2013

Liquid nitrogen-cooled Haswell chip hits 6.5GHz

TAIPEI -- The CPUs in most computers are usually cooled using a combination of fans and heatsinks. PC enthusiasts have gone one step further by using liquid cooling as shown in the rig above. This allows them to push the processor to run beyond its normal operating speeds so as to achieve better performance without overheating the chip.

Professional overclockers, however, use subzero cooling to achieve extreme processing speeds. In most setups, liquid nitrogen is used to chill the processor and has to be topped up regularly, while Vaseline is applied to the surrounding microchips. This prevents them from short-circuiting … Read more

Asus takes on the HTPC market

TAIPEI -- In addition to new laptops and tablets, Asus also showcased its latest home theater PC (HTPC) offerings, the VivoPC and VivoMouse, at Computex.

The VivoPC appears somewhat larger than the Mac mini, but it has a high-quality metal chassis and is designed to blend easily among A/V devices. Other key differentiators include a pair of front speakers and 3.5-inch hard disk drive (HDD) support. This is unlike most small form factor PCs, which can accept only 2.5-inch HDDs.

Update: This article was originally posted on June 5, 2013 7:58 AM PDT.

Updated on June … Read more

Animal Crossing New Leaf: Nintendo's stealth mobile game

In this age of cheap, ubiquitous mobile phone and tablet games, you can't help but wonder what Nintendo would make if the company were ever to enter the space. That future seems unlikely considering Nintendo's investment in Wii U and 3DS hardware, but that doesn't mean there isn't software that could be brilliant in the mobile space. In fact, there's a fantastic mobile game Nintendo has right now -- it's just that it lives on the Nintendo 3DS.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is the latest in a franchise extending back to 2002 on the … Read more

Hands-on: Creative Senz3D camera's Portal 2 demo

TAIPEI -- During Intel's keynote at Computex 2013, the Creative Senz3D Interactive Gesture camera was announced. This camera utilizes 3D sensing technology, and when paired with Intel's Perceptual Computing SDK, allows developers to create applications with gesture control.

The camera has previously been provided to developers working on the SDK, but will be available to the public later this year. No price has been given so far.

Included with the camera is a software bundle that has games and utilities that let you take advantage of the Senz3D. One interesting example is a Skype plugin that allows you … Read more

Asus developing a 39-inch UHD monitor

TAIPEI -- Size matters for a display, and this Asus monitor caught our attention with its huge 39-inch screen size. Spotted at the company's Computex booth, this panel also features an ultra high-definition (UHD) resolution packing 3,840x2,160 pixels. However, it's still in prototype stage and will not be ready until early next year.

There are limited details about this 39-incher, except that it is based on a VA-type LCD panel … Read more

Outlook finally coming to Windows RT tablets

Consumers who own tablets running Microsoft's Windows RT operating system will get a new version of the software giant's widely used e-mail program, Outlook 2013 RT, later this year.

At the Computex computer trade show in Taiwan, Microsoft said Wednesday that the e-mail program will be included as part of the Windows 8.1 update announced last month. Outlook 2013 RT will be available as a free update for tablets running Windows RT, the scaled-down version of Windows 8, and will be included in Windows RT devices going forward.

When Microsoft rolled out Windows RT last year, it … Read more

Intel whips out quad-core Surface-like tablet, runs Android

Intel doesn't make tablets, but maybe it should.

At a Computex keynote speech Monday, the company showed a decidedly thin, Microsoft Surface-like tablet packing a quad-core Bay Trail processor.

Bay Trail is Intel's redesigned Atom chip, offering performance that gets a lot closer to the chipmaker's mainstream laptop processors than the Atom of old.

"Four cores, out-of-order execution, HD 4000 graphics...all day battery life," Intel said during the demonstration.

The reference design tablet is made by BYD Electronic (International), according to an Intel spokesperson. BYD also makes HP's Slate 7 Android tablet.

Not everyone wants to buy an Apple laptop, but serious Windows 8 competitors to the MacBook Air have been few and far between. When Windows 8 systems started rolling out last year, it seemed like PC manufacturers spent all their efforts trying to make some sort of hybrid or convertible laptop. For their regular clamshell notebooks, the most they did was install Windows 8 and put in a touch screen.

But, based on the new Sony Vaio Pro 13 (and its smaller linemate the Pro 11), it looks like the wait for some interesting ultrabooks might be over thanks to … Read more

Intel's 'Thunderbolt 2' official, coming later this year

Intel has officially dubbed the next version of its high-speed port "Thunderbolt 2."

The technology was actually revealed at the National Association of Broadcasters conference in April under the code name Falcon Ridge.

Technically, Thunderbolt 2 is a controller chip that doubles the speed of the first-generation port, supporting up to 20Gbps bidirectionally.

That means the cables can now support both transferring a 4K video and putting it on screen at the same time.

Current versions of Thunderbolt are limited to an individual 10Gbs channel each for both data and display, less than the required bandwidth for 4K … Read more

Apple prepares Moscone for next week's WWDC

With less than a week to go before its big developers conference next week, Apple has already begun decorating the outside of the Moscone Center in San Francisco, where the week-long event is held.

As usual, that involves plastering large Apple logos on the outside of the three story building, as well as adorning some of the inside halls with large graphics.

There aren't too many surprises inside so far, though that could change as more signage goes up. In years past, that's included early looks at icons for products like iCloud. Apple typically covers up time-sensitive things … Read more