The educational games of your youth have their own museum exhibit
The Minnesota Education Computing Corporation might not be the most recognizable game developer today, but if you went to elementary school in the US anytime in the eighties or nineties, then you’ve almost certainly played — and probably learned something from — one of its educational games. The company started in 1973 as an initiative to put more computers into classrooms across Minnesota and eventually created over 300 different software titles, including the version of The Oregon Trail that became the cultural touchstone it is today. Now MECC and The Oregon Trail are finally getting the recognition they deserve in a retrospective exhibit from the Strong, the National Museum of Play.
The museum actually inducted The Oregon Trail into the Video Game Hall of Fame back in 2016, and the new exhibit will include playable original versions of the game so younger generations can experience the excitement of hunting for buffalo in all it’s 8-bit glory. Aside from teaching countless schoolkids grammar with Word Munchers, MECC is also considered a pioneer in STEM education that popularized computer learning. To preserve that legacy, a group of former MECC employees, including Oregon Trail co-creator Don Rawitsch and co-founder Dale LaFrenz, recently donated a cache of documents, videos, and software to the museum that will show how the company evolved from a part of the public school system to a beloved piece of our collective memories.
The Oregon Trail, MECC, and the Rise of Computer Learning exhibit officially opens on June 17th. But if you can’t make it to Rochester, New York, you can also explore and play the original on Archive.org or take a trip down memory lane on MECC’s own site.
Source: The Museum of Play
Forget flexible displays, Samsung is moving on to stretchable ones
First there was bendable, rollable, and foldable… but now, thanks Samsung, we have stretchable displays.
The company has showed off a new display technology at Display Week – and it can stretch like a rubber band or a trampoline. The 9.1-inch stretchable OLED display is just a prototype for now, but Samsung said it can be flexed in two directions instead of just one. Keep in mind existing flexible OLED displays, such as bendable, foldable, and rollable displays, can only be formed in one direction.
When you press on the new screen, it’ll depress, and when you stop pressing, it’ll bounce back into its flat shape. Whether stretched up or down, it has sufficient elasticity to recover, Samsung explained. That also means the new display can also roll and bend when pushed on before snapping back to its original shape. Unfortunately, there’s no plans on when this screen will show up in a real-life device.
- Best smartphones 2017: The best phones available to buy today
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The company said it figured the technology could be used for wearables, internet of things devices, and automotive applications. Samsung even described how it could be used as a face for a robot. When it comes to displays, Samsung certainly stands out. Its flexible displays are now found in its Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus phones, which is why the the screen can curve around the sides of the phones.
Samsung has also shown off foldable and bendable displays in the past.
Samsung
Amazon opens its first drive-through grocery store
Need to pick up some supplies but can’t be bothered to walk across a parking lot for them? Amazon’s got you covered. In Seattle on Thursday, the company opened a grocery store that doesn’t require you leave your vehicle, promising customers will only have to “drive in… and drive out.”
The service, dubbed AmazonFresh Pickup, is now live at two locations: in the SODO and Ballard neighborhoods. It’s free for Prime members and there is no minimum order amount. Customers simply place their order online, drive to the store and wait. Once the order is ready, an employee wheels it out to the car and puts it in the trunk. That’s it.
The stores carry everything you’d expect to find at your local supermarket, albeit at a significantly higher price. Expect to pay $1 per lemon, $6.60 for a gallon of milk and $1.29 per apple. Or you can just do your shopping like you always have and save some cash.
Keybase brings seamless encrypted chats to anyone on the web
Keybase is on a mission to make end-to-end encryption as easy as possible, everywhere you go online. After launching frictionless encrypted file sharing last year, the open-source security company rolled out Keybase Chat, a desktop and mobile chat app that allows users to send encrypted messages to anyone on the internet using just their Twitter, Facebook or Reddit username. Today, Keybase announced a few new launches that will make it even easier to send encrypted messages to anyone — even if your recipient isn’t set up to receive them yet.
First, up a new Chrome extension adds an encrypted message button to user profiles on any of the social networks Keybase supports. (Aside from Twitter, Facebook and Reddit, the service also works with Hacker News and GitHub accounts.) If the user you’re trying to message isn’t already signed up for Keybase, they’ll be notified via the social network they’re on that they have an encrypted message waiting for them. The extension works alongside the Keybase desktop app, so your messages are encrypted end-to-end and they will be stored and unreadable until the recipient unlocks it. If you don’t use Chrome, you can also use the main app to search for social media profiles and send a message from there.
