Employees at the Chinese factories of Apple supplier Foxconn continue to work beyond the country's legal limit of 49 hours a month, according to a report from the Fair Labor Association (FLA). But the Taiwanese manufacturer is making overall steady progress in improving the working conditions at a select group of factories in China, it said.
Computerworld News
Tag Archives: working
Progress at Foxconn factories, but working hours still exceed Chinese laws
Posted by Gsurface
on May 17, 2013
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OLPC working on XO laptop telescope and microscope peripherals (hands-on)
Posted by Gsurface
on May 16, 2013
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So much of what children are taught in the sciences amounts to abstractions. It’s a shame, really — concepts of the universe are so much easier to extrapolate when we can see them for ourselves. OLPC’s looking to give the classrooms it serves more access to the very big and very small with two new attachments that we had the opportunity to check out on a recent visit to the company’s Miami office. First off is a telescope that secures to the side of its XO-4 laptop with a vice grip, utilizing the device’s built-in camera. There’s also a microscope that sits atop a swiveling base and plugs directly into one of the laptop’s USB ports. Both peripherals run on Fedora-based software designed by the company.
OLPC will be bringing these out as soon as it can get the price down through manufacturing. For the France-designed telescope, the company is aiming for $ 10, with a potentially lower price on the microscope. The idea is to get one of each in a classroom, rather than the one-to-one approach of its XO line.
3D-printed designer shoe contains working iPhone
Posted by Gsurface
on May 9, 2013
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Alan Nguyen’s slick heels double as a carrier for your phone. They’re perfect for people who can’t stop texting while walking. [Read more]
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LG Working On A Nexus 5, Wants Deeper Partnerships On TVs And Glass, Report Claims
Posted by Gsurface
on May 3, 2013
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LG is an Android smartphone OEM that, like many others, finds itself in the shadow of Samsung. But it scored an impressive hit with the Nexus 4, the $ 300 unlocked Google-branded Android reference phone it released last year, and according to the Korea Times, it’s already working on a follow-up with the search giant.
TechCrunch
Rare working Apple-1 computer to hit auction block this month
Posted by Gsurface
on May 3, 2013
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A German auctioneer will put a working Apple-1 computer on the block later this month, and expects the handmade computer to fetch between $ 261,000 and $ 392,000 at Thursday’s exchange rate.
Computerworld News
Microsoft reportedly working on Mohoro, an Azure-hosted virtualization service
Posted by Gsurface
on May 2, 2013
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Microsoft is plumbing the depths of cloud computing yet again with the development of what could be a pay-per-use desktop virtualization service called Mohoro. According to ZDNet‘s Mary Jo Foley, Mohoro is essentially Azure‘s answer to Remote Desktop, but as a hosted service. Intended for “companies who want thin clients or to run legacy apps on new PCs,” her source states that, “With Mohoro, you click a few buttons, deploy your apps, use Intune to push out configuration to all of your company’s devices, and you’re done,” thus skipping the need for server infrastructure. As Foley points out, however, Azure-hosted virtual machines aren’t currently set up to run Windows clients under Microsoft’s licensing terms. What’s more, Mohoro development is reportedly in its early days, and as such, Foley speculates that it won’t be a reality until much later — she’s guessing the latter half of 2014.
Filed under: Networking, Microsoft
Source: ZDNet
Microsoft working on redesigns for Xbox, Yammer, Skype and Bing
Posted by Gsurface
on April 28, 2013
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Considering Microsoft’s efforts to rebrand, redesign and rebuild its Windows platform, it’s no surprise to hear the company is tweaking the visual aesthetics of its other brands, too. Speaking at Design Day 2013, Wolff Olins creative director Todd Simmons and Windows Phone design studio manager Albert Shum talked about the challenges of rebranding a company like Microsoft. “We’re still trying to figure out how to put a consumer face on this brand, as an ecosystem,” Simmons said, explaining how the team wanted to get away from the idea of Microsoft being a top-down, monolithic entity. The discussion touched on the creation of the Windows 8 logo, but also shed light on efforts to revamp other Microsoft brands. “Other brands are coming along too,” Simmons explained, teasing the audience with a pair of sketches. “Bing, Skype, Yammer, Xbox — everything is under development.” With Microsoft’s next generation gaming hardware lurking just around the corner, the time for a new logo might just be nigh. Read on to see the pair’s full 45-minute presentation for yourself.
