Garmin reveals the Varia RCT715 next generation rearview radar with camera and tail light. The RCT715 consistently catches sharp, clear video during a ride while as yet giving best in class radar innovation.
“For years, cyclists around the world have trusted our Varia rearview radars to enhance their awareness of approaching vehicles during a ride, and we are thrilled to add the new RCT715 to the lineup of ‘must-have’ cycling safety products. Now, cyclists can head out for a ride knowing the Varia RCT715 rearview radar activated tail light will notify oncoming cars to the presence of a rider, and the built-in camera will continuously record their surroundings and provide video evidence of an incident, should they ever need it.”
Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales
The camera will record constantly when the Varia is in use. If an incident is detected, via Garmin’s Incident Detection feature, the camera will automatically save footage from before, during and after the event. Via the Garmin Varia app, users can access the video footage, transfer files and customise the camera’s settings, to do things such as overlay data, including speed and location.
Garmin says the use of the camera will be prohibited or regulated in some jurisdictions, adding that it is the responsibility of the user to know and comply with applicable laws and rights to privacy.
Also Varia RCT715 is compatible with Garmin Edge cycling computer, Garmin smartwatch, or the Varia smart device app. When paired with a compatible smartphone, it integrates with select third-party apps, such as Ride with GPS, to let cyclists overlay their maps with rearview radar notifications.
COLORFUL reveals its new iGame GeForce RTX 3090 Neptune OC-V – with an all-in-one (AIO) liquid closed-loop cooler (CLC).
The company is using a beefy 26-phase (14 + 8 + 4) VRM solution that chews power down from its 3 x 8-pin PCIe power connectors, while COLORFUL has factory overclocked GPU speeds of up to 1755MHz boost (1695MHz reference) and stock 19.5Gbps GDDR6X memory.
The CLC itself keeps the GA102 GPU, GDDR6X memory chips, and VRM cool — with a 240mm x 120mm radiator that COLORFUL dons with ARGB LED illuminated fans on the card and AIO radiator.
At launch Cyberpunk 2077 supports DirectX 12 and Vulkan APIs, but the latter is only reserved for Google Stadia, a cloud gaming platform. Meanwhile, Valve developers have been working on their Proton software, a compatibility layer that allows Linux operating systems to run Microsoft DirectX games through Steam.
CD Projekt Red’s game has a lot of graphics issues even running natively on Windows. Being playable through Proton does not solve those issues, in fact, it introduces even more problems. According to ProtonDB, a community-driven database dedicated to the software, Cyberpunk 2077 is playable, but depending on the hardware, it has numerous audio and graphics issues.
Valve recently updated Proton to support Cyberpunk 2077 but only for Radeon graphics cards. However, users report that with GeForce 455 drivers, the game is also playable on NVIDIA hardware.
For many users the game would not even start, some observe missing texture or blocky shadows. Overall, the game is buggy, not optimized and it will either not work at all or offer poor performance. Yet some lucky users were able to play Cyberpunk 2077 on Linux and made videos that we attached below.
There is still a long way before the game will offer a good experience on Linux, but judging from how other Windows games looked on Linux at launch, it is definitely better, and to some degree playable.
GPU manufacturers need to upgrade their Linux drivers and Proton needs better compatibility with the graphics cards.
AMD’s RX 6900 XT has been spotted in its first leaked game benchmark (ahead of its imminent launch), and although this Ashes of the Singularity result might seem worrying on the face of it – being essentially identical to the existing 6800 XT – it’s really nothing to get concerned about.
AMD’s RX 6900 XT has been spotted in its first leaked game benchmark (ahead of its imminent launch), and although this Ashes of the Singularity result might seem worrying on the face of it – being essentially identical to the existing 6800 XT – it’s really nothing to get concerned about.
Before we get into the reasons why this particular result is a very wonky representation of how the power of Big Navi GPUs might stack up, let’s first look at the score achieved, as unearthed by Tum_Apisak on Twitter.
As you can see, at 1080p (Full HD) resolution with ‘crazy’ graphics details, when paired with an Intel Core i7-8700K processor, the 6900 XT managed a score of 10,100 and an average frame rate of 102.1 fps.
The thing is that AMD’s 6800 XT achieved a pretty much identical result in Ashes of the Singularity, which could lead you to the conclusion that the 6900 XT flagship isn’t going to be worth the extra money.
However, the problem is that at 1080p, the Ashes of the Singularity benchmark is very much CPU-bound. In other words, the speed of the 8700K processor is bottlenecking the potential of the GPU, so both the 6800 and 6900 XT cards appear to give the same performance.
Of course, that won’t be the case when we see a full range of benchmarks, although admittedly, the 6900 XT is built very much along the same lines as the 6800 XT, which is why folks might worry when they see a benchmark that appears to indicate little difference between the respective cards.
Remember that the 6900 XT runs with the same clock speeds, memory configuration, and power usage as the 6800 XT – the only meaningful difference being that it has 80 CUs (Compute Units) compared to the 72 CUs of the 6800 XT. Of course, that will make a difference… but as mentioned, the worry for some folks is that it won’t make all that much of a difference, particularly not given the increase in asking price for the 6900 XT.
The flagship AMD graphics card will retail at $999 (around £750, AU$1,350), compared to $649 (around £490, AU$880) for the 6800 XT, so there’s quite a premium there (if you can buy any of these graphics cards at all, given that it seems to be pretty much inevitable that the 6900 XT will face the same stock problems as the previous Big Navi launches).
Although it should also be noted that one other potential strength for the 6900 XT is when it comes to overclocking, where the flagship GPU could offer more headroom, and potential for tweaking to higher clocks and therefore better performance still.
