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Legit Reviews News History

Windows 8 To Take Desktop GUI Design In a New Direction

In a rather long blog entry in the Building Windows 8 blog, Microsoft goes through the history of Windows Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), going all the way back to Windows 1 in 1985 and ending with the upcoming Windows 8 GUI. They explain the new direction that they're going with Windows 8, calling Vista's Aero Glass look "dated and cheesy", with Windows 7 toning all this down significantly, along with the use of flat icons as opposed to Vista's 3D ones.

For Windows 8, they're getting rid of the rounded window look and going for a smart, square-edged look instead - this will be better for windows screenshots if nothing else, which will be free of the corner "ears" that Aero Glass screenshots have. They will also be getting rid of the transparancies still visible in Windows 7, the glows and gradients found on buttons etc, with a default look of an overall white to create an airy and premium look.

Personally, the one thing I really liked about the much maligned Vista was its Aero Glass GUI, with its smart-looking black shine, transparent glass effects and stylish 3D icons, all combining to give it a serious wow factor. It still has it for me to this day, in fact. Had Vista been a better product overall, perhaps Microsoft would not have felt so compelled to move away from its impressive GUI? We'll never know.

We applied the principles of “clean and crisp” when updating window and taskbar chrome. Gone are the glass and reflections. We squared off the edges of windows and the taskbar. We removed all the glows and gradients found on buttons within the chrome. We made the appearance of windows crisper by removing unnecessary shadows and transparency. The default window chrome is white, creating an airy and premium look. The taskbar continues to blend into the desktop wallpaper, but appears less complicated overall.

To complete the story, we updated the appearance of most common controls, such as buttons, check boxes, sliders, and the Ribbon. We squared off the rounded edges, cleaned away gradients, and flattened the control backgrounds to align with our chrome changes. We also tweaked the colors to make them feel more modern and neutral.

Microsoft

Posted by | Sun, May 20, 2012 - 06:51 PM | Comments

NVIDIA's GTX 680 Intermittent VSYNC Stuttering Issue To Be Fixed In Next Driver

If you have a new NVIDIA GTX 680 graphics card and you appear to have been experiencing intermittent stuttering issues in your games while vertical sync (vsync) was turned on, you're not imagining it.

There's a very long thread over at Tom's Hardware where users have been complaining of this problem. The TH editors were unable to reproduce the problem over several games, but asked NVIDIA about it. They explained that they've found the root cause of the problem, but that it will take extensive testing before it's released, so will therefore be rolled into the next driver release, slated for June. So, if this is driving you mad, then simply sit tight or turn off vsync for now. This problem doesn't appear to affect previous generation cards. NVIDIA's official response is quoted below.

We have received reports of an intermittent v-sync stuttering issue from some of our customers. We’ve root caused the issue to a driver bug and identified a fix for it. The fix requires extensive testing though, and will not be available until our next major driver release targeted for June (post-R300). For users experiencing this issue, the interim workaround is to disable v-sync via the Nvidia Control Panel or in-game graphics settings menu.

Tom's Hardware

Posted by | Sun, May 20, 2012 - 06:22 PM | Comments

Nokia's Lumia 900 Glass So Tough, It Can Easily Withstand Having a Nail Hammered Into It!

When choosing a mobile phone, there are many things that have to be considered, with features such as operating system, phone company and costs all having to be taken into account. Another is just how tough the phone is to resisting life's knocks, bumps, scrapes and falls. Well, if this video from Nokia's hardware validation lab is anything to go by, the Nokia Lumia 900 is very tough indeed. The video below shows one being torture tested by having a nail hammered into its glass face and then the phone itself being used to hammer a nail into a piece of wood! Incredibly, it survives this without a scratch and is still fully functional at the end of it. Of course, it must be remembered that the shocks go right through the phone, so the circuit board, battery and case must all be made to be very tough as well. Note that trying such a harsh test on your own phone is not recommended.

Now, one of the world's most popular smartphones is of course the Apple iPhone, which is unfortunately well known for not taking knocks and falls too well, often resulting in cracked and broken glass fronts. Perhaps Apple should note when designing their next expensive iPhone, that this level of toughness is perfectly possible in a smartphone and doesn't cost the earth to implement?

Posted by | Sun, May 20, 2012 - 10:31 AM | Comments

Homemade Transformer Has To Be Seen To Be Believed!

Ok, here's something a little different for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Fans of the Transformers series of sci-fi movies will love this: a Japanese enthusiast has built a homemade real-life Autobot! The size of a model radio-controlled car and using 22 servo motors for the joints, it can literally change from a car into a warrior bot and back in a matter of seconds, looking very cool while transforming. It can also do some funky moves while in "humanoid" form, too.

This is a version 8 model and a version 9 is in the works, which will be very interesting to see. The number plate has the name "Kenji Ishida", which is presumably the name of the enthusiast who made it.

Posted by | Sun, May 20, 2012 - 10:04 AM | Comments

Microsoft: Delivering Reliable and Trustworthy Metro Style Apps

In a bid to maintain quality (and copy Apple?) Microsoft is laying down some ground rules for developers wanting to code apps for the Metro interface that's new to Windows 8, due for release in a few months.

