Intel goes wireless with its WiGig-enabled HTC Vive at Computex 2017

Why it matters to you

Although there is no consensus on the right way to do wireless VR, there are a number of big-name companies trying to figure it out.

Along with its new processors and Compute Cards, Intel also debuted a new partnership with HTC at Computex 2017. Taking the stage alongside a willing demonstrator, Intel’s GM of client computing, Gregory Bryant, introduced the world to wireless virtual reality on the Vive VR headset using high-speed WiGig Wi-Fi technology and slated it for a 2018 release.

Wireless virtual reality is considered by many to be one of the must-have upgrades for the next generation of virtual reality headsets. There are a few different ways of doing it right now, whether it’s with bespoke transmitters and receivers like the TPCast system, or with compression algorithms for standard Wi-Fi transmission. Intel’s solution however, focuses on the latest generation of high-speed wireless networking.

The technology was demonstrated live on stage for the attending audience and viewers at home, showing seamless wireless gameplay in Valve’s The Lab archer demo. There was no visible lag between the player’s movements and the action being mirrored to a nearby display, though it’s not clear if such a viewpoint would be susceptible to any potential lag the headset may have displayed.

Intel didn’t go into detail about how the technology works, but we’re told that it makes use of WiGig wireless connectivity. Otherwise known as the IEEE 802.11ad standard, it’s becoming more commonplace in new networking hardware and allows for up to 7Gbps wireless data transfer over various frequency bands.

This wireless system also uses the DisplayLink XR codec, which should mean some measure of compression takes place. While WiGig should have enough bandwidth to support first-generation VR headsets without the need for much compression, being able to do so should ensure a seamless VR experience in case available throughput drops for whatever reason.

In the video we can see that some additional hardware has been added to the Vive demo unit to enable its wireless connectivity. We can speculate that it contains a receiver of some kind for the wireless data, as well as a battery pack. Unfortunately, Intel has yet to release any details of the actual hardware involved in the wireless Vive upgrade.

What we do know though, is that it’s not quite ready for prime time just yet. Intel’s Bryant said during his address that we can expect this technology to be ready for consumers in early 2018.

Acer Predator Triton 700 crams GeForce GTX 1080 into 0.74-inch frame

Why it matters to you

Acer’s upcoming laptop will likely begin a wave of super-thin PC gaming notebooks with better graphics performance than larger, heavier competing products.

During Nvidia’s keynote at the start of Computex 2017, Acer said that its upcoming ultra-thin gaming laptop, the Predator Triton 700, will have an option of an overclockable GeForce GTX 1080 graphics chip. This is in part thanks to Nvidia’s new optimization of its “Pascal” graphics chip architecture dubbed as Max-Q, which simultaneously maximizes the power efficiency of the GTX 1080 chip while providing better performance than what was previously experienced with GTX 1080-based notebooks. Max-Q enables laptop designs that are three times thinner than before as well.

In the case of Acer’s upcoming Predator Triton 700, it will measure just 0.74 inches thick (18.9mm). For a GTX 1080-based laptop, that is seemingly unheard of given the space required to previously cool the graphics chip along with a hefty power requirement. For example, the Alienware 17 R4 packing the non-Max-Q GTX 1080 graphics chip measures around 1.18 inches thick and weighs at least 9.74 pounds. The Predator Triton 700? A mere 5.7 pounds.

“Max-Q, an integral part of NASA’s mission to launch man into space, is defined as the point at which the aerodynamic stress on a rocket in atmospheric flight is maximized,” Acer said. “Thus, the design of the rocket is precision-engineered around Max-Q. Nvidia has applied a similar philosophy to designing gaming laptops.”

