PC gamers subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for PC or the pricier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier will need to wait just a little while longer until they have access to EA Play on Windows machines. Today, Microsoft announced that EA Play would arrive on PC as part of Xbox Game Pass sometime in 2021. Originally, the partnership was supposed to go into effect today.
“We established this partnership with Electronic Arts because they are as passionate as we are about helping people and communities discover great games, and we knew we could provide a great experience for members by working together. In order to deliver on that, we need more time to provide the Xbox Game Pass experience,” reads a Microsoft blog post published Tuesday.
EA Play is an online video game subscription service that provides access to a library of first-party EA games — including Battlefield V, Mass Effect, and The Sims 4 — plus 10-hour trials for new releases like Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21. EA Play was previously known as EA Access before the company rebranded in August.
EA Play is already part of Xbox Game Pass for consoles as of November, allowing Xbox One owners plus those who’ve been able to get their hands on an Xbox Series X / S console to download and play games from EA Play on Xbox hardware.
In order to revise the splitting of the programming interfaces for classic desktop applications and Windows apps initiated with Windows 8, Microsoft announced the Project Reunion at this year’s Build Conference. Its aim is to merge the Windows Runtime (WinRT) and Windows 32 (Win 32) APIs again. With version 0.1 the first preview of the project is now available.
Test and try A “Hello World” example created as a sandbox is intended to give developers the opportunity to test and gain initial experience. At least temporarily, the example uses some of the new app lifecycle APIs that are still in progress. The Modern Resource Technology (MRT) Core toolkit, which also dates back to the Windows 8 era, is intended to make the tried and tested resource management procedures available to Win 32 app developers as part of the Reunion project. MRT Core provides tools for building Package Resource Index files (PRI) from which resources can be loaded.
With Version 0.1 of Project Reunion Microsoft also delivers DirectWriteCore. It takes care of the layout and rendering of text in apps – even across all platforms across all Windows versions. Using the sample application Font Viewer, developers can understand how functions such as variable fonts can also be used across versions.
In contrast to WebView2 for Win 32 C / C ++, which has been available as a production-ready version since the end of October, Microsoft advises against using Project Reunion 0.1 for productive use. The preview is only intended to track down errors, to gather initial practical experience and suggestions for changes or additions. More details about the preview can be found on the project pages at GitHub and in the documentation.
The manufacturer Sharkoon has now presented the SHARK Force II gaming mouse to the public. According to the company, this is a more powerful upgrade from its predecessor. Inside the mouse, an optical PixArt PAW 3519 sensor does its job. This has six preset modes with up to 4. 200 DPI (400, 800, 1. 600, 2. 400, 3. 200 and 4. 200 adjustable). Said levels can easily be switched through at the push of a button. Compared to its predecessor, the lighting of the SHARK Force logo changes depending on the selected DPI level.
The Sharkoon gaming mouse has a rubberized surface, a thumb rest and two thumb buttons. The maximum polling rate is 1. 000 Hz and 4. 000 Frames per second specified. At the maximum weight, the gaming mouse comes up without a cable 120 g. The Microsoft Windows operating system 10 is also officially supported. The cable length is 180 cm.
In terms of service life, the new Sharkoon mouse has at least ten million clicks. In addition to the SHARK Force II, there are instructions and an additional set with mouse feet in the scope of delivery. The dimensions are 122 x 74 x 40 mm (L x W x H).
The SHARK Force II is now available in stores in black, white and gray. The manufacturer’s recommended retail price is around 10 Euro.
Matthew Wilson 56 mins ago Competitions, Featured Tech News
This month, KitGuru and Corsair are teaming up to give away an incredible gaming PC. Between now and the 31st of December, you have the chance to win a 3XS Vengeance iCUE RTX PC, spec’d out with Corsair components, an Intel Core i9 processor and an RTX 3080 graphics card.
In total, this system is worth around £2,500, making this a dream high-end rig for many. You can see the PC build in the gallery below:
Here is the full specification list for the system:
Intel Core i9 10850K Processor
ASUS TUF OC RTX 3080 Graphics Card
ASUS ROG Strix Z490-F Motherboard
32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB RAM
Corsair Hydro H100i Cooler
1TB Corsair MP600 PCIe M.2 SSD
2TB Storage Drive
Corsair RM850X Power Supply
Corsair 120 Pro RGB iCue Fans
Corsair iCue Pro Lighting Node
iCue Enabled Corsair RGB Strips
Corsair 4000D Chassis
Windows 10
For full details on how to enter and the T&Cs, be sure to head over to our dedicated competition page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Good luck to everyone entering, the competition ends on the 31st of December, so we’ll be back to announce the winner in January!
Become a Patron!
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The Surface range of devices do not limited to tablets and notebooks but includes Surface Hub 2S, an interactive whiteboard with multi-touch screen 50 “which shares the same features as the Surface range and is designed to improve collaboration between teams, even remotely. It integrates with the ecosystem of Microsoft applications, to starting from Teams
by Alberto Falchi published on 15 December 2020 in the Device channel Microsoft Teams
Microsoft’s range of Surface devices includes not only notebooks and tablets, but also a tool designed for ease teamwork and collaboration, both in presence and remotely: Microsoft Surface Hub 2S . We could define this device as an interactive whiteboard based on a generous multi-touch screen from 50 “, but the definition is narrow: Surface Hub 2S is equipped with a video camera and not only serves to show notes to participants, but is designed to integrate with the software of the company Redmond, starting with Teams, the most used collaboration tool in the business environment.