Via: Verge, Travis Lowdermilk (Twitter)
Source: Vimeo, Design Day 2013
Amazon Reportedly Working On Set-Top Box
Posted by Gsurface
on April 24, 2013
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Bloomberg is reporting that Amazon has plans to release its own television set-top box later this year. The device will stream video over the internet from Amazon’s video service catalog. From the article: “Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos is pushing the company into a broadening array of hardware, including tablets, electronic readers and a planned smartphone. … The set-top box is being developed by Amazon’s Lab126 division, based in Cupertino, California — the city that’s also home to Apple. Lab126 has toyed with building connected television devices for several years, the people familiar with the effort said. … Plans for pricing couldn’t be determined. Amazon’s typical strategy is to sell hardware at competitive prices, sometimes at a loss, with the intent of making up for discounts through sales of content, including books and movies. Amazon could also use the set-top box to promote its online store.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Microsoft Working With Suppliers on Designs for Watch-Like Device
Posted by Gsurface
on April 15, 2013
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An anonymous reader writes with news that Microsoft may be working on a smartwatch. “The modern smartwatch market hardly even exists, and yet it’s already starting to feel very crowded. Hot on the heels of plans (official and otherwise) from Apple and Samsung, the Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft has also been shopping around for parts to build a ‘watch-style device.’ While details are scarce as to what that would entail, unnamed supplier executives tell the newspaper that Microsoft has been asking for 1.5-inch touchscreens. We wouldn’t count on seeing an ultra-small Surface anytime soon, however — these executives say they’ve visited Microsoft’s campus, but they don’t know whether the Windows developer is fully committed to its wrist-worn endeavor or just experimenting. If the project exists at all, of course. Still, there’s finally a glimmer of hope for anyone who’s still mourning the loss of their beloved SPOT watches.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Microsoft Working With Suppliers on Designs for Watch-Like Device
Posted by Gsurface
on April 15, 2013
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An anonymous reader writes with news that Microsoft may be working on a smartwatch. “The modern smartwatch market hardly even exists, and yet it’s already starting to feel very crowded. Hot on the heels of plans (official and otherwise) from Apple and Samsung, the Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft has also been shopping around for parts to build a ‘watch-style device.’ While details are scarce as to what that would entail, unnamed supplier executives tell the newspaper that Microsoft has been asking for 1.5-inch touchscreens. We wouldn’t count on seeing an ultra-small Surface anytime soon, however — these executives say they’ve visited Microsoft’s campus, but they don’t know whether the Windows developer is fully committed to its wrist-worn endeavor or just experimenting. If the project exists at all, of course. Still, there’s finally a glimmer of hope for anyone who’s still mourning the loss of their beloved SPOT watches.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
China, U.S. to form working group on cyberspying issue
Posted by Gsurface
on April 14, 2013
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After a meeting with China Foreign Minister Wang Yi, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the two countries have agreed to work toward cybersecurity for both nations. [Read more]
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Xbox LIVE is currently down, Microsoft is working hard to fix it
Posted by Gsurface
on April 14, 2013
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If you’re trying again and again to sign into your Xbox LIVE account, you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault. According to the Xbox LIVE Status page, several Xbox LIVE services are currently down, and Microsoft is working diligently to correct the issue. Unfortunately, Xbox LIVE seems to have disconnected at quite possibly the
Dell working on ARM supercomputer prototypes
Posted by Gsurface
on March 29, 2013
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Not fazed by a takeover battle looming on the sidelines, members of Dell's research division are putting together the pieces for prototype ARM supercomputers that could be deployed in the future.
Computerworld News
Elon Musk says SpaceX is working on reusable rockets
Posted by Gsurface
on March 11, 2013
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The CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, took the stage yesterday at SXSW to discuss several things, including a couple of new projects SpaceX is working on. SpaceX is currently working on building rockets that are reusable. The rockets are what Musk says is one of the roadblocks that is holding back humanity
Google Glass Is As Much About Working With Our Past As Our Future
Posted by Gsurface
on February 24, 2013
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Google Glass is here but not quite here yet. What it will do to the way we live and work sometimes feels like a page out of an illustration of a man with a mechanical eye, who works according to a vision of what appears in the medium in the display he sees, entirely programmed by software.