As for the other hardware specs, we won’t have specifics until we get closer to the laptop’s launch later this summer. However, here’s what we know so far:

Screen size:
15.6 inches
Screen resolution:
1920 x 1080
Nvidia G-Sync support
Panel type:
IPS
Processor:
Seventh-generation Intel Core
Graphics:
Up to GeForce GTX 1080
Cooling system:
Dual Acer AeroBlade 3D fans
Five heat pipes
Memory:
Up to 32GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz
Storage:
2x NVMe PCI Express SSDs
Audio:
Acer TrueHarmony
Dolby Atoms Surround Sound
Connectivity:
Killer DoubleShot Pro
Ports:
1x Thunderbolt 3
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A (one charges)
1x USB 2.0 Type-A
1x HDMI
1x DisplayPort
1x Gigabit Ethernet
Keyboard:
Mechanical
Per-key RGB illumination
Touchpad:
Smoked Corning Gorilla Glass plate
Shows the cooling system underneath
Size:
18.9 mm-thin (0.74 inches)
Weight:
5.7 pounds
Body:
Black aluminum
Angular front corners and straight contours
Starting price:
$2,999

As the above list shows, the laptop will still rely on two fans to keep the processor and graphics chip cool in addition to the five heatpipes that carry heat away from these chips. But given the efficiency of Nvidia’s new Max-Q chip enhancement, the fans won’t be as large as those used in bulkier PC gaming laptops prior to Max-Q-based laptops. That means the notebook likely won’t be a growling beast in your lap either.

As we reported in April when Acer first revealed the laptop, the touchpad actually resides above the keyboard instead of below. It sports a smoked Corning Gorilla Glass plate so that owners can see the two Acer AeroBlade 3D fans cooling the innards underneath. That’s definitely a nice touch, and traditionally not something we’ve seen in the past on high-dollar PC gaming laptops.

Acer’s upcoming Predator Triton 700 will hit store shelves in various configurations this August.

Kingpin 1080 Ti guarantees 2GHz overclock on air at Computex 2017

Why it matters to you

If you have deep pockets and want to push your graphics card to its limits, getting one with guaranteed overclocking potential could offer peace of mind.

Just a few months on from the first Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti being overclocked beyond 2GHz, and EVGA has unveiled a version of the card which it guarantees can do that every single time. Built in partnership with world-famous overclocker Kingpin, perhaps the most impressive part of this new design is that it does it with just air cooling.

We had our first hint at the existence of a Kingpin edition GTX 1080 Ti last week, though beyond it having unprecedented overclocking powers, we didn’t know much about it. Now that it’s been officially unveiled at Computex 2017, we can confirm a few more details.

The 1080 Ti Kingpin edition comes with a larger than usual PCB, with right-aligned 8pin PCIExpress power connectors. Thanks to tweaks to the power design system for added stability, EVGA pledges that every one of the cards will be able to hit at least 2,025MHz on the core, a more than 20 percent increase over the standard boosted clocks.

Although the card is “only” air cooled, it does have quite a hefty cooling solution. It features a conductive backing plate and a lengthy copper heatsink with a large number of fins, all cooled by three high-powered EVGA fans. Although it’s a hefty card, as PCPer points out, the design is slim enough that with some tweaks to the cooler you could turn this card into a single-slot solution for SLI systems.

Also separating this version of the 1080 Ti from its reference design and contemporaries is a unique I/O port selection on the rear. There are three mini-DisplayPort 1.3 connectors, alongside an HDMI 2.0 port and a dual-link DVI, adding in the legacy connector that some Nvidia fans missed when it was dropped from the reference 1080 Ti.

Although no pricing or availability information has yet been announced, the card is expected to go on sale toward the end of June or early July, with a price increase in the region of a few hundred dollars over the standard card.

Take part in OnePlus’ photo challenge to be the first to test the OnePlus 5

OnePlus is looking for mobile photography enthusiasts to test the OnePlus 5.

OnePlus is introducing a photo challenge ahead of the launch of the OnePlus 5 that allows ten people to get their hands on the upcoming flagship before it becomes available to the public. The company has already revealed that it is working with DxO to tune the camera on the OnePlus 5, and tweeted out an image teasing the camera’s capabilities:

Can you tell which photo was taken with the OnePlus 5? pic.twitter.com/Pd27la4ewn

— OnePlus (@oneplus) May 29, 2017

The manufacturer is now looking for mobile photography enthusiasts to test out the device’s camera prowess. To participate in the contest, all you need to do is follow OnePlus on Instagram, fill out the application form, and submit three photos from your Instagram account that were taken with a smartphone. Ten winners will receive the OnePlus 5, allowing them to test out the device before it makes its debut and give feedback to the company.