Speaking of the the app, Keybase Chat has also quietly made its way to Linux and Windows 10 machines, as well as mobile devices on Android and iOS. Since the project is open source, the company is still refining and adding features as more users come on board. Most importantly though, founder Chris Coyne has committed to implementing advanced blocking and abuse reporting features, which is important when you consider everyone on the web now has an encrypted inbox waiting for them.
Source: Keybase
Android exploit adds secret, thieving layers to your phone
Researchers from UC Santa Barbara and Georgia Tech have discovered a fresh class of Android attacks, called Cloak and Dagger, that can operate secretly on a phone, allowing hackers to log keystrokes, install software and otherwise control a device without alerting its owner. Cloak and Dagger exploits take advantage of the Android UI, and they require just two permissions to get rolling: SYSTEM ALERT WINDOW (“draw on top”) and BIND ACCESSIBILITY SERVICE (“a11y”).
This concerns researchers because Android automatically grants the draw-on-top permission for any app downloaded from the Play Store, and once a hacker is in, it’s possible to trick someone into granting the a11y permission. A Cloak and Dagger-enabled app hides a layer of malicious activity under seemingly harmless visuals, luring users to click on unseen buttons and keystroke loggers.
“To make things worse, we noticed that the accessibility app can inject the events, unlock the phone, and interact with any other app while the phone screen remains off,” the researchers write. “That is, an attacker can perform a series of malicious operations with the screen completely off and, at the end, it can lock the phone back, leaving the user completely in the dark.”
Google is aware of the exploit.
“We’ve been in close touch with the researchers and, as always, we appreciate their efforts to help keep our users safer,” a spokesperson says. “We have updated Google Play Protect — our security services on all Android devices with Google Play — to detect and prevent the installation of these apps. Prior to this report, we had already built new security protections into Android O that will further strengthen our protection from these issues, moving forward.”
One of the researchers, Yanick Fratantonio, tells TechCrunch the recent updates to Android O might address Cloak and Dagger, and the team will test it out and update its website accordingly. For now, he says, don’t download random apps and keep an eye on those permissions.
Source: Cloak and Dagger
Keep a lookout for the Nvidia Battlebox badge when buying your next gaming PC
Why it matters to you
Nvidia is making it easier for you to pick a new gaming PC by tweaking its Battlebox certification program.
If you’re in the market for a new gaming PC and don’t want to build your own, then you have a huge number of options to choose from. In fact, the number of configurations and pricing levels can be dizzying, and selecting a machine at various price points that nevertheless provides the right level of performance can be daunting.
Nvidia has a vested interest in making things a little easier for gaming PC buyers, and so it introduced its Battlebox certification program a few years ago. The certification essentially provides assurance that a gaming system will perform well for its stated purpose — namely, to run modern games at high frame rates and excellent quality levels. Now, the company is updating the program to better reflect the modern PC component environment, as PC World reports.
The biggest difference between the old and new Battlebox programs is that Nvidia is now accounting for the much-improved price-performance equation of AMD’s Ryzen processors based on the new Zen CPU architecture. In the past, Nvidia focused on Intel processors given the relatively poor performance of AMD’s previous Bulldozer architecture.
Today’s Nvidia Battlebox program will now certify two levels of PC gaming machines. The highest-level systems will be designated as Battlebox Ultimate and will require a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GPU and either an Intel Core i7 processor or AMD Ryzen 7 (at least), along with at least 16GB of DDR RAM. The lower-end certification, Battlebox Essential, will also require a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, but reduces the CPU requirements to an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, and the minimum RAM to 8GB of DDR4 memory.
Other Battlebox requirements include using a solid-state disk (SSD) for storage, G-Sync support if a monitor is included in a package, and Windows 10 as the operating system. Nvidia is aiming the Battlebox Ultimate certification at gamers who want the complete 4K and virtual reality (VR) gaming experience, while Battlebox Essential machines will ensure great 1080p gaming.
You can check out Nvidia’s Battlebox page for more information on the program and start exploring some of the manufacturer options. PC gaming system makers who are planning Battlebox systems or who already have some in the pipeline include Cyberpower, Origin, Maingear, and Velocity Micro. No matter which manufacturer you choose, selecting a machine with the Battlebox certification should help ensure that you have the expected level of gaming performance.