Surface Hub 2S is not just a simple touch screen and includes a calculation unit that allows you to run major business applications, such as Skype for Business, Teams, Microsoft 365 and basically any application available for Windows 10. Its fields of use are business collaboration and the world of education. Surface Hub 2S is designed to make business meetings more effective, both those that take place in person, in the meeting room, and those that include participants connected remotely with a normal computer, but also to facilitate distance learning.
Usage scenarios: team collaboration at the highest levels, even remotely
The data on the world of work tell us that the 80% of working time is invested in collaboration , which in this period takes place mainly remotely due to the pandemic. After the emergency, it is very likely that companies will continue to adopt some form of smart working, seeking a balance between working in person and remotely: more than one study has shown that productivity in this period has increased, and there are advantages for both workers and companies to find the right mix between the two modes.
One of the most used applications for collaboration is Microsoft Teams, which has the advantage of being integrated with other Microsoft software. Inevitably, Surface Hub 2S revolves around Teams and its functions and for this reason it can be a valid tool to improve productivity. When having a meeting, having a whiteboard can make a difference: beyond the presentation of the slides, with the application Microsoft Whiteboard you can take notes, underline information, quickly draw diagrams, all in a natural way, using the integrated stylus and share the work with both those present, who will view it on the screen at 50 ”of the blackboard, both with those who are connected remotely. The documents on the participants’ computers can then be easily shared with all the participants.
The 4K camera wide angle ensures high quality images, while the microphone array can pick up the audio of everyone in the meeting room, even if they are far from the Surface Hub 2S. The same attention was paid to the loudspeakers, thus ensuring intelligible communications. In case it is necessary to move the whiteboard from one room to another, it will not even be necessary to turn off and restart the system, if you rely on the APC battery made by Schneider Electric which is integrated into the Steelcase Roam transportable stand and is able to guarantee a ‘autonomy greater than 100 minutes.
But in which scenarios can Surface Hub 2S come in handy? What changes compared to a computer connected to the typical large screen (or projectors) that we now find in many meeting rooms? Well, first of all, as we said, it is a whiteboard: the touch screen allows not only to show presentations, but also to interact, to elaborate schemes, to take notes, in short, all those typical actions that take place during a meeting, usually with the help of a classic magnetic board and relative markers. With the difference that here the data can be shared on the screens of those who are not physically in the same room. and, above all, saved. It will no longer be necessary to take photos with your mobile to write down what is written before it is deleted. The fact that it is possible to buy a stand with wheels to move it from one room to another is a plus , since it will not be necessary to purchase one for each meeting room in the company.
The fact that the interface and tools are the same that people are used to using on a daily basis computer only simplifies its use: there will be no need to learn how to use a new tool. The support for Teams, then, makes remote presentations particularly effective, especially when the speaker has to interact with the board itself, for example by writing formulas or drawing diagrams to better express some concepts: doing it on a computer, even if equipped with a touch monitor screen, it is not the same as doing it on a screen with a diagonal of 50 “. If this can improve group work, let’s think about how much this tool could improve the training sessions or distance learning , an activity where the blackboard is often an indispensable tool, the center of the lesson itself.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2S: the technical specifications
Surface Hub 2S is basically a big monitor from 15 “with aspect ratio 3: 2 to place of the classics 16: 9: the resolution, consequently, is 3840 x 2560 (higher than 4K, therefore), instead of 3840 x 2160 typical of TVs and PC screens. The display is PixelSense type, based on IPS technology and supports a color depth of 10 bit. It integrates stereo speakers and an array of microphones capable of recording the speech of the participants wherever they are inside the room where the whiteboard is installed.
Under the profile of the unit calculation, Surface Hub 2S integrates an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, equipped with 8 GB of RAM and a SSD GB. There are 3 USB 3.0 ports, an ethernet connector, (but there is also Wi-Fi) as well as an HDMI 2.0 input and a video output in Mini DisplayPort 1.2 format, to connect the whiteboard to a projector.
The package includes a stylus and the Surface Hub 2 Camera, capable of capturing wide-range 4K images, so as to frame all participants in the meeting. The basic equipment is completed by a series of optional accessories, to be purchased separately: brackets for wall mounting, the Steelcase Roam, a kind of tripod equipped with wheels that allows you to move Surface Hub 2S from one room to another without effort, and an APC battery, which allows you to use it even disconnected from the power. The calculation unit can also be removed and replaced with a more powerful model in a very simple way: it is extracted like a cartridge and the new module is inserted. At the moment, however, the calculation modules have not yet been announced.
Coming soon Surface Hub 2S 85 “
If the screen from 50 “was not enough, shortly (from January 2021) it will be possible to purchase a new model with display from 85 “. The screen is still a multi-touch IPS with Microsoft PixelSens technology (introduced with Surface tablets), but the aspect ratio changes.
Instead of the 3: 2 aspect ratio, Surface Hub 2S 85 “will boast a more classic 12: 9, with resolution of 3840 x 2160 points. The integrated calculation module, on the other hand, is identical to that of the model currently on the market and, like this one, can be replaced with a more powerful one, if necessary.
The proposals of Maverick AV Solutions
L The sole distributor for Italy of Microsoft Surface Hub 2S is Maverick AV Solutions , audio video division of Tech Data specialized in smart meeting and smart signage solutions. The company has created a series of offers, some of which are designed for resellers and distributors, which will become partners of Maverick AV Solutions to resell the solution by integrating it with value-added services.