Why Working Remotely Needs To Make a Comeback
Posted by Gsurface
on February 24, 2013
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silentbrad writes sends this excerpt from a blog post about the history of working from home: “Remote working has existed for centuries. And now is the perfect time for its comeback. … Prior to the Industrial Revolution, goods were manufactured by contracting individual craftsmen who worked out of their homes. The merchant would drum up sales, and would coordinate the production with at-home sub-contractors. … This all changed with the Industrial Revolution: production was centralized in factories and cities. For merchant capitalists, this made sense: it was cheaper and more efficient to produce goods in one place, with machinery. … We’ve been in the Information Age for at least 25 years. We’ve made huge leaps in technology. Many of us would describe ourselves as Knowledge Workers: we don’t work in factories, we work at desks in front of glowing screens. We don’t make goods with physical materials, but rather things made out of bits. The great thing about bits + the internet is that the materials and means needed for production aren’t dependent on location. But here’s the funny thing: the way work is organized hasn’t changed. Despite all these advances, most of us still work in central offices. Employees leave their computer-equipped homes and drive long distances to work at computer-equipped offices. … CEOs, like Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer and Apple’s Steve Jobs, think that a central office fosters more innovation and productivity. I think they’re wrong. We’re still early in the research, but recent studies seem to dispute their claim. … Managers have developed centuries worth of habits based on the central workplace. The hallmarks of office work (meetings, cubicle workstations, colocation) need to be seen for what they are: traditions we’ve kept alive since the Industrial Revolution. We need to question these institutions: are they really more innovative and efficient?”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Yahoo! tells employees to stop working from home
Posted by Gsurface
on February 24, 2013
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No more working from home for Yahoo employees, says report
Posted by Gsurface
on February 24, 2013
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“We need to be one Yahoo,” reads a memo reportedly sent to staff, so come June any existing work-from-home arrangements will be rendered null and void. [Read more]
CNET News
Apple maybe be working on new e-book features for iOS
Posted by Gsurface
on February 21, 2013
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The iPad maker files a patent for technology that would add a floating toolbar for searches, taking notes and highlighting text. [Read more]
CNET News
Bloomberg: 100 people are working on the Apple watch
Posted by Gsurface
on February 13, 2013
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Apple’s wearable computing project might not just be the fever-dream of analysts, if Bloomberg is to be believed. The news agency is claiming that Apple’s watch project is commanding considerable resources within Cupertino’s shadowy prototype labs. Two people who claim to be familiar with the company’s plans are saying that engineering chief James Foster and program manager Achim Pantfoerder are heading up a team of around 100 designers, programmers and engineers. Bloomberg goes on to say that the watch will tie in to the iPhone and iPad, but, understandably, received a terse no comment when it approached Apple directly.
Source: Bloomberg
Apple has 100-person team working on smartwatch-like device, says sources
Posted by Gsurface
on February 13, 2013
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On Sunday, we reported that Apple is allegedly working on a smartwatch-like device, according to sources who are said to be familiar with the situation. Now, according to Bloomberg, more sources have come forward and stated that Apple has a team of approximately 100 individuals working on the wearable device. Such an enormous team size
Nike confirms its not working on a FuelBand Android app
Posted by Gsurface
on February 12, 2013
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Apple Said To Be Working On a ‘Watch-Like Device’
Posted by Gsurface
on February 10, 2013
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The WSJ reports that Apple is “experimenting with designs for a watch-like device that would perform some functions of a smartphone, according to people briefed on the effort.” An excerpt: The company has discussed such a device with its major manufacturing partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., one of these people said, as part of explorations of potentially large product categories beyond the smartphone and tablet. Apple’s efforts come as companies have introduced various kinds of wearable gadgets, mainly designed to measure physical activity. More sophisticated devices face big technical challenges, but also are attracting investments from large technology companies. Foxconn, as Hon Hai is also known, has been working on a spate of technologies that could be used in wearable devices, one of these people said. In particular, the Taiwan-based company has been working to address the challenges of making displays more power-efficient and working with chip manufacturers to strip down their products.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Real-time On-Topic Chat Platform Menshn Closes After Co-Founders’ Working Relationship Sours
Posted by Gsurface
on February 6, 2013
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Twitter-esque real-time chat platform, Menshn, is to close after barely half a year after the co-founders’ working relationship soured. The platform launched back in June, initially aimed at capitalizing on the U.S. election — with its basic premise being to serve people who want to have a real-time online conversation that stays on topic.
TechCrunch
The “Windows First” Mobile Strategy For Microsoft Office 2013 Is Not Working
Posted by Gsurface
on January 30, 2013
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Microsoft is pinching CIOs by not providing an easy way to run the just released Microsoft Office 2013 on anything except Windows RT. With little cross-platform integration, Microsoft is creating an opening for vendors that have a more clear path for accessing documents on a mobile device.