Apps will only be available through the Windows Store, which allows one-click installs, user feedback and crash monitoring - all handled by the operating system, reducing development time and providing a consistent user experience. To help ensure this seamless experience, Microsoft is also requiring developers not to use APIs which aren't included in the development kit. All apps submissions must go through an Apple App Store style vetting process before they will appear, along with a cut of all sales of course. Finally, apps can't just grab access to certain features of mobile devices, such as GPS and cameras. Instead, they will be forced to request access from the user. This is good, as these functions allow personal data about a user to be obtained, such as location and their picture. This should help to keep potential malware and intrusive apps at bay. But what about the screening process you say? Nothing is perfect and a few dodgy apps sneak past Apple's screening process occasionally, which are subsequently pulled. Having a safety net like this is highly recommended.

Windows Store – For customers, it starts with the Store, their one-stop-shop for Metro style apps. To get into the Store your app is reviewed for both technical and policy compliance, including security checks. After it’s published to the Store, your app will be rated and reviewed by the community. Together, the onboarding process and community reviews help create an environment in which customers can try apps with confidence.

Microsoft

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 07:04 PM | Comments

Big Content's Piracy Myth Busted: BitTorrent 'Piracy' Does Actually Boost Sales!

Big Content routinely cries foul over 'piracy' of their precious content and on that basis, uses its formidable wealth to continue persecuting file sharers - that's ordinary people like you and me - by trying to force extortionate financial settlements or taking them to court and lobbying governments around the world to get draconian anti-consumer laws passed such as three strikes and you're off the internet. Note that Big Content never shows in court or anywhere else, independently verified evidence of the supposed "harm" dealt by file sharing. They always rely on statutory damages and claim that it's impossible to quantify it. So, how do they know how much "damage" is being done, then? Interestingly, looking at their financials, they're always in rude health, even during these rough economic times around the world. This includes, music, movies and especially video games - witness the astounding sales of the latest Call of Duty series breaking all sales records recently. Something doesn't smell right, does it?

Most file sharing studies have shown that file sharing has a neglible effect on sales, good or bad and the ones that show damage to sales tend to be funded by Big Content. However, this latest independent study, entitled "Profit Leak? Pre-Release File Sharing and the Music Industry" by Robert Hammond, Assistant Professor of Economics at North Carolina State University, claims that piracy actually increases sales of music albums. Moreover, Hammond claims that the study is much more accurate than previous ones made, since the sample size is so much larger: 1095 albums from 1075 artists on the largest private BitTorrent tracker dedicated to music. The research focused on albums that were leaked before release and found that on average resulted in 59.6 additional sales, a small, but clearly measurable benefit. Interestingly, the artists to gain the most were the widely known ones, with the little known ones not affected by file sharing at all.

The study can be downloaded here (681KB PDF) or viewed online courtesy of scribd here and the professor's website is here.

"I isolate the causal effect of file sharing of an album on its sales by exploiting exogenous variation in how widely available the album was prior to its official release date. The findings suggest that file sharing of an album benefits its sales. I don’t find any evidence of a negative effect in any specification, using any instrument," Hammond concludes in his paper.

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 06:25 PM | Comments

Borderlands 2 Special Editions Revealed & Detailed

Looks like 2K games and Gearbox have been busy detailing their two special editions of Borderlands 2. First up is the "Deluxe Vault Hunter's Collector's Edition" which comes stacked with a Marcus bobblehead, map of Pandora, hardcover art book, digital comic download code and of course bonus DLC content. For those who would rather go big or go home, there's the "Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition" which includes the above items along with a replica red loot chest scaled down of course, steel book case, lithograph postcard set, field notes from Hammerlock, cloth map of Pandora, creatures ID chart, and a numbered certificate of authenticity. You can get the "Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition" for $149.99 and the "Deluxe Vault Hunter's Collector's Edition" for $99.99. Pre-orders of either version will give users access to "Borderlands 2 Premiere Club" which gives users access to the Gearbox Gun Pack, a Golden Key which opens a rare item located in the Golden Sanctuary. Furthermore the Vault Hunter's Relic which boosts abilities will be included as well alongside the Mechromancer class. Those pre-ordering the regular edition will get Mechromancer as well, however it will remain post-launch DLC content.

Borderlands 2 Deluxe Vault Hunter's Collection

Borderlands 2 is a big fall release for both 2K Games and Gearbox, timed to hit just when you might be getting sick of grabbing loot from a certain other game. And as a big fall release, it's getting a few special editions, because of course it is. Today 2K and Gearbox detailed the two special editions of the game and the goodies stashed within.

Shack News

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 02:16 PM | Comments

EA Promotes Crowd Funded Games With Free 90-Day Distribution On Origin

It looks like alternative business models are alive and well in the world of PC video games. The crowd funding model, where the developer asks fans to pay money for the development of the game, rather than just the final product, has caught the eye of gaming giant Electronic Arts.