Interested in taking part? Hit the link below for more information about the challenge.

OnePlus Lab photo challenge

RaveVR lets you watch YouTube with friends in virtual reality

Can’t join your friends for the feature presentation? This Daydream- and Gear VR-compatible app lets you hop into a virtual room and view videos in tandem in real time.

Scoff if you will, but I’m a big believer that the propagation of virtual reality will eventually enhance the way we socialize online. I was first impressed by the concept when Mark Zuckerberg waxed poetic on the subject at Oculus Connect. I’ve since been yearning for those same people-on-people connections in virtual reality but haven’t found an app that could get my friends on board. Until I learned about RaveVR.

Rave (or WeMesh, as it was currently known) is actually a social video viewing platform — the Twitch of social viewing, if you will, though without the audience. It originated as a social viewing app for Android and iOS, and now there’s a separate virtual reality component for those who are equipped with a Daydream View or Gear VR. RaveVR enables you to watch video in tandem with people you know and with complete strangers. The only bummer with RaveVR is that when it comes to the actual social part, it’s a little lacking.

Real-time reality

Part of the appeal of RaveVR is that it works interchangeably across a variety of platforms.

Part of the appeal of RaveVR is that it works interchangeably across a variety of platforms, though there is more compatibility on the horizon. At present, you can sync up with your friends to watch content, even if you aren’t using the same mobile phones, though the video library that’s currently available might leave you wanting more. RaveVR currently pulls in content from YouTube, Vimeo, Reddit, and Viki, which is an overseas streaming network that offers a variety of Korean and Taiwanese shows, as well as Bollywood and anime. You can also pull in content from your personal Google Drive account, though I had quite a bit of trouble actually playing any of the video files I had stored there, including MP4s. It’s unfortunate, too, because Rave is the kind of app I could see using with my family to cycle through a bunch of vacation videos and whatnot.

This screenshot was taken in RaveVR…

And this screenshot was taken on a tablet running the stream at the same time.

One particular gem I discovered inside RaveVR is the ability to start a virtual karaoke room. Granted, a majority of the karaoke video links lead to the cheesiest third-party covers of popular songs, and not all of the videos offer lyrics or the full song, but the ability is there. I’d imagine this feature is even better with a microphone plugged in so that your friends can more clearly hear you.

The RaveVR app itself is easy to use with Daydream View and newcomers shouldn’t have an issue navigating around its interface. You start out on a launcher screen, like you would in the Daydream app, and then you choose whether to start a new rave or join in an existing one. To the left, there is a feed of content, including any public raves or local ones your friends might be hosting. Once you start or jump into a rave, a chat window will appear to the right, with the content set front and center. In my experience, I found RaveVR is best used while laying down in bed, because you’ll want to be comfortable.

A screenshot of what you see when you’re inside the RaveVR app.

If you’re the leader of the rave, you’ll be able to choose whether the session goes to auto play when the video is finished or whether the audience can vote on the next production. If you choose the latter, each participant can double tap on the video they want to watch next while the current video is playing. At the end of the show, you’ll be able to see what people voted for and choose what’s next on the list from there.

If you’re an attendee of someone else’s rave, you can’t skip forward or pause the production. However, you can chat at will, with the microphone built into the device. I was pleased at the lack of lag between when I spoke and when my voice was broadcasted. I sounded clear enough that the person on the other line could understand what it was I was ranting about, and I was impressed that this was all happening on my Wi-Fi network. All this took place in real time as the video was streaming ahead for me and another friend.

Where the people at?

RaveVR has a content problem.

The true test of RaveVR’s social aspect relies on how well it performs when there are more than just a few people watching the stream at a time, but there was hardly anyone to have a rave with. I was surprised at the relative lack of people to hang with. Part of the issue could be Rave’s content problem, however. There is no Hulu or Netflix, for instance, which is something I’d more likely use in my personal life; just imagine being in a giant virtual room of your closest pals for the season finale of one of your favorite shows — that’s the kind of interaction I yearn for from a social viewing app.