It appears that a configuration file of Cyberpunk 2077 artificially limits the use of RAM and VRAM resources, hindering performance. A Reddit user explains a few files to edit and how to set the new parameters.
by Manolo De Agostini published 15 December 2020 , at 08: 41 in the Videogames channel CD Projekt Red
The debut of Cyberpunk 2077 , especially on older generation consoles, certainly cannot be counted among the most successful (which is very different from talking about success) in the history of video games. Between performance problems and bugs (so much so that some pranksters nicknamed it Cyberbug), the developers of CD Projekt RED will have to spend the next few weeks optimizing the game and fixing the issues of the various versions.
Even the PC version of the game is not without its problems: sure, we’re not at the level of the PS4 and Xbox One versions, but there is definitely something to optimize. We have seen in the past few hours how the title does not make the most of Ryzen CPUs, but there seems to be room for all-round improvements. Reddit user ThePhoenixRoyal identified a way to improve PC game performance by editing a simple file called “ memory_pool_budgets.csv “(save a backup copy before acting).
Whether you purchased the game on Steam or GOG, the file is located in the following folders:
Steam Library steamapps common Cyberpunk 2077 engine config memory_pool_budgets.csv
GOG Galaxy Games Cyberpunk 2077 engine config memory_pool_budgets.csv
Opening the file with the notepad it is necessary to modify the memory parameters indicated in the items PoolCPU and PoolGPU , setting values that are respectively equal to half the RAM memory on your system and the maximum e of the graphics memory on your video card (VRAM).
In practice if your system has 16 of RAM and a video card with 8GB of VRAM, you need to set PoolCPU to 8GB and PoolGPU to 8GB . Once you have made the changes, save the file and start Cyberpunk, you should notice (the conditional is a must since the results may differ from one system to another) a not indifferent performance boost and an almost total reduction in loading times.
On Nexusmods there are several downloadable amateur patches that solve some problems related to the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077. The “Performance Overhaul” package, in particular, acts three of the many things on the parameters we talked about above.
Changes to a game’s configuration files can cause crashes of the game itself or of Windows, but if you save yourself a copy of the original file as recommended, you can always return to the initial state in case of problems. If you don’t want to risk messing around, you just have to wait for the official patches that will be published soon, in the hope that CD Projekt RED will collect the feedback from gamers.
If you’ve got an iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max and consider yourself something of a photographer, the latest iOS update will help you get the most out of your phone’s cameras. That’s because it includes the new ProRAW feature that Apple first announced back at its October event. ProRAW combines the editing flexibility of RAW with Apple’s computational photography tricks like Smart HDR and Deep Fusion for the first time. You no longer have to choose between the flexibility of a standard RAW file and a JPEG or HEIC file that has all of Apple’s computational magic but limited potential for post-processing because ProRAW gives you both.
Shooting RAW photos on an iPhone is nothing new; for some time now, apps like Halide and Adobe Lightroom have let you capture all of the data the iPhone’s sensor can gather. And all of the usual benefits of RAW are here with ProRAW — vastly improved control over white balance is always the biggest factor for me — but it gives you greater leeway with adjusting exposure, sharpness, dynamic range, and more. You can make better adjustments to facial tone in a portrait or nail the exposure in a landscape shot.
But standard RAW images can look very grainy out of the iPhone since, well, these are still small smartphone camera sensors, and they’re without any computational photography optimization. Now, you should notice all the same detail as before but with less noise. That’s because ProRAW images do the same multiframe image processing as ordinary iPhone shots. Even with that, you get around 14 stops of dynamic range to work with in editing software. This video from Josh Stunell on YouTube does a good job of illustrating the differences between RAW and ProRAW:
ProRAW can be used with all of the rear cameras on the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max — it’s not going to suddenly turn the ultrawide into a magic lens, but anything helps — and it also works in night mode. You can even access the depth mapping information captured by the sensor to make portrait mode-style adjustments after the fact, provided your editing app allows you to control it.
You can shoot ProRAW images with all three of the cameras on the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max.Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge
How to use ProRAW
To use ProRAW, first, you’ve got to enable it under the camera options in the settings menu. After that, you’ll see a “RAW” button appear at the upper-right of the camera viewfinder, which is how you can quickly toggle ProRAW on and off.
I should emphasize that while it’s easy to switch this on, you’re definitely not going to want to use ProRAW all the time. Files average around 25MB in size, which is dramatically larger than your everyday iPhone images. This is a feature best reserved for those very intentional photos with people you care about or at places that matter. ProRAW images appear in the camera roll like normal, but if you try to share them in apps like Instagram, you’ll get an error message. So you’ll want to export them as either a smaller JPEG or HEIC file first before sending them to social media.
Another nice thing about ProRAW is since it uses Adobe’s widely supported DNG file format, there is already a plethora of apps that can open and edit the files without any update. But apps that use Apple’s own RAW converter will offer even more control since they’ll be able to access tone and distance mapping. Halide has already released an update to get the most out of ProRAW, and I’d expect others like Pixelmator, Darkroom, and Affinity Photo to follow.
Apps that have their own RAW converter, namely Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Capture One, can edit the DNG files today but won’t have all of the same capabilities as those that use Apple’s RAW converter. It’s possible Adobe and others will update their conversion tools in the future to make them work better with ProRAW. You can, of course, also just edit the images inside the Apple Photos app, too.
A sample ProRAW image edited in Darkroom.
If you want to share a ProRAW image, there are various ways to go about it depending on what you’re trying to do:
If you want to transfer an Apple ProRAW to the computer: ensure the photo is unedited, then either AirDrop or plug the device into USB and use Image Capture or the Windows Photos app.
If you want to share an edited ProRAW photo:edit the photo in the Photos app, then AirDrop, email, or send via Messages. A JPG with the edits will be shared.
If you want to email a ProRAW DNG to someone: open the Photos app first and use the share button to share via Mail.