For anyone that can present to them a fully developed crowd funded game, they will offer the Origin distribution service free for 90 days to help the game reach a wide audience. Origin SVP David DeMartini had this to say about the initiative, "The public support for crowd-funding creative game ideas coming from small developers today is nothing short of phenomenal. It's also incredibly healthy for the gaming industry. Gamers around the world deserve a chance to play every great new game, and by waiving distribution fees on Origin we can help make that a reality for successfully crowd-funded developers." Sounds good. The daddy of online game distribution, Valve, are sure to counter with something of their own with their Steam platform and it will be interesting to see what they come up with. Budding developers can sign up for this offer here.

Origin is offering to waive its distribution fees for any developers that have a successfully crowd-funded, ready-to-publish downloadable PC game. Origin will provide distribution services for 90 days after the game's launch, giving new crowd-funded games a chance to reach the growing worldwide audience on Origin.

If you have a game development project that has been successfully funded via a crowd-funding service, you are eligible to submit your final game for distribution on Origin.

The Escapist

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 01:40 PM | Comments

Microsoft Promotes PC Sales With Free Xbox 360 From Today

Starting May today, Microsoft is to start promoting Windows PC sales, by giving away a free 4GB Xbox 360 with qualifying PCs. The promotion will be marketed at "hard working" students, who need to unwind after a day full of studies and classes. In the USA, the promotion starts May 20, where a qualifying Windows PC costing at least $699 bought from a participating retailer will include a free 4GB Xbox 360. The deal is also available in Canada, but is slightly different. Here, the promotion starts today and the PC has to cost just $599 or more from participating retailers, with the same 4GB Xbox 360 being given away. Participating retailers in the US include Best Buy, Dell.com, Fry’s Electronics, HPDirect.com, Microsoft Stores, and NewEgg.com. In Canada, they include Best Buy, Dell.ca, Future Shop, Staples and The Source.

With all the hard work students put in for their classes in college, they need some downtime, right? That’s where the Xbox 360 comes in! To blow off some steam, you can just hop on Xbox LIVE and play some Halo with friends and family far away or just down the hall. Could be a great way to blow off steam and relax after a long day full of studying and classes.

Microsoft

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 01:10 PM | Comments

Next Apple iPhone to feature larger screen

Sources report that tech giant Apple Computer has placed orders for a new larger sized screen with its Asian suppliers of iPhone displays. The displays are reported to be 'considerably' larger than the 3.5" screens that are being used on current Apple iPhone models. The screen is said to be at least 4-inches wide, corner-to-corner and will be the focal point of the newest generation of iPhone coming in October. This looks to be a direct response to arch-enemy Samsung whose smartphones have screens of us to 4.8-inches.

The new iPhone screens will measure 4 inches from corner to corner, one source said. That would represent a roughly 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps other dimensions proportional. Apple has used a 3.5-inch screen since introducing the iPhone in 2007. It is likely all three of the screen suppliers will get production orders from Apple, which could begin as soon as June. That would allow the new iPhone to go into production as soon as August, if the company follows its own precedent in moving from orders for prototypes for key components to launch.

Reuters Technology News

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 01:19 AM | Comments

HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE Banned From the US

The anticipated rollout of two of HTC's newest mobile phones, the One X and EVO 4G LTE have been delayed due to Apple Computer's litigation against the Taiwan company HTC. This is yet another round in the global battle for mobile handset superiority which sees the latest battle being waged literally at the doorsteps of the US. The two HTC devices have been held up at US Customs as a result of an exclusion order by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) from late last year. Because of this action - prompted by Apple - HTC and its partners AT&T and Sprint are currently unable to sell the handsets in the US. Both AT&T and Sprint are Apple partners as well and are reportedly working on brokering a deal between HTC and the iPhone parent, Apple.

The patent in question has to do with when you click on a phone number or email address inside of a text or email. Before, when you tapped on a phone number in a text or email, a menu would pop up giving you a list of options. Now, it just goes straight to the phone’s dialer. That menu is apparently a patented idea by Apple. The international versions of both phones still have the functionality. We still do not know if US Customs agrees. As far as we know, the devices are still detained.

Digital Trends

Posted by | Fri, May 18, 2012 - 12:53 AM | Comments

Intel Going Green, Aims To Have Conflict-Free CPUs By End of 2013

Like many companies and organizations around the world, Intel has a Green agenda. Therefore, it has set itself quite a few goals that it wants to achieve by 2020, such as the usual reductions in things like use of energy and water, eliminate chemical waste sent to landfill by 2020, plus use renewable power wherever possible. Interestingly, it wants to become conflict-free across four key minerals: gold, tantalum, tin and tungsten by the end of 2013. To achieve this, it will make supplier audits more stringent. It looks like Ivy Bridge's successor, Haswell, might be the first conflict-free (and hence guilt free?) processor ever made.

"At Intel, corporate responsibility is a crucial component to the overall growth of our business," said Michael Jacobson, Intel's director of corporate responsibility. "From product to customer to employee to environment, corporate responsibility allows Intel to have a greater and more influential impact on industries, communities and the global economy."

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