Intel’s newest Kaby Lake-X and Skylake-X CPUs coming as soon as this month

Why it matters to you

Intel and AMD are competing like crazy in making faster and cheaper CPUs, and your next PC will be more powerful because of it.

The CPU wars have heated up recently, with AMD releasing its Ryzen chips based on its new Zen architecture and Intel responding with some price cuts and by accelerating its plans for faster Core processors. Now, Intel has announced a roadmap at E3 2017 for some of its most powerful CPUs ever.

Specifically, Intel will be releasing its X299 chipset and a number of Kaby Lake-X and Skylake-X processors to go with it that should better position it to compete with AMD’s fastest options. The new products should start arriving on June 19, 2017 and then continue to roll out through the summer and into the fall.

The new Core-X processor family will offer between four and 16 cores with multithreading and will support the most advanced technologies such as its Intel’s Optane memory, Thunderbolt 3, and faster RAM. And as Anandtech reports, a range of new CPUs will be available starting on June 26, 2017 as part of Intel’s Basin Falls X299 platform:

i5-7640X
i7-7740X
i7-7800X
i7-7820X
i9-7900X
Cores:
4 Cores/4 Threads
4 Cores/8 Threads
6 Cores/12 Threads
8 Cores/16 Threads
10 Cores/20 Threads
Base Clock:
4.0GHz
4.3GHz
3.5GHz
3.6GHz
3.3GHz
Turbo Clock:
4.2GHz
4.5GHz
4.0GHz
4.3GHz
4.3GHz
TurboMax Clock:
N/A
N/A
N/A
4.5GHz
4.5GHz
L2 Cache:
256KB per core
256KB per core
1MB per core
1MB per core
1MB per core
L3 Cache:
6MB
8MB
8.25MB
11MB
13.75MB
PCIe Lanes:
16
16
28
28
44
RAM Channels:
2
2
4
4
4
Memory Speed:
DDR4-2666MHz
DDR4-2666MHz
DDR4-2400MHz
DDR4-2666MHz
DDR4-2666MHz
TDP:
112 watts
112 watts
140 watts
140 watts
140 watts
Price:
$242
$339
$389
$599
$999

In addition, Intel is expected to start shipping 12-core processors in August and then 14, 16, and 18-core CPUs in October. That will allow the company to compete more directly with AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper chips with 16 cores that are due to ship over the summer. Many of these parts are multithreaded, meaning that we’re looking at processors with between four and 36 threads, which will provide for some serious computing power on the desktop.

If you’re building a new PC, then you have a dizzying array of new CPUs to choose from. Given AMD’s upcoming Vega GPUs and Nvidia’s inevitable response, building a new PC any time in the next year is going to involve a number of important choices. It’s great, however, that all of this competition is going to result in even more powerful PCs for less money.

Text messages could be tech’s hidden weapon in the fight against diabetes

Why it matters to you

Technology can clearly play a valuable role in keeping people engaged with their medical treatment.

There are all kinds of high-tech tools aimed at helping deal with Type 2 diabetes, but it turns out that one incredibly helpful, low-cost solution may be one that most of us have been using without thinking for years: The humble text message.

In a study carried out by researchers at the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute, a group of 63 low-income Hispanics with diabetes received daily health-related text messages for a period of six months. The reason for focusing on Hispanics in the study is that they face a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes — with 13.9 percent of the population affected, compared with 7.6 percent for non-Hispanic whites. Participants in the study were either uninsured or received coverage through Medi-Cal. The majority were middle-aged, female, and had received less than a ninth-grade education.

Over the course of the investigation, each participant received a total of 354 messages, sent to their own phones. Sample texts included messages like: “Use small plates! Portions will look larger and you may feel more satisfied after eating,” or “It takes a team! Get the support you need — family, friends and support groups can help you to succeed.”

Impressively, the participants in the study saw similar improvements to blood sugar levels to those that would be the result of certain glucose-lowering medications. Participants who texted in their blood glucose levels were more likely to have better A1C measures, reflecting average blood sugar levels for the past two to three months than other study group participants who texted back less often.

After the trial, 96 percent of the study group said that the texts they received helped them manage their diabetes “a lot.” Ninety-seven percent said that they would recommend a similar program to friends and family members.

