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Intel Introduces 4th Generation Processors

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Intel has just introduced it’s 4th generation Core processor line and they are pushing right along with some serious gains over previous generations.

One of the most notable improvements with the Intel’s 4th generation processors has got to be power consumption. Intel has claimed that they have achieved a 50% improvement in battery life over the last generation while watching video or browsing and that could be over 9 hours . As far as standby goes, Intel says it has gained two or three times as much battery life then the last generation and in some cases they have had 10-13 days of standby on a single charge.

Let’s not forget about graphics, Intel is pushing ahead with Intel® Iris™ graphics which will double 3D performance in gaming. It looks like there will be a few different options to choose from including the the Intel HD 4600 and the faster Iris Pro 5200.

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Intel’s Graphics Naming (Source: Intel)

Intel’s 4th genration is focusing on 2-in-1 devices and their goal was to harness the kind of power you would normally expect on a PC but in a mobile form factor. This is exactly what’s needed in today’s mobile market and it looks like Intel has delivered on their promises. If you are patiently awaiting next weeks World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) you can probably expect Apple to include these new processors in their announcements.

You can read Intel’s official announcement for complete details.

 

 

Asteroid With It’s Own Moon

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Radar images of 1998 QE2 (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSSR)

What’s cooler than an asteroid? How about an astroid with it’s own moon!

The asteroid is 1998 QE2 and NASA scientists have used radar technology to take images of it, as seen at the top of this article. This type of asteroid is known as a binary asteroid and some even have two orbiting moons, those are referred to as triple systems. This asteroid is in the Near-Earth population of asteroids and is about 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) in diameter.

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70 Meter Deep Space Network Antenna in Goldstone, Calif. ( Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSSR)

The image was taken May 29th, 2013 using the Deep Space Network antenna in Goldstone California which is very large.

The antenna itself is 70 meters or 230 feet in diameter and that makes it the largest and most sensitive Deep Space Network antenna on Earth. The DSN antenna is capable of  tracking a spacecraft travelling more than 16 billion kilometers (10 billion miles) from Earth.

You can read the full article on this asteroid from NASA/JPL.

Will Mac Pro Get a Much Needed Refresh?

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The Mac Pro hasn’t seen an update in quite a while and it’s really starting to show it’s age. Pro users are getting quite impatient with Apple by now and some have even sent emails directly to Tim Cook complaining about how they feel that Apple has essentially forgotten about it’s pro users and has decided to focus purely on the iPhone and iPad business.

It makes sense that Apple would focus most of their attention to these products since they are by far their most popular but it’s time for the Mac Pro to get some love and Tim Cook actually responded to the email by saying that there are some updates in store for 2013.

USB 3.0, Thunderbolt and CPU upgrades are just a few of the much needed updates to the Mac Pro line. Hopefully, we will get an announcement next week at the World Wide Developers Conference which begins June 10th and continues through to the 14th. Macrumors has mentioned that supplies of the Mac Pro have decreased significantly among various suppliers which does seem to hint toward a refresh.

Microsoft Introduces New Sculpt Mouse

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With Windows 8 beginning  to really settle in, it seems that Microsoft has decided to launch a new mouse to make the whole experience feel better. The Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Mouse is designed to work Windows and it also has some features that are specifically for Windows 8.

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Sculpt Comfort Mouse

 

The most obvious feature on the mouse is the Windows Touch Tab, which is the big blue strip on the side mouse that allows you to quickly return to the Start Screen when pressed in the center. With Windows 8, if you swipe up on the blue strip you can switch between open apps, if you swipe down it will show you all open apps. The stripe can also be used to open the Start menu on older versions of Windows.

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The wheel offers up four way scrolling and the mouse movement is captured using Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology. This mouse is wireless and uses bluetooth which will also allow you to connect it to a tablet. You can also get a mobile version of this mouse which boasts many of the same features except that it lacks the blue Windows strip on the side.

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Sculpt Mobile Mouse

 

The Sculpt Comfort is selling for $39.95 and the mobile version is selling for $29.95. You can read the full hardware specifications on Microsoft’s hardware page.

No Charge for Used Xbox One Games

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There has been a lot of buzz going around on whether or not Microsoft’s new next-gen console, the Xbox One, will charge a fee to “re-activate” used games on other consoles. If this were to happen this would likely send most gamers into a frenzy and likely lead to many angry emails and maybe even console boycotting. Let’s not forget about businesses who basically exist because of used games, like GameStop, they wouldn’t be very happy either.

Thankfully, it seems that there will NOT be a fee, at least according to Polygon who also mentions that the games will still need to be authenticated from time-to-time through random checks done online. The system is said to authorize and de-authorize systems once the disc is loaded up in to a console. That means one specific disc for one specific console, period, until someone hacks it.

It’s pretty easy to get all up in arms over things, especially when we don’t get all of the details and when it involves something that’s close to our hearts like our games, but we don’t know everything just yet. Microsoft still has a lot more to talk about before the actual release of the console and we won’t truly know what this or any console will be like until it’s in our living rooms.