Made from molten glass, world’s largest convex mirror will take a year to cool
Why it matters to you
This record-breaking mirror will eventually form part of the world’s biggest optical telescope.
Casting of the secondary mirror for the European Southern Observatory’s Extremely Large Telescope has been completed in Mainz, Germany.
Weighing 3.5 tons and measuring 14 feet in diameter, the finished piece is the largest convex mirror ever produced.
“This secondary mirror is one of several that focus the light coming into the ELT and help to create a very sharp final image,” Marc Cayrel, lead engineer for optics production, told Digital Trends. “It will sit at the top of the telescope, high above the main mirror, with its reflective surface facing down. It is exciting as it is the largest such secondary mirror ever made for an optical telescope.”
The giant convex mirror was created using a ceramic-glass material called Zerodur. It was made by Schott, a German glass-making company which also made the mirrors for the ESO’s previous Very Large Telescope.
As you might imagine, creating a convex mirror weighing several tons isn’t exactly easy. “Convex mirrors like this are much harder to shape and test than concave ones,” Cayrel continued. “The ELT secondary is also significantly different from a spherical surface, which again makes it harder to make. Up to now the largest convex mirrors did not exceed 1.4 metres (read: 4.5 feet) in diameter.”
SCHOTT/ESO
Don’t think that the hard work is over yet, either. Now that the mirror’s been cast, the team must wait more than year for it to cool down from its casting temperature of 2,552 degree Fahrenheit, to the point where it can be safely used.
“The full process is in several stages and takes more than a year, it has to cool slowly to avoid the creation of stresses in the glass ceramic material,” Cayrel said.
First of all, the mold is placed in an oven that will control the cool-down over a three-month period. This allows for the minimizing of stress. After that, the mirror will be heat-treated to transform the glassy part into a ceramic, which is a process that will last another six months. Finally the M2 meniscus shape will be extracted by machining.
Still, it will all be worth it when the Extremely Large Telescope — the largest optical telescope on Earth — is completed in 2024!
Futuremark’s PCMark 10 launching in June to test the PCs of tomorrow
Why it matters to you
Coming June 22, PCMark 10 will offer faster and more accurate benchmarking for contemporary computer systems.
Futuremark, which produces computer benchmark applications for home users and businesses, has a brand-new version of its long-standing PCMark software, dubbed PCMark 10. It’s not quite ready for prime time yet, but the Finnish company is sending out preview builds to the press, and the Professional, Advanced and Basic editions of the software will be launched throughout June.
A little different from the 3D and gaming-focused 3DMark benchmark, PCMark 10 looks to ape the tradition of its predecessors and test a system’s overall performance. It does still throw a few tasks the graphics card’s way, but it also looks at a PC’s ability to handle media viewing, office software, and creative applications, as well as tests the onboard storage system.
Futuremark hasn’t revealed what new features we can expect with PCMark10, but did say that it will base its tests on real-world applications and activities, to give users an idea of how capable their system is at the tasks they perform on a regular basis. We’re told that the new workload PCMark 10 offers, reflects the variety of tasks performed in the modern workplace.
It also takes less time to run, as little as half the time as the previous-generation benchmark of the same name. Incidentally, that was PCMark 8. Futuremark skipped PCMark 9, taking a page out of Microsoft’s book to keep its software’s nomenclature in line with Windows 10.
The first look we’ll all have of PCMark 10 will be at Computex, which runs from May 31 through June 3, though the Professional Edition of the software will debut on June 5. For those not looking to shell out quite that much, you’ll be able to buy the Advanced version on June 22, or download the Basic Edition for free on the same day.
If you’ve ever wondered how Futuremark puts together its benchmarks and how it got into the business of doing so in the first place, check out our interview with one team member who’s been there from the very beginning.
The Best 2-in-1s You Can Buy
One of the fastest growing segments of the PC market is the 2-in-1, machines that can morph from one form factor to another, make use of touchscreen displays and, sometimes, active pens as well. Microsoft kicked off the modern Windows 2-in-1 market with the original Surface in 2012, and since then Microsoft, its OEM partners, and even Chromebook makers have continued to grow the segment with increasingly high-quality options.
Like all PCs, 2-in-1s vary in their configurations, performance, and battery life. They also span a range of price points, from the low-end to the stratospheric. The 2-in-1 has become so popular that there seem to be as many different models produced as traditional notebooks. And that makes some sense, because the best 2-in-1s really can become your primary machine.