The research suggests that text messages can act as a positive, low-cost method of increasing adherence and engagement in medical treatment. It is also presumably a positive piece of research for the makers of wearable wellness devices, who can use this as proof positive that the health-modifying “nudges” sent by devices can have a big impact on improving people’s well-being.

Text messages could be tech’s hidden weapon in the fight against diabetes

Why it matters to you

Technology can clearly play a valuable role in keeping people engaged with their medical treatment.

There are all kinds of high-tech tools aimed at helping deal with Type 2 diabetes, but it turns out that one incredibly helpful, low-cost solution may be one that most of us have been using without thinking for years: The humble text message.

In a study carried out by researchers at the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute, a group of 63 low-income Hispanics with diabetes received daily health-related text messages for a period of six months. The reason for focusing on Hispanics in the study is that they face a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes — with 13.9 percent of the population affected, compared with 7.6 percent for non-Hispanic whites. Participants in the study were either uninsured or received coverage through Medi-Cal. The majority were middle-aged, female, and had received less than a ninth-grade education.

Over the course of the investigation, each participant received a total of 354 messages, sent to their own phones. Sample texts included messages like: “Use small plates! Portions will look larger and you may feel more satisfied after eating,” or “It takes a team! Get the support you need — family, friends and support groups can help you to succeed.”

Impressively, the participants in the study saw similar improvements to blood sugar levels to those that would be the result of certain glucose-lowering medications. Participants who texted in their blood glucose levels were more likely to have better A1C measures, reflecting average blood sugar levels for the past two to three months than other study group participants who texted back less often.

After the trial, 96 percent of the study group said that the texts they received helped them manage their diabetes “a lot.” Ninety-seven percent said that they would recommend a similar program to friends and family members.

The research suggests that text messages can act as a positive, low-cost method of increasing adherence and engagement in medical treatment. It is also presumably a positive piece of research for the makers of wearable wellness devices, who can use this as proof positive that the health-modifying “nudges” sent by devices can have a big impact on improving people’s well-being.

Here’s how to check for old 32-bit apps that won’t work with iOS 11

Apple unveiled iOS 11 at WWDC, giving us a taste of what’s to come with the latest iteration of iOS. From the new Control Center to various drag-and-drop components, iOS 11 looks to bring a lot of features and enhancements to the company’s popular mobile platform. The bad news, however, is that not all of Apple’s mobile devices — and older apps — will be able to run iOS 11.

If you recently downloaded an app and saw a message after you opened it telling you that the app will not work on future versions of iOS, they weren’t joking. Apple will drop support for all 32-bit devices and apps when iOS 11 officially lands in the fall. If you’re running any 32-bit apps, they won’t work once you update to iOS 11. So how do you figure out if your favorite app utilizes 32-bit architecture? Here’s an easy, step-by-step guide on how to check.

Checking for 32-bit apps

Step 1: Go to Settings > General > About.

Step 2: Tap Applications.

Step 3: If you have any 32-bit apps, they will show here. If nothing happens when you tap Applications, then that means you have no 32-bit apps installed on your iPhone or iPad. If you see any apps listed here, we suggest you find another app that essentially does the same thing. These 32-bit apps aren’t likely to be updated, and once you update to iOS 11, they will stop working.

What about my iPhone or iPad?

Just like apps, if you’re holding on to an older iPhone or iPad, you will not be able to run iOS 11. Apple’s upcoming operating system will only support 64-bit devices, which is why 32-bit apps simply won’t work. Before you begin to panic, however, let’s see if your device made the list of supported devices.

iOS 11-supported iPhones:

• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
• iPhone 6S and 6S Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 5S

iOS 11-supported iPads:

• iPad (5th Generation, 2017 model)
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad Pro (12 , 10.5, and 9.7-inch models)
• iPad Mini 2 and later

iOS 11-supported iPods:

If you happen to have a 6th-gen iPod touch, then you’re in luck — you’ve made it to the list as well.

If you’re an owner of an older, 32-bit device that didn’t make the cut, 2017 will be an important year for you. If these older iOS devices are not the ones you primarily use on a day-to-day basis, then you can re-purpose them and turn them into a variety of convenient smart home gadgets. But what if you still rely on the old device?

