Microsoft confirms Redstone 5 as Windows 10 October 2018 Update
Microsoft confirmed during the IFA 2018 show that the next major update to Windows 10 will officially be called Windows 10 October 2018 Update. Internally dubbed as Redstone 5, the update will bring a new set of features, including a retooled Game Bar and a revamped version of Notepad.
Leaked benchmark shows the RTX 2080 outperforming the GTX 1080 Ti
A supposed leaked benchmark shows that Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card outperforms the current GeForce GTX 1080 Ti in the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark. Note that this performance is a meat-and-potatoes comparison between the two using the current Time Spy benchmark, ignoring ray tracing.
Dell’s new Inspiron 2-in-1 PCs, premium Inspiron 2-in-1 Chromebook debut at IFA
Dell headed to the IFA 2018 convention in Berlin with lots of new products in tow, including new Inspiron 7000 and 5000 2-in1s. The company also introduced a new Inspiron-branded 2-in-1 based on Google’s Chrome OS platform. All three families stem from eighth-generation Intel Core processors.
The upcoming Acer Predator Triton 900 laptop has a display that flips
Although it wasn’t included in Acer’s product announcements during IFA 2018, the company provided a sneak peek for a gaming laptop called the Predator Triton 900. We don’t know any hardware specifics just yet, only that it sports a unique display frame that enables you to “flip” the screen.
Designed to engulf players, Acer’s Predator Thronos is a titan of a gaming chair
Part of Acer’s gaming lineup during the IFA 2018 convention is the Predator Thronos Gaming Chair. Although the name resembles that of an evil, world-killing villain, this chair is just as titanic in nature as it cradles the player while simultaneously wielding three monitors and a tower desktop.
Australian student hacks into Apple, steals 90GB of data because he’s a ‘fan’
A 16-year-old private school student in Melbourne, Australia broke into Apple’s network multiple times for an entire year to download 90GB of “secure” data and access customer accounts. He did this because he was a "fan" and even admitted to the police that working for Apple was his “dream job.”
Touchpad on the new Asus ZenBook Flip turns into an LED-illuminated NumberPad
If the traditional laptop isn’t your cup of tea, Asus introduced two new ZenBook Flip 2-in-1s during the IFA 2018 convention in Berlin. Both are based on Intel’s new 8th-gen Whiskey Lake CPUs launched this week. The larger 15.6-inch model adds a discrete GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q graphics chip.
Updated Apple patent suggests MacBook Pro will eventually sport touchscreens
A patent application indicates that the MacBook Pro may eventually include a touchscreen. The hint stems from a patent describing wireless charging between two or more devices. Illustrations show a mobile phone and smartwatch physically resting in a laptop’s touchpad area, receiving a charge.
New Apple MacBook may appear in September at $1,200
Apple may reveal new products in September including an entry-level 13-inch MacBook based on Intel’s seventh-generation processors. Industry sources claim Apple originally intended these units to rely on Intel’s upcoming 10nm “Cannon Lake” processors, but Intel delayed mass production of these chips.
Asus taps into Intel’s new ‘Whiskey Lake’ CPUs to power its latest ZenBooks
Asus introduced three new ZenBooks during the IFA 2018 conference in Berlin. All three are based on eighth-generation Intel Core processors released this week along with discrete Nvidia graphics. They also sport super-thin profiles measuring up to 0.70 of an inch and infrared cameras.
New Asus ZenBook S promises up to 20 hours of life without a Snapdragon chip
Asus introduced the latest ZenBook S model during the IFA 2018 convention in Berlin. This version will ship in variants based on two eighth-generation Intel Whiskey Lake processors that made their debut this week. It promises up to 20 hours of use on a single charge without a Snapdragon chip.
Samsung’s external X5 SSD blazes like the stick-shaped drive in your desktop
Samsung introduced its very first external NVMe-based solid-state drive: The Samsung Portable SSD X5. It requires a Thunderbolt 3 connection, meaning your files will transfer to and from the drive at up to 40Gbps. The X5 targets professionals and content designers who need a fast, durable drive.
Older Chromebooks may not run Linux programs due to outdated software
Not all Chromebooks will support Linux software when the feature comes to Chrome OS later this year. Fourteen devices may be excluded from the list including Google’s own Chromebook Pixel introduced in 2015. The list consists of four models from Acer, four models from Asus, two from AOpen, and more.
Qualcomm Snapdragon reportedly Microsoft’s first choice for Surface Go CPU
Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott claims that the company originally intended to use Qualcomm’s ARM-based Snapdragon processor in its new Surface Go. But Intel supposedly caught wind of the move and offered “deep discounts” on its Pentium Gold processor that Microsoft simply could not refuse.
