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Friday, September 14, 2012

Intel claims Clover Trail-based Atom won't properly run Linux, points us to Windows 8 instead

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/14/intel-claims-clover-trail-based-atom-wont-properly-run-linux/

There's potentially bad news ahead if you're hoping to wipe the drive on that future HP Envy X2 and load Ubuntu -- Intel reportedly claimed at IDF that Clover Trail-based Atom processors "cannot" handle Linux properly. As outlined in The Inquirer's account of events, the issue is more a matter of optimization than an outright block: Linux doesn't yet know how to cope all of Clover Trail's power state changes at the kernel level, which would put any penguin-powered PC at a disadvantage. Intel would really, really prefer that you run Windows 8, as the new Atom and Microsoft's OS are tuned to work hand-in-hand. Linux might catch up, but the Windows-only emphasis is a sharp break from Intel's tendency to shower love on open-source OS projects across the board, including ongoing work like Intel-native Android builds or Tizen.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Software

Intel claims Clover Trail-based ! Atom won 't properly run Linux, points us to Windows 8 instead originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Spanish (translated) | source

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 and 660 review roundup: hitting the sweet spot, sometimes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/14/nvidia-geforce-gtx-650-and-660-review-roundup/

If you're building or upgrading a budget gaming rig, it'll be hard to ignore the GeForce GTX 650 and 660. Whether or not NVIDIA's new chipsets are worth the glance is another matter, and early reviews suggest that a sale depends on just which market you're in. The GTX 660, by far the darling of the review crowd, competes solidly against the Radeon HD 7850 by outrunning AMD's hardware in most situations while undercutting on the official price. Only a few have taken a look at the lower-end GTX 650, but it's not as much of a clear-cut purchasing decision -- the entry-level video often slots in between the performance of the Radeon HD 7750 and 7770 without the price edge of its bigger brother. Either card is much better value for the money than the GT 640, however, and looks to be a meaningful upgrade if you're trading up from equivalent prior-generation gear.

Read - AnandTech (GTX 660)
Read - Benchmark Reviews (GTX 660)
Read - Bit-Tech (GTX 660)
Read - Guru 3D (GTX 650)
Read - HardOCP (GTX 660)
Read - Hot Hardware (GTX 660)
Read - PC Mag (GTX 660)
Read - PC Perspective (GTX 660)
Read - Tom's Hardware (GTX 650 and 660)

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Peripherals

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 and 660 review roundup: hitting the sweet spot, sometimes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 14:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google plays privacy catch-up, adds Do Not Track option to Chrome

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/14/google-brings-do-not-track-to-chrome/

Google's had one foot in the web privacy door for a while, offering Chrome users the Keep My Opt-Outs extension in its browser's Web Store since 2011. Still, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari already offer a Do Not Track option directly in their browser settings. Mountain View is now working to close that gap by bringing that same privacy configuration to Chrome. Do Not Track will let users opt out of tracking cookies and targeted advertising (from ad networks that comply with the standard, that is), and is currently live on Chrome's developer channel. The option will reportedly be baked into the stable version of the browser by the end of the year.

Filed under: Internet, Software

Google plays privacy catch-up, adds Do Not Track option to Chrome originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New BMW Can Be Tinted Up With The Touch Of A Button

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/bmw-concept-features-cool-shade-roof-2012-9

bmw active tourer tint glass

For drivers who can't decide if they want tinted or clear glass, BMW has an answer. The auto maker's Concept Active Tourer, to be presented at the Paris Motor Show in a few weeks, features a "Cool Shade" roof that can change brightness at the touch of a button.

It's based on SPD-SmartGlass technology, designed by Research Frontiers Inc. The molecular structure of the glass is changed via electrical impulses, altering how much light is allowed through.

The result is a new level of control over the lighting, glare, and temperature of the car's interior, with the added benefit of UV protection.

The Concept Active Tourer is the first to use the technology, but Research Frontiers predicts it will be adapted in other cars, planes, boats, and buildings.

If applied to car windows and the windshield as well as the roof, the feature could make driving safer: no more impaired vision when driving into sunlight. Greater control over temperature would limit the need for air conditioning, improving fuel economy.

On top of the practical benefits, the ability to go from clear glass to a fully tinted ride by pushing a button would just be plain cool.

Now see all the lavish features packing into Bentley's new SUV >

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Intel's Core i3 NUC mini-system bares it all for IDF (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/14/intels-core-i3-nuc-mini-system-bares-it-all-for-idf-hands-on-v/

What's red or black, 4 x 4 inches and exposes itself shamelessly on the show floor at IDF 2012? If you answered Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC), you'd be right. The diminutive PC was on display at Intel's Developer Forum along with its motherboard and cooling assembly. It comes in two flavors, a consumer-geared model with a single HDMI connector and Thunderbolt (in red) and a more business-centric version with two HDMI outputs and Ethernet (in black). Both mini-systems feature a third generation (Ivy Bridge) Core i3 CPU, QS77 chipset, two dual-channel DDR3 SoDIMM slots, mSATA and mini-PCIe interfaces (for SSD and WiFi cards), five USB 2.0 ports (two back, one front, two internal) and a socket for an external 19V DC power supply. The company hopes to get the attention of OEMs and DYI-ers alike when it makes this small, light and simple computer design available in October for about $400. Check out the gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Intel Core i3 NUC hands-on