Having the latest version of an operating system is not just important for all the nifty features that come along with it, but also for your security. As an operating system gets updated, all the security holes and vulnerabilities get fixed. Such being the case, this may be the year when those of you with older iOS devices have to jump ship and opt for a newer device. Now you just have to choose the platform you want to go with this time around.

Nvidia bundling ‘Destiny 2’ with GeForce GTX 10 Series cards for a limited time

Why it matters to you

Nvidia wants you to reap the full benefits of its GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics card by bundling it with Bungie’s upcoming Destiny 2 for PC.

With all the preshow announcements out of the way, Nvidia is now announcing that it teamed up with Activision and Bungie to bundle Destiny 2 with select GeForce GTX 10 Series cards for a limited time. The PC version doesn’t actually arrive until October 24, but Activision plans to launch a beta sometime in August. Purchase one of Nvidia’s cards in the promotion, and you’ll get early access to that beta.

According to Nvidia, the promotion only includes the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti ($700) and the vanilla GTX 1080 ($550). That also means purchasing new desktops and laptops with one of these two graphics chips inside qualifies for the free game. However, the offer won’t last long, as it starts June 13 at 6 a.m. PT and ends on June 27.

Bungie chose the GTX 1080 Ti to showcase Destiny 2 running in Ultra HD on the PC during its worldwide reveal.

Nvidia worked with Activision and Bungie to bring the Destiny franchise to the PC in the upcoming sequel. Obviously, the game will be optimized to run on the company’s complete GeForce GTX 10 Series family, not just the two in the Destiny 2 giveaway. However, Bungie chose the GTX 1080 Ti to showcase Destiny 2 running in Ultra HD on the PC during its worldwide reveal.

“Nvidia’s collaboration started early in the game development process,” Nvidia says. “The company’s engineers lent expertise and gave Bungie access to game development resources and tools. As the game’s launch approaches, Nvidia and Bungie are working to tune performance and assure that gamers will have support for features and technologies only offered on the GeForce GTX PC gaming platform.”

Destiny 2 will reap in the benefits of what the PC platform can bring, such as uncapped framerates, full mouse and keyboard support, 21:9 aspect ratio support, advanced graphics tweaking, an Ultra HD resolution, and so on. The multiplayer aspect will be handled by Blizzard’s Battle.net network (aka the Blizzard App now), which was previously exclusive to Blizzard’s game portfolio such as Diablo III, World of Warcraft, and StarCraft II.

Currently the specific launch date for the Destiny 2 beta is unknown. However, Activision will provide early access to a closed beta for PC gamers that pre-purchase the game followed by an open beta for the non-ordering crowd. For prepurchase customers, the first-party retailer will provide a key just before the closed beta goes live in August.

Destiny fans can get into the beta from all three platforms: PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Activision provides an order form here to pre-purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Digital Standard Edition, the Collector’s Edition, and more. The version bundled with Nvidia’s two GeForce cards are presumably the Digital Standard Edition.

Destiny 2 hits the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on September 8, 2017. The PC version won’t arrive until October 24, and we bet it will be worth the extra wait. For additional E3 2017 coverage, head here.

Here’s how to check for old 32-bit apps that won’t work with iOS 11

Apple unveiled iOS 11 at WWDC, giving us a taste of what’s to come with the latest iteration of iOS. From the new Control Center to various drag-and-drop components, iOS 11 looks to bring a lot of features and enhancements to the company’s popular mobile platform. The bad news, however, is that not all of Apple’s mobile devices — and older apps — will be able to run iOS 11.

If you recently downloaded an app and saw a message after you opened it telling you that the app will not work on future versions of iOS, they weren’t joking. Apple will drop support for all 32-bit devices and apps when iOS 11 officially lands in the fall. If you’re running any 32-bit apps, they won’t work once you update to iOS 11. So how do you figure out if your favorite app utilizes 32-bit architecture? Here’s an easy, step-by-step guide on how to check.

Checking for 32-bit apps

Step 1: Go to Settings > General > About.

Step 2: Tap Applications.