Oculus ‘Santa Cruz’ VR headset may arrive in the first quarter of 2019
Oculus may formally introduce a mid-tier VR headset during the Oculus Connect 5 conference on September 26th and 27th. This is an assumption based on a response regarding the “Santa Cruz” headset that sources now claim will arrive in the first quarter of 2019. Oculus wouldn’t comment on the rumor.
Here’s how to watch Nvidia’s GeForce event at Gamescom
Today is August 20, and that means Nvidia is getting ready to (possibly) showcase its GeForce RTX 20 Series of add-in graphics cards for gamers. We’re sticking with that name, rather than the previous GTX 11 Series brand, due to today’s date and the introduction of Nvidia’s “Turing” architecture.
Asus gets ‘tough’ on gamers using two TUF Gaming FX laptops built for abuse
If you’re looking for a “tough” gaming laptop that won’t set your wallet on fire, Asus introduces two new solutions under its TUF Gaming FX banner. The FX505 dons a 15.6-inch screen while the FX705 sports a 17.3-inch screen, both of which support a Full HD resolution with up to a 144Hz refresh rate.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 850 chip appears in benchmarks with improved performance
A benchmark for Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 850 processor show a less-than-stellar increase in multi-core performance over the previous 835 chip. Introduced in June, the Snapdragon 850 promises up to 30 percent better performance, yet benchmarks show that leap applies to single-core numbers.
Nvidia’s Turing chip reinvents computer graphics (but not for gaming)
Nvidia introduced its latest graphics chip design called “Turing” during the SIGGRAPH 2018 conference. Rumored to be the foundation of Nvidia’s next family of GeForce cards, the company instead showcased its new design in Quadro RTX-branded cards: The Quadro RTX 8000, the RTX 6000 and the RTX 5000.
Arm’s future CPU designs may finally catch up with Intel in laptops by 2020
Arm publicly disclosed its CPU road map for the first time on Thursday, covering chip designs that will be released through 2020. Typically disclosed under an NDA, the company came forward with its plans to show how its CPU designs will advance the always-on, always-connected laptop experience.
Intel serves up ‘Bean Canyon’ NUCs revved with ‘Coffee Lake’ CPUs
Looking for a super-compact PC for streaming media that doesn’t break the bank? Intel updated its NUC family with its new “Bean Canyon” kits. Currently, there are five with a starting price of $300 packing eighth-generation Intel Core CPUs. But you’ll also still need memory, storage, and an operating system.
The Andromeda botnet still lingers as nations struggle to clean infected PCs
A report published by Fortinet suggests that although the FBI and European law enforcement ended the Andromeda botnet’s reign in late 2017, there are still systems infected with the malware. The process of cleaning up the infected PCs isn’t progressing at the same pace across various regions.
Steam survey shows PC gamers are still mostly playing in 1080p and lower
Valve Software’s latest hardware and software survey for July reveals that 63.72 percent of Steam’s registered members still play games with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Even more, 13.33 percent of Steam’s gamers play at 1,366 x 768 while only 1.14 percent are playing at 3,840 x 2,160.
Intel’s ninth-generation CPUs could launch on October 1
New rumors suggest that Intel could launch its new-generation CPUs as soon as October 1, bringing the 9900K, 9700K, and 9600K chips to consumers eager for more power and better multithreaded support. This rumor backs up slides seen earlier this year that suggested Intel's new chips would debut in late 2018.
AMD’s new 32-core Ryzen Threadripper chip is out, and you can get one for free
AMD’s new 32-core Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX desktop CPU is now available for a hefty $1,800. It’s compatible with motherboards packing the TR4 socket and the X399 chipset. The only other new Threadripper chip arriving this month will be the 16-core Threadripper 2950X, which costs half the price.
Intel’s ruler-shaped SSD packs 32TB of storage, aims to redesign servers
Intel now provides what it deems as the world’s densest and totally silent solid-state drive, but you’ll never install it in your desktop PC. Instead, it’s a long device resembling an old 12-inch ruler that’s designed to bring 32TB of speedy storage to data centers. It joins two other “ruler” SSDs.
Lenovo’s new mobile workstations pack a punch with Xeon CPUs, Quadro graphics
Lenovo introduced two new mobile workstations arriving at the end of August that are based on eighth-generation Intel Core and Xeon processors. The ThinkPad P1 is the thinnest of the two, measuring 0.7 inches while the bigger ThinkPad P72 is thicker at 1 inch. Both support huge amounts of system memory.
Network routers with roaming enabled are likely susceptible to a new attack
Jens Steube discovered a new method to break into network routers. He was researching new ways to attack the WPA3 security standard but stumbled onto an attack technique capable of cracking hashed passwords based on the Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK) security standard.