Source: http://gizmodo.com/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-the-beast-that-sips-electricity-1636655827
Over the past year, PC graphics cards have swelled to gargantuan proportions, with price tags to match: Nvidia's GeForce GTX Titan
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/18/android-l-encryption-out-of-the-box/
Apple isn't the only one that's making its software a lot more secure, and erm, fed-proof -- Google's upcoming Android platform will apparently be encrypted by default, according to The Washington Post. The publication didn't clarify whether it's Android's full-disk encryption, which Google first rolled out in 2011, but it did say that nobody can access the encrypted device (not even the company), unless they know its four-digit pin. Does that mean users will be forced to nominate a passcode upon setup? We don't know for sure, but with encryption in place, Mountain View (just like Apple) won't be able to assist authorities in searching your phone, so long as you keep your passcode a secret.
Company spokeswoman Niki Christoff told the Post that keys/passcodes are not stored online or anywhere off your device, so Google has no way to share them. Also, with this update, you won't even have to think or figure out how to switch encryption on, since you're protected from the start. Google has apparently been developing this Android L feature for months, because while feds generally can't search phones without a warrant, it wants its software to be more resistant to government snooping.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google
Source: Washington Post
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/18/samsung-curved-monitor/
Want a curved display from Samsung but don't quite have the scratch to bring one of its gigantic models home? Maybe try the 27-inch S27D590C monitor on for size when it releases at some ambiguous point in the future. The firm seems to be targeting gamers specifically with the monitor, saying that the curve creates a wider field of view (178 degrees horizontally and vertically, if you're curious) and gives the screen a "3D-like" effect when you're playing shooters and racing games, among other genres. There's even a one-button game mode that makes a few adjustments to compensate for motion blur, color and contrast too. Unlike Dell's not-flat display, however, this one's limited to a paltry 1,920 x 1,080 lines of resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. This'll probably be fine for us commoners, sure, but it might not be enough for the PC Master Race.
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/18/london-crime-prediction/
Just this year we've seen open data give rise to recreations of Denmark in Minecraft, the ability to compare cities at the same scale and also collections of geo-mapped tweets and traffic lights. But what about a practical application for all of that info, one that has a more tangible benefit to society, like, say, crime prediction? That's what the University of Trento in Italy had in mind with its "Once Upon a Crime" study. The researchers coupled freely available (and anonymous, aggregated) demographic and mobile phone data with real crime data to forecast where in London an infraction might occur. Just how accurate was it? The Italian scientists say that their predictive algorithm was on-point, accurately anticipating whether an area would have either high or low levels of vice, 70 percent of the time. No, it's not quite enough to let Chief Anderton and co. start running wild just yet, but it could be a way to help cities struggling with budget woes decide what areas need more (or fewer) police patrols.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under: Cellphones
Via: Slashdot
Source: Arxiv (PDF)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/17/netropolitan-social-network-for-rich/
True or False: You don't go on Facebook anymore, because it's such a drag not being able to talk about your private jet's new upholstery. After all, a few of your old friends post regularly about student debt and (gasp) mortgage payments, and it'll make you look like an insensitive prick.
If you answered True, this new social network called Netropolitan hopes you'll be willing to pony up a whopping $9,000 up front to rub virtual elbows with the equally rich. Netropolitan's website describes it as "an online country club for people with more money than time" and is open to anyone over 21 with cash to throw around. There's no need to add friends, since you can see everyone else's post once you get it, but you can form groups around common interests (which, by the way, you can also do on Facebook for free).
This new social network for the elite was created by James Touchi-Peters, a former conductor of the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra, because he "saw a need for an environment where you could talk about the finer things in life without backlash," according to CNN. He promises the website will show no ads and will offer a round-the-clock tech support to help you navigate the website. Netropolitan's still in its very early stages, but if it lasts, you'll have to pay a hefty $3,000 more per year to be able to stay.
If the website's WordPress backend or .info TLD don't suit your taste, though, you can always choose from the other exclusive social networks. There's ASmallWorld, which was once described as the "MySpace for millionaires" and Affluence.org, which you can join for free if you can prove a $3 million net worth. Finally, there's Topcom, which is like Facebook, Twitter and Skype combined, but only for the top 200 world leaders.
Filed under: Internet
Via: CNN
Source: Netropolitan
Posts