The RaveVR app on Daydream also isn’t completely devoid of bugs. There were several instances where RaveVR crashed and I’d have to kill the task and then relaunch the app again. There was also another instance where I couldn’t log in with my Twitter account, no matter how many times I authenticated it. But despite the minor hiccups, the concept is there. Rave just needs better content partners that would make it easy for early adopters like me to get their friends to participate.

With apps like RaveVR making their way into the Play Store, it feels like social virtual reality is right around the corner. I see Rave’s offerings as the beginning of something greater, at least in the sense of how we interact online. As lives become busier and loved ones have to move farther apart from one another, these virtual interactions will become precious social currency.

How to deal with Aim controller drift

Drift can be frustrating, but it’s easy to fix on the Aim controller.

You’re blasting through jumping arachnids, jumping to the left and then dodging to the right when you suddenly realize why your shots haven’t been taking out the little critters. Your gun seems to be drifting across the screen. If this has ever happened to you, then you know about the pain and frustration of dealing with controller drift while you are in the middle of gameplay.

It’s particularly frustrating with the Aim controller for PlayStation VR, but there are some things you can do to deal with it.

Read more at VRHeads.com

How to use Alexa’s to-do list

The brains behind your Amazon Echo can also manage your to-do list.

The beauty of using something like Alexa to manage your to-do list at all is the voice interaction. You suddenly think of something that you need to take care of later, but where’s your phone, or even a pad and pen?

Alexa can take down that note for you, and here’s how you use the to-do list feature.

• How to add to the to-do list
• How to get your to-do list from Alexa
• How to clear your to-do list
• Alexa to-do list in other apps

How to add to the to-do list

There are two ways. The first involves opening up the Alexa app on your phone, tablet or in your web browser.

Launch the Alexa app from your home screen or the app drawer.
Open the sidebar menu.
Tap or click on lists.
Select to-do and not shopping.
Add your to-do.

The other way is by asking Alexa to add something to your to-do list. It’s pretty simple, just say:

“Alexa, add (your to-do) to my to-do list.”

How to get your to-do list from Alexa

Naturally, if you can add your to-dos through Alexa, you can also hear them back or see them in the app. Follow steps 1 to 3 from above if you want to see a snapshot of your to-do list on your phone.

Alternatively, within earshot of your Echo simply say:

“Alexa, what’s on my to-do list?”

Alexa will now tell you how many items you have on your to-do list and read each of them out to you in turn.

How to clear your to-do list

Currently, this is the only part you can’t complete using your voice. If you ask Alexa to mark a to-do as complete or to clear your list, you’ll be told to go to the Alexa app.

So, grab your phone, tablet, or head into your browser and follow the steps listed above to navigate to your to-do list. Tap the checkbox next to each complete item, and you’ll then see it struck through. A delete button will present itself so you can clear out old tasks and keep it fresh for new ones.

Alexa will also display in the app what it heard if you used voice to add to-dos. This is handy to check if you’re getting errors, as it’ll highlight what was heard wrong.

Alexa to-do list in other apps

Your Alexa to-do list inside Any.do

Because Alexa is a platform that other services can hook into, your to-do list can also be integrated with other apps. One of these is Any.do, which has an option in settings to link your Amazon Alexa account.

Once you’ve done this, a dedicated Alexa to-do list will be created within the app, and anything you add or remove in Alexa will sync with Any.do. And vice-versa, anything you scratch off in Any.do will disappear from Alexa.

If you have a favorite app that integrates Alexa’s to-do list, be sure to drop it into the comments below.

Download Amazon Alexa from the Google Play Store

BlackBerry KeyOne: Release date, specs and everything else you need to know

Almost as soon as the BlackBerry Priv – the company’s first Android phone – launched in 2015, there were rumours circulating about another Android-powered smartphone. At the time it was codenamed Vienna, which made complete sense following on from the Priv which was code-named Venice. 