If you edit a ProRAW and want both the original DNG file and the edited JPG: use Image Capture or Windows Photos app.
If a ProRAW is edited but you want to transfer a DNG: duplicate the photo, then revert the edits (makes it an unedited file). A DNG can then be AirDropped, etc.
If you used a third-party app that can take RAW+JPG, and you want both: use Image Capture to grab each file individually
I’ve been trying out ProRAW on my iPhone 12 Pro Max over the last few days, and I’m already appreciating the difference it can make. It’s just plain easier to get the most from a photo — retrieve highlights, boost shadows, fix the white balance, etc. — if you’re willing to put in the work of editing after the fact.
Shorty after releasing the HS60 HAPTIC (reviewed here), Corsair followed up with another gaming headset positioned within the same product family. The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless is officially licensed for Xbox Series X and Xbox One gaming consoles. I don’t own either, but since this headset is also compatible with Windows PCs, I’ve decided to take it for a spin to check out its features and sound and microphone quality.
On the outside, the HS75 XB Wireless looks pretty much like any other gaming headset from this product family, which is a good thing, and I’ve already praised the design and build quality of the HS lineup in the past. This headset is wireless and entirely dependent on the Xbox Wireless Adapter integrated into all Xbox consoles. If you own a PC, the Xbox Wireless Adapter is an $25 accessory you must buy separately; Corsair doesn’t bundle it with the XB75 Wireless. Other than that, the headset comes with a detachable unidirectional microphone and built-in game-chat mix control dial. It boasts with custom-tuned 50-millimeter dynamic speaker drivers, a 20-hour battery life, and excellent surround sound immersion handled by Dolby Atmos. That’s not to say you need this exact headset to experience Dolby Atmos as it will work with any pair of headphones because it’s handled by software. The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless is $150/€160, which is a significant step up from the $100 HS70 Pro Wireless (reviewed here), but you do get a couple of Xbox-specific extras for your money.
Specifications
50-mm dynamic drivers (neodymium magnet)
32 Ω impedance
20-20,000 Hz frequency response (specified by the manufacturer)
We’ve reached the final few days before the holidays, and in the interest of getting gifts delivered on time — and not paying handsomely for shipping — you should be wrapping up your shopping as soon as you can.
Thankfully, several retailers are making those shopping duties cheap and easy by offering free and fast shipping. It wouldn’t be the holidays without a little stress, but you can avoid at least some of it by finishing up your shopping before the window for on-time delivery comes to a close.
As of publish time, a couple of retailers haven’t released their holiday schedules yet; we’ve noted that where relevant. We’ve also listed the delivery windows for FedEx, UPS, and the USPS in case you are shipping packages yourself.
Walmart
Store pickup is always the best way to ensure you get your gifts in time, but (especially this year when many of us are staying at home) it’s luckily not your only option. While we’re still waiting for Walmart’s holiday cutoff dates, these are Walmart’s usual shipping arrangements:
Walmart’s free NextDay shipping is available for certain orders over $35; under $35, it costs $5.99
Other items are available for two-day or three- to five-day shipping, depending on the item; shipping is free for orders over $35 and costs $5.99 if they are under $35
Amazon
We’re still waiting for Amazon’s holiday shipping calendar, but as is always the case, you’ll get your gifts faster if you have an Amazon Prime subscription.
If you have Prime, have an order of at least $35, and live in an eligible ZIP code, you can get Same-Day Delivery on certain items. Same-Day Delivery will not be available on Christmas Day.
Most other items are available for two-day delivery if you are a Prime member
If you are not a Prime member, shipping times and rates will be determined during checkout
Target
Target provided the following statement to The Verge for the 2020 holiday shopping season:
We’re using our nearly 1,900 stores, just miles from 75% of the population, to fulfill online orders and give guests choices in how they get their online purchases. The fastest and most convenient way to shop online at Target is via our contactless same-day services – with Shipt delivery offered nationwide, and free Order Pickup and Drive Up at nearly every Target store. These services have orders ready the same day, and can be delivered or picked up whenever a guest chooses – no membership required.
While same-day services are the fastest growing and most popular, we also anticipate shipping millions of items out the back of our local stores, which reduces the distance and time it takes for delivery. We don’t have a broad cutoff date to share at this time, but our guests are always able to see the date an item will arrive before checking out. Guests in need of last-minute gifts or other holiday items will have the option to place same-day pickup and delivery orders up to two hours before their local Target store closes on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24).
Best Buy
Through the holidays, Best Buy’s minimum purchase amount to receive free shipping on online orders is $35.
December 21st is the cutoff date in most areas for large home delivery items, but there are exceptions. The earliest delivery date will be available when you check out.
For select items, you can check out before 8PM on Wednesday, December 23rd, to get your deliveries by December 24th
In select areas, 12PM local time on December 24th is the cutoff for same-day delivery
Lastly, 5PM local time on December 24th is the cutoff for store pickup
Shipping gifts yourself?
