPU holds up the potential performance.

While it might look like a trouncing for the little Trident, it’s once again betrayed by the more premium systems it competes with. It’s more than capable of holding a 60 FPS average in most modern titles, an increasingly big ask for gaming computers.

Although we didn’t include it on our graphs, due to lack of direct competitors we have results for, the Trident 3 averaged 82 FPS at ultra in Battlefield 1, and 76 FPS in For Honor. Both are modern titles without heavy CPU demands, and both are ready to run quite well on that 1080p television hooked up in front of the couch.

It may not reach the upper echelons of gaming power, but with so many users still playing at 1,920 x 1,080, and so many televisions sitting at 60Hz, the Trident 3 targets the perfect performance spot.

Cut the crap

We’ve tested MSI systems in the past, and we’ve often noticed a problem with lots of pre-installed software. The Trident 3 was no exception.

Annoying bloatware holds it back.

The usual suspects made an appearance, with a handful of MSI control panel and optimization apps, and something called Houzz, which has to do with home design. We have no idea why that’d be included on a gaming rig.

Any bloatware is too much, but Norton Security is a particularly virulent strain. It constantly bothered us with notifications about files and applications. Norton also repeatedly tried to install several Chrome extensions that Google classifies as potentially threatening.

Warranty

MSI covers the Trident 3 and its internal components for one year. That’s not exactly luxurious for a gaming PC, but it’s similar to what you’ll find on other mid-tier systems from major manufacturers, including the Dell 8910 SE.

MSI Trident 9S6-B90611-02S Compared To

Digital Storm Velox (Kaby Lake)

Cybertron CLX Ra

Lenovo Ideacentre Y900

Acer Predator G1

Origin Millennium (2016)

Falcon Northwest Mach V (2016)

Digital Storm Aventum 3

AVADirect Avant gaming desktop

Acer Predator G6

AVADirect Z170

Falcon Northwest Tiki (2015)

AVADirect X99 Gaming System

Digital Storm Velox

CyberTronPC Thallium

Falcon Northwest Talon (2015)

As mentioned above, MSI isn’t particularly fond of users taking it upon themselves to upgrade or replace components. Opening the case reveals stickers over the screws that say “Warranty void if sticker removed,” so users will have to keep that in mind if they plan on upgrading down the road.

Our Take

MSI has packed a decent all-around gaming system into a compact box that won’t look out of place between a cable box and a Playstation 4, and there’s something to be said for that. Still, the small form factor market is growing quickly, and the Trident 3 is far from the most refined, or budget-friendly system on the list, at $1,300 for the closest configuration to our review unit.

Is there a better Alternative?

The DT Accessory Pack

Elgato Game Capture HD60

$149.28

HTC VIVE

$799.99

Steam Controller

$49.99

Das Keyboard 4 Professional Soft Tactile MX Brown Mechanical Keyboard

$169.99

Alienware’s Alpha R2 does the same thing in a much smaller footprint, and the best model is available for $949, but it still sports a GTX 1060 and mobile processor. The Zotac Magnus E Box undercuts the Trident price-wise, although the best models are barebones, so users will have to bring their own SSD and RAM.

How long will it last?

MSI’s little box certainly has the hardware to last through a few graphical update cycles over the next few years. It’s a system meant to sit next to a television, and if that television is 1080p, it’s happy to oblige.

Should you buy it?

No. While the Trident 3 offers decent performance in a compact size, there are too many solid alternatives that don’t its problems with bloatware and warranty coverage. The Alienware Alpha is a simple, no-nonsense option with slower parts at a better price, and Zotac’s offerings offer more variety and plenty of upgrade options.

Asus releases its Tinker Board single-board computer in North America

Why it matters to you

If you’re in North American and planning a new computing project, you have now a more powerful option.

North American makers and hobbyists take note: There is another single-board computer option in town. Your options for building your own computing device just increased by one, and this time it’s being offered by a major consumer electronics company.

Specifically, Asus has been offering its Tinker Board in the U.K. and throughout Europe since early 2017 to compete directly with other options such as the Raspberry Pi. Now, it is available in North America from leading retailers and its shipping at a competitive price, according to Tom’s Hardware.

The Asus Tinker Board is based on a quad-core Rockchip RK3288 system-on-chip (SoC) operating at up to 1.8GHz and utilizing Mali-T764 GPU, which is the same SoC that’s used in some Chromebooks. The single-board computer offers 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM and includes a gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, four USB 2.0 connections, Bluetooth 4.0, and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi.

Asus offers its own TinkerOS, based on the latest Debian 9 release, to power the Tinker Board. An LXDE desktop environment and Chromium web browser round out the core software load, with a TinkerOS media player co-developed with Rockchip to enable hardware-accelerated 4K video playback.

To support the kinds of connectivity options expected by makers and hobbyists, the Tinker Board includes a standard 40-point GPIO interface. Also standard are the PCB dimensions and topology, which means that the board will work with common chassis and accessories. Finally, two HD MIPI connections allow for connectivity to HD displays and cameras.

The Asus Tinker Board is available now from retailers like Amazon for $60. That is a bit more expensive than the latest Raspberry Pi and other similar single-board computers, but it is also more powerful, thus giving makers throughout the new world a competitive option for building their computing projects.