TechCrunch
Researchers build a working tractor beam, on a very small scale
Posted by Gsurface
on January 26, 2013
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We recently saw research that suggested negative radiation pressure in light could lead to a practical tractor beam. A partnership between the Czech Republic’s Institute of Scientific Instruments and Scotland’s University of St. Andrews can show that it’s more than just theory: the two have successfully created an optical field that flipped the usual pressure and started pulling objects toward the light. Their demo only tugged at the particle level — sorry, no spaceships just yet — but it exhibited unique properties that could be useful here on Earth. Scientists discovered that the pull is specific to the size and substance of a given object, and that targets would sometimes reorganize themselves in a way that improved the results. On the current scale, that pickiness could lead to at least medicinal uses, such as sorting cells based on their material. While there’s more experiments and development to go before we ever see a tractor beam at the hospital, the achievement brings us one step closer to the sci-fi future we were always told we’d get, right alongside the personal communicators and jetpacks.
Via: BBC
Source: University of St. Andrews, Nature
Hobbyist Builds Working Replica of Iron Man’s Laser Gauntlet
Posted by Gsurface
on January 23, 2013
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Zothecula writes “Given that most real-life superheroes don’t have the budget of Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne, you would assume that their gadgetry wouldn’t be quite on par with what we’re used to seeing in the movies. German cyber weapons hobbyist Patrick Priebe, however, has built his own working laser gauntlet… just like the one made famous by a certain Iron Man.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple working on a less-expensive iPhone, sources say
Posted by Gsurface
on January 9, 2013
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Google working on removing Maps redirect for Windows Phone
Posted by Gsurface
on January 6, 2013
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Yesterday, we reported that Google was redirecting Windows Phone users who tried to access maps.google.com to Search instead. Google has offered an explanation, stating that the redirect was in place because Internet Explorer mobile on Windows Phones provided a lackluster experience. In light of improvements with the browser, however, Google says that it is now
Microsoft working on a fix for Halo 4 SmartGlass issues, arriving in ‘the coming weeks’
Posted by Gsurface
on January 5, 2013
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Microsoft’s SmartGlass and Microsoft’s Halo 4 apparently aren’t quite getting along on Windows Phone 8 devices. Using SmartGlass, Halo 4 players can normally access their stats and other info about their android supersoldier using the long-established Waypoint service — except for Windows Phone 8 users, apparently. A forum thread dating back to Halo 4‘s November launch highlights the issue — as Xbox.com forum user “Scion Eon” puts it: “Whenever I try to log into SmartGlass on my phone while playing Halo 4, I am immediately greeted with a message that says ‘Your device is missing certain required features.’” As it turns out, Mr. Eon isn’t the only one experiencing said connectivity issues — specific to Windows Phone 8 devices — and Microsoft’s aware of the situation.
“We are aware that there is an issue with the Xbox SmartGlass experience for ‘Halo Waypoint’ on Windows Phone 8 devices, which may prevent users from accessing Halo 4 player stats,” a Microsoft rep told us this afternoon. Thankfully, Redmond’s also taking care of a solution. “We are actively working on a fix and expect to have a solution within the coming weeks. We appreciate your patience as this gets resolved and apologize for any inconvenience this causes,” the statement reads. Of course, should you want to access Halo 4‘s Waypoint functionality on SmartGlass before that fix, you can always use Microsoft’s competitor’s devices. But then who’d do that?
[Thanks Colin!]
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Xbox.com
Ask Slashdot: CS Degree While Working Full Time?