Since then, the phone was referred to with codename Rome, and more recently, Mercury. As it happens, the phone didn’t even follow on in the numbering sequence of the currently official BlackBerry-branded Android phones. Instead, we have the KeyOne. 

• Blackberry KeyOne preview: Fingerprint scanner and QWERTY keyboard for BB’s next flagship

In true BlackBerry style, the KeyOne looks to offer a physical keyboard, a uniquely BlackBerry offering when paired with the Android operating system.

BlackBerry KeyOne: Display

Unlike classic BlackBerry handsets the screen won’t be square but adopt a more regular touchscreen aspect. Rather than 16:9 like most displays, it’s 3:2, just like a report from Venture Beat suggested it would be. In other words: get ready for some heavy letter-boxing on your videos. 

As well as having a slightly shorter display, it measures just 4.5-inches diagonally but still packs in a panel with full HD resolution. That’s a resolution of 1620 x 1080, with an impressive pixel density of 434 pixels per inch. It’s LCD, meaning it won’t have the contrast and saturation of the AMOLED panels, but it’s still sharp and natural. 

BlackBerry KeyOne: Design

Thanks to getting our hands on it in an early preview, we’ve been aware of the KeyOne’s design and build for some time, and it’s somewhat unorthodox, which could be a good or bad thing.  

Unlike the Priv, the KeyOne doesn’t have a sliding display, and doesn’t look like a traditional candybar all-touch device either. Instead, it resembles a stretched out version of the Silver Edition BlackBerry Passport.

Pocket-lint

Like traditional BlackBerry phones, and unlike the Priv, the KeyOne also has metal frets in between the four rows of keys on the physical keyboard. This helps space out the keys to make typing easier, as well as giving it a solid feel. Above the keys, below the display, there’s the traditional Android trio of capacitive buttons. 

As you’d expect, the keys are sculpted to make them easier to type on and, surprisingly, the space bar doubles as a home button and fingerprint scanner. 

According to the earliest mock-ups from CrackBerry it seemed like BlackBerry would release four colour variants: silver, grey, green and red. Sadly, between then and now, BlackBerry decided to stick with the combination that served so well on the Silver Edition Passport. It even has the textured black plastic back which feels great. 

The frame is really well rounded, giving it a comfortable in-hand feel, and the volume rocker and Convenience Key are pretty low down, and easy to reach. Like Alcatels though, the power button is way out of reach on the top left corner. 

Pocket-lint

The KeyOne also has a fairly industrial looking top panel, above the screen, which looks very similar to the Passport Silver Edition. That means that, although it looks nicely curved around the edges and on the bottom, the top is completely flat and angular.

This top edge features just a 3.5mm jack, while the bottom edge plays home to the Type-C port and the two grilles which cover the microphone and loudspeaker. 

On the whole, it feels big, but the styling and material choices mean it doesn’t feel out of balance, and it does feel very well built. 

BlackBerry KeyOne: Hardware specs

As had been suggested before the official announcement, the BlackBerry KeyOne is be equipped with a mid-tier Snapdragon 625 processor, as well as 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. This rumour was originally spotted as an entry on Geekbench, the benchmark testing website, showing exactly those specifications, months before the phone was official. 

Pocket-lint

From those specs, it’s clear this definitely won’t be the flagship of BlackBerry’s future product lineup. But, for many BlackBerry fans, it’ll be the only one they consider. It’s the most BlackBerry-like BlackBerry the company has launched since the Classic a couple of years ago, and the first “proper” BlackBerry running Android. 

Thanks to the optimisations in Android 7.1 – which comes loaded on the KeyOne – the 3,505mAh battery should be more than enough to handle a full day’s use, if not two, and the processor shouldn’t have trouble dealing with any regular daily activities. 

Pocket-lint

Even when the battery does run out, eventually, the Quick Charge 3.0 support means you’ll get a half-full battery with just 36 minutes plugged in to the wall. 

BlackBerry KeyOne: Camera

Early rumours had claimed that we should expect to see an 18-megapixel rear camera in the KeyOne, similar to the Priv which – although not incredible – was easily the best camera we’d seen in a BlackBerry up until that point. Those rumours didn’t pan out. 