Our pick
HP Spectre x360 13
Why should you buy this: It’s fast, has great battery life, offers a lovely display, and swivels around into multiple modes.
The best
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
The HP Spectre x360 13 is a no-compromise notebook that can also serve as a useful tablet PC.
$1,099.99 from Best Buy
Who’s it for: Anyone with around $1,000 to spend
How much will it cost: $1,090 – $1,960
Why we picked the HP Spectre x360 13:
The competition among 13-inch 360-degree convertibles is fierce, with many excellent options fighting for the top spot. It’s also an important segment, given that it’s right in the sweet spot of performance and mobility — given the trend of reducing chassis size via smaller display bezels, the 13-inch 2-in-1 is just right to bring the benefits of both traditional clamshell notebooks and tablet form factors.
We picked the newly refreshed HP Spectre x360 13 because it offers the best combination of performance, battery life, display quality, and price, among a very loaded field. We had already rated the Spectre x360 13 as one of the best machines around at the end of 2016, and the early 2017 refresh added in the only things we found missing from the machine.
Namely, HP added a 4K UHD display option that many potential buyers were demanding. Also added is an active pen, for drawing and handwriting on the screen.
The best thing about today’s 360-degree convertible 2-in-1s is that they work extremely well as traditional notebooks, and the Spectre x360 13 epitomizes the segment. It offers seventh-generation Core i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of fast SSD storage, meaning that it can be configured as well as any competing notebook. And its battery will easily last a full workday.
Our full review
The best budget 2-in-1
Samsung Chromebook Pro
Why should you buy this: It’s a solid performer that makes good use of Chrome OS, and it also incorporates all the technology needed to fully support Android apps.
The best budget 2-in-1
Samsung Chromebook Pro
The Samsung Chromebook Pro is arguably the best Chromebook around, and is a great platform for Android apps, too.
$449.00 from Best Buy
$449.00 from Amazon
Who’s it for: Anyone wants the flexibility of the 2-in-1 form factor but doesn’t care for Windows 10 – or needs to save some cash
How much will it cost: $550
Why we picked the Samsung Chromebook Pro:
The Windows 10 ecosystem doesn’t have a monopoly on the 2-in-1 form factor. If you haven’t bought into Windows 10 or you just don’t have the cash for some of these Windows 10 machines, then you’ll likely be looking for a different option.
That’s where the Samsung Chromebook Pro comes in. Samsung’s machine comes in two flavors, the Pro with an Intel Core M processor, and the Plus with an ARM CPU. The difference in price is only $100, meaning that you’re getting significantly more performance by going with the higher-level machine.
Of course, the Chromebook Pro runs Google’s Chrome OS platform, which is incredibly lightweight compared to Windows 10. But you can also download Android apps, which are fully compatible. That helps fill some gaps in services not supported by Chrome OS.
Samsung also includes its S Pen for some nifty drawing and handwriting capabilities. Samsung has also included all the technology needed — like an accelerometer — to ensure that Android apps work properly.
The Chromebook Pro punches above its weight class in hardware, too. It sports a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display, offers multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports, and is equipped with 4GB of RAM and a 32GB SSD. The memory and storage configurations might seem on the small side but they’re actually more than sufficient to comfortably run the lightweight Chrome OS, with its emphasis on cloud storage.
By choosing the Chromebook Pro, you’re getting a solid 2-in-1 compared to the Windows 10 machines you’ll find at the same price point. You’re limited in what applications you can run, but the arrival of Android app support will change that to a degree. If you’re good with Google’s Chrome OS platform, then the Samsung Chromebook Pro is a great lower-cost 2-in-1 option.
Our full review
The best for tablet use
Surface Pro 4
Why should you buy this: It’s a great tablet PC because of its thin and light form factor, but it offers a solid physical keyboard for real productivity.
The best for tablet use
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
The Surface Pro 4 truly is the tablet that can replace your notebook.
$1,233.49 from Amazon
$1,299.99 from Microsoft
Who’s it for: Anyone who just can’t decide between a tablet and a traditional notebook
How much will it cost: $699 – $1,799, $60 for Surface Pen, $130 for Type Cover
Why we picked the Surface Pro 4:
Note: The newest Surface Pro has been announced, and is available for pre-order. It’s not a major overhaul, so most of what we’ve said here applies to the new model. Waiting for the new version is a good idea if you’re not in a hurry to buy.