If you’re picking up gifts and shipping them yourself, there are a few important dates to keep in mind:
Shipping via FedEx: December 15th is the cutoff date for Ground and Home Delivery parcels, December 21st for Express Saver, December 22nd for 2Day service, and December 23rd for overnight service
Shipping via UPS: December 21st is the cutoff date for 3 Day Select shipping, December 22nd for 2nd Day Air service, and December 23rd for Next Day Air service
Shipping via USPS: December 18th is the cutoff date for First-Class deliveries, December 19th for Priority Mail, and December 23rd for Priority Mail Express
ThinkSmart Cam, ThinkSmart Bar and ThinkSmart Edition Tiny for Intel Unite are video conferencing solutions designed for small and medium-sized meeting rooms. They will be available in 2021 along with version 2.0 of ThinkSmart Manager
by Alberto Falchi published 14 December 2020 , at 16: 31 in the Device channel Lenovo
The remote work , in its many facets, it was the great protagonist of the 2020: the pandemic forced most part of the companies to review the way of living the office and managing work, also by adopting new tools capable of facilitating remote collaboration. A trend that will also accompany us for the 2021 and, according to analysts, also at the end of the sanitary emergency. Manufacturers have quickly adapted to the new needs, developing solutions designed to simplify and make more efficient the smart working , such as Lenovo’s ThinkSmart series devices .
ThinkSmart Cam, ThinkSmart bar and ThinkSmart Edition Tiny for Intel Unite, Lenovo’s proposals for remote work
One of the watchwords of the pandemic was videoconferencing: travel limits have not stopped business, which has sought new technological ways to continue. The ever increasing number of videoconferencing meetings has pushed companies to find more effective solutions to communicate remotely. In particular, there was a need for high quality video cameras and microphones, easy to use and compatible with the most used communication platforms, such as Zoom and Teams. For the 2021, Lenovo announced a series of new products designed for small and small meeting rooms medium size.
ThinkSmart Cam is a compact 4K HDR USB camera with a field of view of 100 ° and equipped with functions of artificial intelligence : the integrated VPU (Visual Processing Unit) manages functions such as automatic framing and zooming, counting of people present in the room and detection of speakers and the blackboard.
ThinkSmart Bar , on the other hand, is a soundbar equipped with an array consisting of four microphones beamforming (two of which can be positioned as desired in the room) capable of capturing sounds up to a distance of 10 meters. It connects via Bluetooth or USB and includes four speakers from 14 W + 20 W.
Both products support Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms. They can be connected directly to any computer, but Lenovo has also listed a dedicated device: ThinkSmart Edition Tiny for Intel Unite , a 10th Gen Intel Core processor equipped mini-computer with vPro designed to work with Windows 10 IoT . ThinkSmart Edition will ship with Intel Unite, Intel’s remote content sharing and collaboration solution.
ThinkSmart Manager 2.0: remote IT management according to Lenovo
ThinkSmart Manager is the solution as- a-Service from Lenovo which aims to simplify the work of IT teams, which today find themselves having to provide assistance remotely. Supports the implementation and analysis of ThinkSmart assets including ThinkSmart Hub 500, Hub , Cam, Bar, ThinkSmart Edition Tiny, and supported Logitech peripherals. The solution will be updated to version 2.0 (it will be available from March ), which includes dashboard analysis functions during meetings on the Microsoft Teams Rooms platform and user-configurable e-mail notifications. The new version will also include an app for iOS and Android that will offer status and notifications claim is push on the dashboard of the connected devices.
” The 2020 demonstrated that technology can foster effective collaboration in distributed work environments. By evaluating new configurations of workspaces, the ability to meet and be creative with colleagues and clients wherever they are highlights the need of collaboration solutions that are easy to use, deploy and manage “- commented Joseph Mingori, WW General Manager, Lenovo Smart Collaboration Business Group – “ Continue to expand our solutions Intelligent Collaboration is central to our ambition to offer customers the best experiences to hold productive meetings. Whether it’s a flexible computing device, meeting room accessories or end-to-end managed services, Lenovo can help customers accelerate digital transformation “.
The same German store that leaked the ASUS TUF Gaming A 17 with AMD Ryzen 7 processor 5800 H has revealed three new models, also from ASUS, with the Ryzen 5 low-power variants 5500 U and Ryzen 7 5700 U of the new family of processors from AMD. Although the team with the 5800 H has already been deleted, it seems these three are still online:
ASUS S 553 UA-BQ 048 T with AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR
ASUS S 746 UA-AU 059 T with AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR
ASUS TM 420 UA-EC 004 T with AMD Ryzen 5 5500 U
We can see that the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 U has 6 cores 2.1 GHz base speed and 4 GHz Boost, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR offers 8 cores at 1.8 GHz base and 4.3 GHz Boost. Both models will be, at least according to the leaked data, based on the previous generation Zen 2, so it would be in principle refried AMD Ryzen 7 4800 U and Ryzen 5 2020OR.
PROCESSOR
ARCHITECTURE
CORES / THREADS
GHZ BASE
GHZ BOOST
GPU
CACHE
TDP
AMD RYZEN 5300 U Series
AMD Ryzen 7 5800OR
Zen 3
8 / 16
2.0 GHz
4.4 GHz
8CU 2 , 0 GHz
18 MB L3
12 – 30 W
AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR
Zen 2
8 / 17
1.8 GHz
4.3 GHz
8CU 1.9 GHz
8 MB L3
11 – 25 W
AMD Ryzen 5 5600OR
Zen 3
6 / 14
2.3 GHz
4.2 GHz
7CU 1.8 GHz
14 MB L3
10 – 30 W
AMD Ryzen 5 5500OR
Zen 2
6 / 12
2.1 GHz
4.0 GHz
7CU 1.6 GHz
8 MB L3
10 – 25 W
AMD Ryzen 3 5400OR
Zen 3
4/8
2.6 GHz
4.0 GHz
6CU 1.6 GHz
8 MB L3
11 – 25 W
AMD Ryzen 3 5300OR
Zen 2
4/8
2.6 GHz
3,85 GHz
6CU 1.5 GHz
4 MB L3
10 – 30 W
Before they are removed , we leave you the captures and their complete specifications:
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Antonio Delgado
Computer Engineer by training, editor and hardware analyst at Geeknetic since 2011. I love gutting everything that comes my way, especially the latest hardware that we get here for reviews. In my spare time I fiddle with 3d printers, drones and other gadgets. For anything here you have me.