Posted by Gsurface
on December 29, 2012
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An anonymous reader writes “First, some quick background: I am 26 years old and I have been working for a large software development company with more than 50,000 employees for about 5 years now. My actual title is Senior Software Engineer, and I am payed well considering I have no degrees and all of the programming languages I have learned (C, C++, C#, Java) are completely self taught. The only real reason I was able to get this job is because I spent a year or so in a support position and I was able to impress the R&D Lead Developer with a handful of my projects. My job is secure for the time being, but what really concerns me is the ability to find another job in the field without 95% of companies discarding me for lack of formal education. I started looking into local community colleges and universities, and much to my dismay, they offer neither nighttime or online courses for computer science. Quitting the job to pursue a degree is not an option, especially considering they will compensate me up to $ 10,000/yr for going back to school. Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Does anyone know of any accredited colleges and universities that offer a CS degree through online courses? Obviously excluding the scam ‘colleges’ such as Univ. of Phoenix and DeVry.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Xbox Live cloud storage currently down, Microsoft working on a fix
Posted by Gsurface
on December 28, 2012
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If you’ve been having issues retrieving your Xbox 360 saves from the cloud, you’re not alone. As it turns out, Microsoft is experiencing some problem with Xbox Live at the moment, which is causing a couple of different headaches. The first (obviously) is that Xbox Live cloud storage is currently inaccessible, while the second involves
Google Skunkworks Working on ‘X Phone,’ Reports WSJ
Posted by Gsurface
on December 23, 2012
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The Wall Street Journal says that Google’s not quite content to be just a name printed on certain Android phones, and has set some of the cellphone engineers from Google-owned Motorola Mobility to work on high-end project known internally as the ‘X phone.’ The rumored phone, says the article, “is due out sometime next year,” and is meant as a technology flagship for Android phones, incorporating more innovative features than typical phones, such as advanced gesture recognition. Some of those features, like a flexible screen, have reportedly already been dropped from the design, though. If the X Phone materializes, a tablet is expected to follow.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Microsoft: We’re working to ‘adjust’ IE’s mouse tracking
Posted by Gsurface
on December 15, 2012
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A U.K. analytics firm that warned earlier this week of an information leak in Internet Explorer (IE) today rebuked Microsoft for downplaying the bug.
Computerworld News
Apple Patent A Reminder That It’s Working On Google Glass-Style Wearable Tech, Too
Posted by Gsurface
on December 7, 2012
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An Apple patent published yesterday by the USPTO and unearthed by Patently Apple is a reminder that Apple was actually working on wearable tech in the form of content-delivery glasses, at least on paper, long before Google debuted Google Glass. Apple originally filed a patent for its own Glass Project back in 2006, and this latest patent sketches out the details for a device that could someday go head-to-head with similar offerings from both Google and Microsoft.
TechCrunch
Happy Endings: Google Reportedly Working On Parental Controls For Chrome
Posted by Gsurface
on December 6, 2012
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Hiding quietly in a deluge of brand new Google software updates, including major updates to Google+, the search giant has been tinkering with a new feature for Chrome that should leave parents quite pleased with the ever-popular browser.
A few developers have uncovered Managed User Settings in the latest build of Canary / Chromium, though the feature hasn’t become entirely public just yet.
TechCrunch
Nexus 4 shown working on Canadian LTE through simple carrier menu code (video)
Posted by Gsurface
on November 23, 2012
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Want LTE on your new Nexus 4? Well, you might have to move country. Unless it’s some elaborate post-Thanksgiving hoax from our Canadian neighbors, several Telus customers have demonstrated that the LTE chip hiding inside the Nexus 4 does work, and connect to some impressive 4G data speeds. While we’ve so far been unable to replicate it in the UK, which doesn’t use the same Band 4 LTE (1700MHz and 2100MHz) of Canadian carriers Bell and Telus, two working videos are already doing the rounds. We’ve included them both below.
[Thanks Kaung]
Continue reading Nexus 4 shown working on Canadian LTE through simple carrier menu code (video)
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, LG
Via: Tekgadg, XDA Developers (1), (2)
World’s oldest working computer gets fired up
Posted by Gsurface
on November 21, 2012
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Visitors can now check out the fully restored nearly 3-ton WITCH as it lights up The National Museum of Computing with its flashing bulbs and chattering printers. [Read more]
CNET News
Google reportedly working on open alternative to AirPlay
Posted by Gsurface
on November 20, 2012
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Just such a wireless streaming feature could help Google’s Android compete better with iPad and iPhone, GigaOm reports. [Read more]
CNET News
Microsoft reportedly working on 7-Inch Xbox Surface tablet
Posted by Gsurface
on November 7, 2012
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Military working on ‘super vision’ for US soldiers
Posted by Gsurface
on November 6, 2012
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Red Hat Devs Working On ARM64 OpenJDK Port
Posted by Gsurface
on October 25, 2012
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hypnosec writes “Developers over at Red Hat are busy porting OpenJDK to ARM’s latest 64bit architecture — the ARMv8, also known as the AArch64. The current OpenJDK ARM situation is rather unsatisfactory: for the current 32-bit ARM processors, there are two versions of the HotSpot JVM for OpenJDK — Oracle’s proprietary JIT, and a less sophisticated free JIT that performs poorly in comparison To avoid a similar situation for the 64-bit platform, the developers are working on an entirely Free Software port of HotSpot to 64-bit ARM.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Ask Slashdot: How To Avoid Working With Awful Legacy Code?