Step 3: If you have any 32-bit apps, they will show here. If nothing happens when you tap Applications, then that means you have no 32-bit apps installed on your iPhone or iPad. If you see any apps listed here, we suggest you find another app that essentially does the same thing. These 32-bit apps aren’t likely to be updated, and once you update to iOS 11, they will stop working.

What about my iPhone or iPad?

Just like apps, if you’re holding on to an older iPhone or iPad, you will not be able to run iOS 11. Apple’s upcoming operating system will only support 64-bit devices, which is why 32-bit apps simply won’t work. Before you begin to panic, however, let’s see if your device made the list of supported devices.

iOS 11-supported iPhones:

• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
• iPhone 6S and 6S Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 5S

iOS 11-supported iPads:

• iPad (5th Generation, 2017 model)
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad Pro (12 , 10.5, and 9.7-inch models)
• iPad Mini 2 and later

iOS 11-supported iPods:

If you happen to have a 6th-gen iPod touch, then you’re in luck — you’ve made it to the list as well.

If you’re an owner of an older, 32-bit device that didn’t make the cut, 2017 will be an important year for you. If these older iOS devices are not the ones you primarily use on a day-to-day basis, then you can re-purpose them and turn them into a variety of convenient smart home gadgets. But what if you still rely on the old device?

Having the latest version of an operating system is not just important for all the nifty features that come along with it, but also for your security. As an operating system gets updated, all the security holes and vulnerabilities get fixed. Such being the case, this may be the year when those of you with older iOS devices have to jump ship and opt for a newer device. Now you just have to choose the platform you want to go with this time around.

A.I. email assistant Astro integrates Slack, Amazon Alexa to organize emails

Why it matters to you

With the integration of Slack and Amazon Alexa, Astro can help you keep your email inbox organized through just a single app.

Astro — an email assistant that brings both Gmail and Office 365 together into one app — officially rolled out integrations with Slack and Amazon Alexa, giving you more ways to incorporate email into your everyday life (regardless of how much you’re avoiding answering them).

Astro offers common email features to help manage your inbox, including reminders to answer them at a later time. It also tracks which emails have been opened and schedules others. But the main difference between Astro and other email clients is that it uses AI to track your behavior for a more personalized and tailored experience.

The app also includes Astrobot, which acts as your personal, built-in email assistant. It sends you reminders, detects questions from your emails, and offers insights on suggested emails to get rid of.

With the integration of Slack, Astro now sends your emails in the form of a direct message between you and Astrobot. The interface gives you options to reply, archive, or delete emails without having to exit the messaging platform. You can also interact with the bot by asking it to remind you to answer emails later or schedule phone calls.

Although you can’t send messages to Slack through the Astro app,  you can search to find results that combine both your email and Slack history, as well as send emails to a Slack channel or a direct message.

For Amazon Alexa users, the integration acts no differently in decluttering your emails except that it’s hands-free. By downloading Astrobot through Amazon, it can comb through any junk mail and read priority or starred emails to help save time. Even though the bot doesn’t offer custom replies just yet, you can still respond to emails through short phrases on the list of quick replies like “Be there shortly.”

When Astro launched in March, it first set out to dissolve the tricky interface and confusing buttons found in most modern email apps. By adding Slack and Amazon Alexa, Astro is clearly working on integrating software and products used specifically to improve work flows and keep people more organized.  The app is free to download and currently available on iOS and Android.

Instagram’s biggest users don’t properly label sponsored posts, study shows

Why it matters to you

Users should take note that Instagram posts promoting a product may not always be properly labeled as a sponsored post.

Sure, Instagram has its own advertising option, but marketing from “influencer” profiles is a billion dollar industry. It’s also an industry that does not always follow the rules, according to a recent study from Mediakix. An analysis of Instagram’s 50 accounts with the most followers showed that only seven percent of the posts followed the Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

Tracking the top 50 accounts over the course of one month, 30 of which used sponsored posts, 93 percent did not appear to be compliant with the FTC guidelines. The organization says that whenever a post is the result of some sort of material connection — such as a free product or payment — the post must clearly be labeled as an advertisement. The FTC says both #ad and #sponsored as well as text labels like “sponsored by” are fine, but some brands use a less clear tag such as #sp. The label is also supposed to appear close to the post, not buried in the middle of a long list of hashtags.