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One of the fastest 4K monitors at 144 Hz, the LG 27GN950-B delivers accurate color and excellent HDR for cheaper than a top-of-the-line FALD display.
For
Local dimming produces VA-like contrast
Excellent HDR
Wide and accurate color gamut
Fast and responsive
FreeSync & G-Sync Compatible
Against
Oversaturated sRGB mode
Features and Specifications
The pinnacle of desktop PC monitor resolution is 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels), at least for now and the foreseeable future. Even at 32 inches diagonal, screen density is enough to hide any trace of the image’s pixel structure. A 27-inch 4K monitor sports a highly-packed 163 pixels per inch, and that means you can sit super close and never see the dots.
What does this mean for those seeking the best gaming monitor? High resolution is great but has a significant impact on frame rates. It takes one of the top cards on our GPU benchmarks hierarchy to drive 8.3 million pixels faster than 100 frames per second (fps). That fact, and the high price of speedy 4K monitors has made this a small and exclusive club.
LG adds to this short list of choices with the LG 27GN950-B($800 as of writing). It combines a 144 Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync Compatibility, DisplayHDR 600 and a wide color gamut. Is it a worthy competitor to leaders on our list of the Best 4K Gaming Monitors. Can it take on the standard-bearing Acer Predator X27 and Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ? Let’s take a look.
(Image credit: LG)
LG 27GN950-B Specifications
Panel Type & Backlight
IPS / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio
27 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh
3840 x 2160 @ 144 Hz
FreeSync: 48-144 Hz
G-Sync Compatible
Native Color Depth & Gamut
10-bit (8-bit+FRC) / P3
HDR10, DisplayHDR 600
Response Time (GTG)
1ms
Brightness (mfr)
400 nits SDR
600 nits HDR
Contrast (mfr)
1,000:1
Speakers
None
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.4 (DSC)
2x HDMI 2.0
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
1x up, 2x down
Power Consumption
30.4w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base
23.9 x 18.1-22.5 x 11.5 inches (607 x 460-572 x 292mm)
Panel Thickness
2.1 inches (53mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.2 inch (5mm)
Bottom: 0.4 inch (10mm)
Weight
16.9 pounds (7.7kg)
Warranty
3 years
The 27GN950-B’s price of entry is the first thing we noticed. At this writing, LG is selling it for $800. That undercuts the aforementioned Asus and Acer monitors significantly. The principal reason for this is its backlight. Rather than the full-array local-dimming (FALD) units used by Asus and Acer, LG employs an edge-lit backlight but offers a local dimming feature of its own. By selectively dimming the individual LEDs, it achieves HDR quality that comes close to its FALD cousins.
The panel is dubbed “Nano IPS” and that refers to the IPS panel’s sub-pixel structure. Its goal is to widen the color gamut, much like the Quantum Dot technology used by Samsung and others. LG achieves that goal with a measured 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. The backlight also delivers over 600 nits in HDR mode, enough to earn a VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification (see our article on how to choose the best HDR monitor).
The big story here is the 27GN950-B’s refresh rate. 144 Hz 4K monitors are rare and have serious bandwidth requirements. To run at full honk, you’ll need a graphics card (likely one of the best graphics cards) with DisplayPort 1.4 capability because LG uses Display Stream Compression to get all those pixels over a single cable. Definitely check your graphics card specs before pulling the trigger on this monitor.
If you have the hardware, the 27GN950-Bcan deliver 144 Hz with HDR and FreeSync Premium Pro over DisplayPort. That means it includes Low Framerate Compensation for speeds below 48 Hz. It also carries G-Sync Compatibility certification from Nvidia with the same capabilities.
Assembly and Accessories for LG 27GN950-B
After mating the base and upright with two captive bolts, the 27GN950-B’s panel snaps in place. You’ll find a tiny clip in the box for cable management, along with wires for DisplayPort, HDMI and USB. The power supply is an external brick. Given the monitor’s bandwidth requirements, LG recommends using the supplied cables to run 4K resolution at 144 Hz.
LG 27GN950-B Product 360
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(Image credit: LG)
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The LG 27GN950-B has the thinnest bezel we’ve seen to date, just 5mm at the top and sides and 10mm on the bottom. While not truly frameless, it’s closer to that goal than any other monitor we know of.
Styling is angular with corners rounded just enough to not be sharp. Finishes are the usual matte black in brushed and pebble styles. The base features red trim on the bottom with LG and G-Sync logos in proud view.
In back, is a swoopy version of the LG logo, along with a ring of RGB LEDs around the upright’s attachment point. You can remove the stand to use the 100mm VESA mount and still enjoy the lights. You control the RGB with a dial on the bottom-center. Pressing it turns them on. Then, you can change the effect by scrolling through six options. You can also coordinate the effects with sound and on-screen content by using LG’s downloadable Ultragear Control Center app.
The stand offers a 4.4-inch height adjustment with 5/15 degree tilt and a portrait mode. There is no swivel function. Movements are very solid and feel like a premium monitor should.
LG’s trademark rear-facing input panel makes it super easy to see what you’re plugging in. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 (see DisplayPort vs HDMI: which is better for gaming?). Also included is USB 3.0, one upstream and two down. A 3.5mm audio jack supports headphones or powered speakers. There are no speakers built into the 27GN950-B.