Posted by Gsurface
on October 24, 2012
No comments
kramer2718 writes “I have worked for about a decade as a software engineer. I am almost never hired to build new software from scratch, so my work satisfaction tends to be proportionate to quality of the legacy code I have to work with. Some legacy code has been good. Most of it is bad. I know a few questions to ask during an interview to determine the code quality: Are recent technologies used? Are there code review processes? Is TDD practiced? Even so, I still encounter terrible quality code. Does Slashdot have any advice for other questions to ask? Any other ways to find out code quality beforehand?”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
14-year-olds found working in iPhone maker Foxconn’s factory
Posted by Gsurface
on October 16, 2012
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Visceral Games reportedly working on new MOBA title
Posted by Gsurface
on October 10, 2012
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Multiplayer online battle arena games – “MOBA” for short – are all the rage these days, and it looks like Dead Space developer Visceral Games is ready to get in on the action. IGN has discovered a series of Visceral job postings on the Gamasutra jobs board that all suggest the developer is looking to
Researchers create working quantum bit in silicon, pave way for PCs of the future
Posted by Gsurface
on September 21, 2012
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If you’ve been paying attention, you know the quantum computing revolution is coming — and so far the world has a mini quantum network, not to mention the $ 10,000 D-Wave One, to show for it. Researchers from the University of Melbourne and University College, London, have now developed the “first working quantum bit based on a single atom of silicon.” By measuring and manipulating the magnetic orientation, or spin, of an electron bound to a phosphorus atom embedded in a silicon chip, the scientists were able to both read and write information, forming a qubit, the basic unit of data for quantum computing.
The team used a silicon transistor, which detects the electron’s spin and captures its energy when the spin’s direction is “up.” Once the electron is in the transistor, scientists can change its spin state any way they choose, effectively “writing” information and giving them control of the quantum bit. The next step will be combing two quibits into a logic step, with the ultimate goal being a full-fledged quantum computer capable of crunching numbers, cracking encryption codes and modeling molecules that would put even supercomputers to shame. But, you know, baby steps.
Researchers create working quantum bit in silicon, pave way for PCs of the future originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BioWare working on new next-gen IP, more Mass Effect on the way
Posted by Gsurface
on September 19, 2012
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Yesterday, we found out that BioWare co-founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka will be leaving the video games industry (possibly for good), which left fans with some burning questions about the future of the studio. In an effort to reassure us that things will be business as usual at the studio from here on out,
NVIDIA working on Linux support for Optimus automatic graphics switching
Posted by Gsurface
on September 5, 2012
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Linux godfather Linus Torvalds may have a frosty relationship with NVIDIA, but that hasn’t stopped the company from improving its hardware’s support for the open-source operating system. In fact, the chipset-maker is working on the OS’ compatibility with its Optimus graphics switching tech, which would enable laptops to conserve power by swapping between discrete and integrated graphics on the fly. In an email sent to a developer listserv, NVIDIA software engineer Aaron Plattner revealed that he’s created a working proof of concept with a driver. There’s no word on when the Tux-loving masses may see Optimus support, but we imagine that day can’t come soon enough for those who want better battery life while gaming on their mobile machines.
Filed under: Laptops, Software
NVIDIA working on Linux support for Optimus automatic graphics switching originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 06:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Hobbyist builds working S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier
Posted by Gsurface
on August 26, 2012
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Samuel L. Jackson wouldn’t quite fit on it, but this scale-model carrier can sail on ponds and take to the skies.
[Read more]
CNET News
Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 now working on Linux through Google Chrome, more or less
Posted by Gsurface
on August 26, 2012
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A Holy Grail of Linux gaming has been an Unreal Engine 3 port. Getting one for the OS would unlock a world of games that has been the province of, well, just about any other mainstream platform. Thanks to Google preserving Flash on Linux through Chrome, that dream is alive in at least a rudimentary form. Experimenters at the Phoronix forums have found that Chrome 21 has support for the Stage 3D hardware acceleration needed to drive Epic Games’ Flash conversion of UE3. Tell Chrome to enable support as well as ignore a graphics chip blacklist, and suddenly you’re running Epic Citadel from your Linux install. When we say “running,” however, we’re taking a slight amount of poetic license. Performance isn’t that hot, and certain configurations might not show the medieval architecture in all its glory. We’ve confirmed with Epic that it works, but it’s still firm on the stance that there’s no plans for official UE3 support on Linux “at this time.” It’s still promising enough that maybe, just maybe, gamers can embrace an open-source platform without having to give up the games they love.
Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 now working on Linux through Google Chrome, more or less originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Aug 2012 01:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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