The study only considered the top 50 Instagram influencers, a little over half which use sponsored posts. The profiles combined have 2.5 billion followers, seeing an average of 45 posts from each account every month. Around seven percent of those posts were sponsored, but the study showed out of that seven percent, 93 percent did not appear to be FTC-compliant.

The advertisers sponsoring the posts were largely made up by fashion brands at around 61 percent. Travel followed as the second biggest category, making up eight percent of sponsored posts, while food and drink, miscellaneous, apps, beauty, automotive and electronics are an even smaller piece of the pie.

“It’s easy to write off infractions as ‘just hashtags,’ but these disclosures may have profound and far-reaching effects on consumers and the influencer marketing industry,” Mediakix wrote. “Instagram and other social media platforms are seeing more activity from advertisers, which means that users’ feeds are seeing more native advertising and sponsored influencer content than ever before.”

The marketing company noted that earlier studies have shown that many users actually do not mind sponsored posts, particularly younger users.

The Anova Nano Precision Cooker is now available for pre-order for under $90

Update: The Anova Nano Precision Cooker is now available for pre-order, and if you act fast, you can get it for under $90. 

You may not have a Michelin star (yet), but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook as though you do. And while equipping your kitchen with the tools to make a five-star meal may have once been outside your budget, that’s no longer the case thanks to the Anova and its newest product, the Anova Nano. This little device aims to make sous vide cooking accessible to home cooks everywhere, and will have a price tag of just $99. That’s less than half the cost of a one-person meal at Le Bernardin.

The new Anova Nano is now available for pre-order at the special price of $90 ($10 less than MSRP), and builds upon the company’s previous larger (and more expensive) offering. The Nano promises to be just as effective as the original Anova Precision Cooker, but a lot more accessible. “Since day one, we’ve believed that everyone should have the ability to cook like a pro with access to easy-to-use, pro-level cooking tools,” said Anova Culinary CEO and Co-founder Stephen Svajian. “We’ve seen competitors enter the market with cheaper products, but we are committed to maintaining quality and precision at a reasonable price. We will not sacrifice quality, ever.”

Along with the new Nano, Anova is also debuting a new and improved Anova Culinary App, which comes with new MultiStep and MultiCook features. The former allows you to tell the Nano to raise or lower the cooking time and temperature for different parts of your meal, whereas the latter allows you to keep tabs on multiple Anova Precision Cookers at the same time.

“Precise temperature control is key to sous vide cooking. That’s why we’ve engineered the Nano with the same level of quality and precision that you’ve come to expect from Anova to ensure that your steak is done exactly how you like it every time, no exceptions,” Said John Van den Nieuwenhuizen, Vice President of Design at Anova Culinary. “The Precision Cooker Nano is super-compact, Bluetooth-enabled, and provides users with precision down to the tenth of a degree.”

A technique commonly found in the world’s best restaurants, sous vide cooking, which translates literally as “under vacuum” in French, allows you to cook your food evenly at a precise temperature, delivering “super-juicy, flavor-packed results from edge to edge, every time,” Anova promises. And with the device maker’s products, cooking sous vide is easier than ever — simply attach the Anova to a pot of water, place your food items in a sealable bag, then set the time and temperature. You’ll be notified when your meal is ready by way of the companion smartphone app.

Ultimately, Anova spokeswoman Jordan Houston noted, “[The Nano is] something people can start off with and explore,” and will likely serve to pique customers’ interest in more advanced cooking techniques.

So if you’ve been looking for a way to spice up your dinner parties this new year, you may want to consider adding a new technique and new tool to your kitchen with the Anova Nano.

Using a heatsink can help with Daydream overheating

A heatsink can help with overheating problems.

Nobody wants to deal with problems when they are in the middle of an awesome VR game, but unfortunately from time to time they do occur. One of the most common issues for VR headsets that run off of a phone, is overheating. Your phone ends up working too hard and heating up too much, and when it hits a certain point, it will turn itself off, booting you out of VR in the process. Thankfully, there is something you can do to help this problem.

Read more at VRHeads.com