OSD Features of LG 27GN950-B
The 27GN950-B’s OSD and power are controlled by a tiny joystick found in the bottom center of the panel. You can click it to the sides for volume control and fore/aft to adjust brightness. Press it, and you get a quick menu with input selection, game mode, power and the full menu.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Game Mode refers to the monitor’s picture eight presets. Gamer 1 is the default and accurate enough to be used without calibration if the P3 gamut is your goal. sRGB is included but only shrinks the gamut slightly with over 130% coverage. If you’d like to apply the look of HDR to SDR content, HDR Effect can do this. It preserves highlight and shadow detail well, but its look is a matter of personal preference. You also get two Calibration modes, which require LG’s True Color Pro software to unlock.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Game Adjust has an Adaptive-Sync toggle, Black Stabilizer for brighter shadows, three-level overdrive (Fast is the best setting) and a selection of aiming points.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In the Gamer 1 preset, all the LG 27GN950-B’s calibration controls are available. There are four gamma presets, three color temps, plus a custom mode, a method of selection by Kelvin value and a six-color hue and saturation menu. All adjustments are precise with fine resolution and excellent accuracy. Minor changes will produce a very accurate monitor.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Though it has an edge backlight, the LG 27GN950-B features local dimming. It has a small impact on SDR quality but a big one in HDR mode, offering deep contrast, true blacks bright highlights and, therefore, some of the best HDR performance we’ve seen among mainstream monitors.
LG 27GN950-B Calibration Settings
The 27GN950-B doesn’t require calibration, but there are small gains available with a few tweaks. The best gamma preset is Mode 4, and that requires a single click of the red slider to bring grayscale tracking to an error-free state.
Color is always in the P3 gamut, regardless of picture mode. Selecting sRGB reduces saturation a little but not enough to qualify as a true sRGB monitor. We also lowered Contrast a little to improve gamma and fix a red clipping issue at 100% brightness. Note that any change to gamma requires recalibration of the white point.
Here are the settings we used for SDR content: HDR locks out all image controls except brightness.
Picture Mode
Gamer 1
Brightness 200 nits
26
Brightness 120 nits
7
Brightness 100 nits
3 (min. 89 nits)
Contrast
68
Gamma
Mode 4
Color Temp Custom
Red 51, Green 50, Blue 50
HDR locks out all image controls except brightness.
Gaming and Hands-on with the LG 27GN950-B
The 27GN950-B offers a few different dynamic contrast options. You can just use it as it comes from the box in Gamer 1 mode with Local Dimming turned off, which looks quite good. The monitor has similar contrast to other IPS monitors but a bit more color saturation, thanks to its wide P3 gamut coverage. With the backlight set for 200 nits brightness, we could work all day without fatigue on documents and graphic editing.
With Local Dimming on, contrast doubled, and it shows. Color looked more vivid, with blacks appearing deeper. Highlight and shadow detail was also typically preserved without clipping. A few times, we saw it working when a small bright object appeared against a black background. Then, it was possible to see a vertical band where the backlight was stronger than the surrounding area. It’s like the halo effect sometimes seen in FALD displays but the halo extends the full height of the screen. This was a rare occurrence.
This is one of the very few monitors that looks good running Windows productivity apps in HDR mode. Color is a little hazy, but contrast is very good. And if it looks too harsh, you can turn down the brightness. The LG 27GN950-B is one of the few monitors we’ve seen that lets you dial down the light level in HDR mode. An alternative to this is the HDR Effect mode. It’s searingly bright at its default brightness setting of 100. But turn the backlight down to 26 (around 200 nits) and it’s more palatable. Users have several good, useful options here.
SDR gaming was much the same experience. Tomb Raider always looks great when there’s extra color available. The LG 27GN950-B has plenty to offer. We stuck with the Gamer 1 mode and Local Dimming turned on. Contrast was superb, and color was extremely enjoyable. Motion processing was flawless as we played at around 110 fps.
The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti in our test system can’t do 4K at 144 Hz because it lacks DisplayPort 1.4. But the LG 27GN950-B ran fine at 120 Hz, and we never hit 120 fps in the game with details maxed. When we played with a Radeon RX 5700 XT, the full 144 Hz became available as this card supports DisplayPort 1.4 and Display Stream Compression. In both cases though, Adaptive-Sync worked perfectly.
Turning to Call of Duty: WWII and its HDR capability, we enjoyed the effect immensely. Highlights popped brightly while shadows looked dark and detailed. If you’re shopping for an HDR monitor, the 27GN950-B is a great alternative to a more expensive FALD display. We played with HDR and 144 Hz on our RX 5700 XT-based system, though in-game speeds never exceeded 110 fps. The same was true of the GTX 1080 Ti platform. You’ll need a stout graphics board (or two) to hit 144 Hz at 4K.
Cyberpunk’s chaotic launch 2077 forced the CD Projekt RED team to release a further press release. We are therefore talking about the refunds requested by console users and the technical problems encountered on most compatible platforms. New patches arriving early in 2021.
by Pasquale Fusco published 14 December 2020 , at 02: 01 in the Videogames channel CD Projekt Red
For new players of Cyberpunk 2077 the week is inaugurated with a new communication from CD Projekt RED . After a rather stormy launch, the Polish studio apologized to users for mistakes made with the PlayStation 4 versions) and Xbox One of his RPG. We also talked about the refunds requested by many players, disappointed by the insufficient level of performance achieved on some platforms and mainly due to the large amount of bugs.
Cyberpunk 2077: first patches coming, clarifications on refunds
The last few days have been particularly busy for the CD Projekt RED team.