Like the Surface Book, the Surface Pro 4 uses sixth-generation Intel Core processors, but it has gone through its own growing pains as well, and is now a stable and reliable machine for most people. It also offers solid configurations at reasonable price points, and so you can even save a little money by picking one up.
In terms of design, the Surface Pro 4 is a tablet first. It’s thin, light, and features a solid pane of Gorilla Glass 3 that covers the entire face of the machine. It features a detachable keyboard called the Type Cover that attaches magnetically to the bottom and performs without the lag associated with many Bluetooth keyboards. The Type Cover can be connected via a second magnet that props it up at a more comfortable angle.
Though small, the Surface Pro 4 doesn’t sacrifice much performance. If you pick an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, then you won’t notice much performance difference compared to other similarly equipped machines. You can configure the Surface Pro 4 with a full 16GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe SSD storage, making it a solid productivity option. As with all Surface machines, Windows Hello support is via infrared camera and facial recognition.
With the kickstand that can rotate out to 150 degrees and support for the Surface Pen, the Surface Pro 4 can also work as a kind of highly mobile electronic drawing easel for artistic types.
Our full review
The best large 2-in-1
Surface Book
Why should you buy this: It’s a great solid performer for just about any productivity task, but converts to a tablet for on-the-go use.
The best large 2-in-1
Microsoft Surface Book with Performance Base
The Surface Book has a luscious display, serious power, and market-leading battery life.
$1,499.00 from Amazon.com
Who’s it for: Business and creative professionals with money to spend on the best
How much will it cost: $2,399 – $3,299
Why we picked the Surface Book:
If money is no object, then Microsoft’s Surface Book with Performance Base remains the best overall 2-in-1 choice among large devices. The original model was introduced in October 2015, which was eons in computer time, but the design was so forward-looking that it still seems futuristic even today.
The Surface Book’s claim is its detachable keyboard. The 13.5-inch display contains the main processing components, and can be popped off the base to become a surprisingly thin, light, and powerful tablet. The keyboard base is more of a dock, one that contains discrete graphics on some models, and that carries most of the combination’s battery capacity.
It also supports the Surface Pen, which is a great choice for creative types. And of course, the Surface Book supports Windows 10’s Hello password-less authentication via an infrared camera and facial recognition.
Yes, the Surface Book hasn’t yet been upgraded to Intel’s seventh-generation Intel Core processors, but it’s been tweaked and updated so much since its introduction that it’s now a rock-solid performer. The Performance Base update was launched in October 2016, and it added a faster Nvidia GeForce 960M discrete GPU, and a serious bump in battery capacity. RAM can be configured to a solid 16GB, and up to 1TB of fast PCIe SSD storage can be selected.
Add in one of the best displays available in a notebook, a solid keyboard, and a very good touchpad. and you have an excellent machine for anyone who needs to get some real work done. And it offers some of the best battery life we’ve seen, at least as long as you’re using it as a notebook – the keyboard base contains an additional battery.
Our full review
Should you buy now or wait?
There’s never been a better time to buy a Windows 10 2-in-1. The market is full of great options, and we’re convinced that the machines we’ve listed here will serve you well for years to come. Performance, battery life, displays, and connectivity are all top-notch, and will handle everything you need them to do now and well into the future.
And there’s not much coming soon to give you pause. Intel has just released it’s seventh-generation Core processors, and there’s no reason to believe that the next generation will make Windows 10 2-in-1s any better at their primary productivity purposes.
How We Test
We spend a tremendous amount of time reviewing notebooks of all shapes and sizes — and that’s saying something today, when notebooks come in so many shapes, sizes, and configurations. To make sure our recommendations provide real value to our readers, we live with the machines for a time and use them in writing our reviews — to make sure we can assess how they’ll work for real users.
But we do have a method to our madness in conducting these reviews, and you can look behind the scenes here. Hopefully it will be obvious that our reviews are real labors of love — or hate, depending on the notebook – and therefore you can at least recognize that we don’t arrive at our conclusions without some serious consideration.
What’s on MrMobile’s phone?
As we approach the one-year anniversary of MrMobile’s launch, it seems only right to fulfill one of the most common viewer requests. You see a variation of the question in the comment section of nearly every video: “what’s on your phone, MrMobile?” And while I personally find my app selection really predictable, I figure there’s probably a gem or two in here that some of y’all haven’t heard of yet. So dive on in to the How MrMobile Works catalog to take in my Top 40 Apps video – and if you agree with me that this collection could use some spicing up, drop a comment down below with your top app alternatives!
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