BlackBerry has equipped the KeyOne with a 12-megapixel camera with PDAF capable of shooting 4K video, with image and video stabilisation. The front camera has gone with 8-megapixels, but with larger pixels to draw in more light for those selfies in nightclubs everyone is so fond of taking. Like the rear camera, it can shoot panorama, burst photos and make use of the phone’s live filters. 

BlackBerry KeyOne: Release date and price

BlackBerry’s next QWERTY-equipped smartphone is now available in the UK as an exclusive from Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street until 5 May. After that, it will be available nationwide from Carphone Warehouse stores.

In the UK, it’s going to cost £499, while EU residents will need to cough up €599 for the latest BlackBerry. As for those in the US, the KeyOne could be yours for $549, when it’s available to buy from 31 May. 

READ: Blackberry KeyOne preview: Fingerprint scanner and QWERTY keyboard for BB’s next flagship

Nvidia Max-Q could ensure your next monster gaming laptop has MacBook looks

After announcing a new standard for hardcore gaming PCs last week, tagging them as GeForce GTX Battle Boxes, Nvidia has followed up with a unifying design standard for gaming laptops.

Nvidia Max-Q is a design approach that major gaming laptop manufacturers will adopt for a series of Nvidia card-packed gaming notebooks.

They will be powerful and designed with gaming firmly at the forefront, but will also be MacBook thin and useable as a great, travel anywhere, multipurpose laptop.

Max-Q gaming laptops will sport GeForce GTX 1080, 1070 or 1060 graphics processing, which will ensure they run games at their best. However, the design aesthetic will be different to many massive gaming devices currently on the market.

Nvidia

They will be engineered with sophisticated thermal and electrical design in order to maintain a thin footprint yet keep cool and quite in operation.

Nvidia’s proprietary WhisperMode technology will also ensure a Max-Q laptop runs quietly. It paces a game’s frame rate while adjusting graphics settings to optimise power efficiency. WhisperMode will also be available for other gaming laptops, including existing models that run GeForce Experience as it will be available as an update.

Manufacturers signed on to produce Max-Q machines include Acer, Asus, Alienware, Gigabyte, Lenovo and MSI. There is a long list of other partners, including many specialists too.

Max-Q gaming laptops will start to appear on the market from 27 June. Pricing will vary depending on specs and manufacturer.

WD’s next-gen SSDs add even more speed and capacity

Hard disk specialist Western Digital (WD) acquired SSD maker SanDisk last year for a colossal $19 billion, and now we’re getting some idea as to its strategy. The company unveiled two new lineups — branded under each company’s names — that feature the first SSDs to use 64-layer 3D NAND chips developed by SanDisk. The new, higher capacity chips will allow for “lower power consumption and higher performance, endurance and capacities,” Western Digital wrote in its press release.

The two lines, WD Blue and SanDisk Ultra 3D, are identical capacity-wise, use the same controllers and have identical performance specs — though WD Blue also offers a M.2 2280 device that SanDisk doesn’t. All of the 256GB drives, both in 2.5-inch and M.2 formats, start at a very reasonable $100. They also come in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB sizes, but WD hasn’t listed prices for those items yet. That information will be particularly interesting, since the drives require fewer chips than rival SSDs, which will hopefully drive down the prices.

As for the performance, it’s pretty, pretty good. The larger capacity devices can read at 550 MB/s and write 560 MB/s, and the 256GB SSD is just a touch slower (550 MB/s and 525 MB/s). Perhaps more importantly, all products have a mean time to failure (MTTF) of 1.75 million hours. WD says that’s “industry-leading,” but it falls behind some products, including Samsung’s (more expensive) 850 Pro, which sports a two million hour MTBF.

WD gave a pretty good clue as to why it’s offering identical products under different labels. “Between our two strong brands in SanDisk and WD, and their respective loyal customer bases and distribution channels, these advanced SSDs will appeal to a very broad [range of consumers],” said WD CEO Mike Cordano. In other words, WD has huge stores of goodwill in both brands, and it’s not willing to give that up to save some marketing costs.

Source: Western Digital