Many of the players who have purchased their copy of Cyberpunk 2077 for PS4 and PS5 have contacted Sony in an attempt to request a refund . The reasons? The continuous crashes, the countless bugs and other problems that afflict the game, not to mention the disappointing graphics sector proposed with the old-gen versions – and therefore on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Today the official apologies from the Warsaw software house arrive. CD Projekt RED admits that the development of the aforementioned versions should have gone differently, paying more attention to the performance obtained on the “old” Sony and Microsoft consoles.
As the official press release states, two big patches will be released after the Christmas holidays, scheduled for January ( Patch 1 ) and February ( Patch 2 ) . “Together, these updates should solve the most important problems that gamers face on last generation consoles “, explain the producers of CD Projekt RED. The team specifies that these patches, “will not make the game on old-gen appear to work as well as on a high-end PC. high or on a next generation console, but it will be closer to that experience than it is now “.
A necessary clarification, since Cyberpunk 2077 , at least on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, can offer more than decent performance compared to its counterparts last generation. Even Google Stadia guarantees a better experience on the performance front: it is an option to consider, especially if you are without a high-end PC or next-gen console.
Going back to talking about refunds, CD Projekt RED cannot justify itself: “We would appreciate it if you would give us a chance, but if you are not satisfied with the game as it is ‘is on console and you don’t want to wait for updates, you can choose to refund your copy “.
The developers explain that it is possible to go to PSN or Xbox for digital purchases, while buyers of physical copies will have to give it a try at the reference store. Alternatively, the solution comes directly from CD Projekt: “If this is not possible, please contact us at helpmerefund@cdprojektred.com and we will do our best to help you “; you can contact the developer until 21 December 2020.
The press release, signed by the managers of CD Projekt RED, ends with the promise that the aforementioned updates will arrive also on PC , where Cyberpunk 2077 suffers from the same bugs and problems found on home consoles.
Still on Windows systems, Cyberpunk 2077 gave to Steam a new important record: the platform recorded the beauty of 24, 804, 148 connected users i simultaneously. The contribution of the sci-fi RPG was crucial, having brought in at least a million players on the day of its debut. We remind you, moreover, that the work of CD Projekt RED has sold over 8 million copies during the pre-order phase alone, among the various supported platforms.
Flipkart has launched the Nokia Purebook X14 laptop in the Indian market. It’s powered by Intel’s Core i5 10210U with UHD 620 integrated graphics. The laptop features a magnesium-aluminum alloy body and weighs just 1.1 KG.
The Purebook X14 comes with a 14-inch IPS LCD with 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution and an HD IR webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition. The backlit keyboard comes with adjustable brightness and 1.4 mm key travel. There’s also 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD as standard.
I/O consists of two USB 3.1 ports, one USB 2.0 and a USB 3.1 Type-C port. There’s also an Ethernet port, headphone/mic-in combo, full-sized HDMI and charging port. You get a 46.7 WHr battery which is claimed to last 8 hours on a single charge and is powered by a 65W charger. The software side is covered by Windows 10 Home Plus.
Nokia Purebook X14
The Nokia Purebook X14 is going on sale starting December 18 with a launch price of INR 59,990 ($815).
The team behind the C ++ library Boost has released version 1. 75 of the project. In addition to numerous bug fixes and additions to the existing sub-libraries, the release has three new libraries on board, which are dedicated to processing JSON content, handling errors and reflecting on user-defined types.
There are currently problems with the interaction with the current C ++ standard. Content from the Boost library is regularly incorporated into the standard, and vice versa, the library takes current concepts into account. Like the previous versions, the current release also brings some fixes for the C ++ 20 compatibility. However, Boost Operators are currently incompatible with C ++ 16 compilers, which leads to infinite loops or recursions with comparison operators Runtime.
Data format and luck path The library Boost.JSON offers functions for parsing, serializing JSON content and processing the DOM (Document Object Model) of data in JSON format. On the standard side, the library only needs C ++ 11, and it can be used without the complete boost package compile what the definition of BOOST_JSON_STANDALONE is used for. In addition, only the headers can optionally be included.
The acronym of the sub-library Boost.LEAF stands for Lightweight Error Augmentation Framework. It is lean with a single header and no dependencies. It uses the concept of test paths with a happy path for working code sections and a sad path for errors that occur. LEAF can be used for multithreading applications and works both with and without exception handling. Like the JSON library, it is based on C ++ 11.
Lean reflection and time of origin Finally, the Boost.PFR library offers simple reflection functions for user-defined types. The acronym stands for Precise and Flat Reflection, and the library dispenses with boilerplate code and macros. It returns the elements requested via an index and offers methods that are based on std :: tuple . Boost.PFR works from C ++ 14.
At the 21. January 2021 takes place the online conference betterCode () C ++ 20, in which everything revolves around the current C ++ standard. Bjarne Stroustrup, the father of the programming language, is on board, among other things, answering all questions about C ++ in an Ask-Me-Anything session.
Other lectures revolve around innovations such as modules, Concepts, Corountines, the Ranges Library and Strong Typing.
By 16. December 2020 tickets are available at the early bird price.
There is also a new function in the extensive library Boost.Filesystem V3: creation_time gives access to the time at which a file was created.
Boost for twenty years Members of the C ++ standardization committee have in the year 2000 founded the Boost project. The main aim was to make suggestions for extensions to the programming language available to the public and thus enable practical tests before innovations were incorporated into the standard. In the last twenty years, however, Boost has developed a relevant life of its own in the C ++ universe, independent of the standardization proposals, and has established itself as an important library collection.
Further details can be found in the announcement of Boost 1. 75 remove. The library is available on the download page in different formats for Windows and Unix.
(rme)
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