As ever, time will tell, and as the RX 6900 XT launches tomorrow, on December 8, we won’t have long to find out for sure. We might also see third-party variants of the 6900 XT before too long, even though AMD hasn’t officially announced that it has given the go-ahead for these custom cards, which could push performance further with impressive factory overclocks (but they’ll have heftier price tags, too).
With the Spin 513, Acer announces a Chromebook convertible that comes with a Snapdragon chip and integrated LTE and costs little.
Acer has presented the first Chromebook based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c today. With a weight of around 1.2 kilograms and a case thickness of less than 16 millimeters, the Chromebook-Convertible, which is enclosed in an aluminum case, is comparatively mobile.
Solid office fare, unusual processor
The 13.3-inch touch display delivers full HD resolution and is protected by Corning’s gorilla glass. With one battery charge, the device should last about 14 hours. When it comes to RAM, buyers can choose between a configuration with four and one with eight gigabytes of DDR4 memory. Up to 128 gigabytes of eMMC memory are provided for local data storage.
Acer’s Spin 513 Chromebook
The special feature of the new Chromebook Acer, however, is the processor used. Here Acer uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c. The SoC (System-on-a-Chip) has eight Cortex-A76 cores and an Adreno-618-GPU, as well as an integrated LTE modem.
The core is a chip based on the Snapdragon 730 smartphone SoC, which is used for example in the Google Pixel 4a in the 730G version. The Snapdragon 730x have been available since spring 2019 and were announced at the time as chips for the upper and middle class. The 730 was intended to bring functions previously only known from top smartphones to the lower-priced upper class.
By the way, Acer delivers solid office hardware with the Spin 513. Above all, the backlit keyboard makes a good contribution to the suitability for everyday use. The Spin 513 offers two USB C 3.2 ports with display port mode and charging function, as well as a USB A 3.2 port. Wireless communication is via Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 and LTE.
The Spin 513 is not the first Chromebook with ARM chip architecture. Qualcomm alone hasn’t played a role here so far. Chromebooks with chips such as the Samsung Exynos, for example from Samsung itself, or Chromebooks with media technology SoCs, such as the Lenovo Chromebook S330, have been around for a long time.
Acer also offers the Spin 513 in an enterprise version. These Chromebooks can be configured and administered centrally via the IT department of the respective company. The web-based administration allows, for example, to easily control updates, configure applications and install extensions and policies.
A wireless presentation system is a media streaming device that allows one or more participants to wirelessly present content from a PC, tablet or smartphone on a larger screen using screen mirroring technology. This technology is suitable for various collaborative environments, such as meeting rooms, conference rooms, huddle rooms and classrooms.
What is a wireless presentation system used for and when do you need it?
Wireless presentation systems play an important role in sharing information in collaborative work environments. These systems allow meeting participants to send various types of content (desktop, documents, images, videos and apps) along with sound from any device to a projector, large monitor or TV. This allows multiple participants to seamlessly present, share and exchange ideas on the content displayed without restrictions. Wireless presentation systems are used for a variety of applications, such as
Wirelessly connect a laptop, desktop PC, smartphone or tablet to view on any television
Stream or mirror video and audio from any device to a larger screen or projector
Enable participants to interact by sharing content on a common screen
Where can you use wireless presentation systems?
Wireless presentation systems enable audio/video collaboration in venues such as
Small and large meeting rooms
Conference rooms
Huddle Rooms and Huddle Places
Classrooms and lecture halls
Advantages of using a wireless presentation system
Cross platform systems
These plug-and-play capable devices can be easily used with almost any display or projector for quick presentation sharing from any participant device such as desktop PCs, Macs, laptops, iOS/android phones and tablets.
Multi-participant collaboration
For an uncomplicated and smooth presentation experience, several participants can access the system simultaneously. The best wireless presentation system offers great interactivity and is perfect for open discussion forums in meeting rooms of any size.
Long range wireless connection
A wireless presentation system covers a wide signal range, which is also suitable for larger rooms, allowing users to show their presentations over distances of up to 90 meters.
Streaming via LAN, WLAN or dual network mode with guest segmentation
A wireless presentation system can provide connections via LAN (wired) and WLAN (wireless) and can support a dual network mode. For example, employees can connect over the corporate network while guests connect wirelessly without compromising the security of the corporate network. This is useful when a wireless presentation system is connected to a corporate network via Ethernet and guests join a meeting to collaborate with the company.
Compact and mobile without restrictions
Wireless presentation systems are usually compact devices that are ideal for room-to-room sharing or discreet mounting behind a screen or on top of a projector. While the system requires cable connections to connect the display, the network and the power supply, the participants are connected wirelessly, saving them time-consuming changing of cable connections and unsightly cables at the workplace.
HDMI and VGA Compatible
Even if older interfaces such as VGA are still found in corporate environments, it is advisable to choose a wireless presentation system that offers both analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI or DVI) interfaces. Although VGA can technically transmit a 1080p signal, fewer and fewer displays and projectors are available with VGA interfaces. HDMI displays are the most effective and future-proof way to meet the definition of the source.
Central presentation management
Many wireless presentation systems are also capable of providing mediator functions for managing presentations. The systems come with special web-based software that facilitates the moderation of presentations by multiple participants. Contributions from participants can be managed using touch controls on a display or mouse, providing the presenter with an easy way to rearrange screen elements.
Hotspot capability
With integrated wired and wireless connectivity, these devices can also be used as stand-alone access points. With the integrated access point, the presentation system can act as a hotspot, allowing several participants to access a display simultaneously, dial into the guest WLAN or do both simultaneously. Depending on hardware limitations, up to 254 participants can have simultaneous access, allowing for a smooth transition between different presentations.
Secure wireless presentation
A wireless presentation system gives the administrator detailed control. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) tools allow the administrator to act as a gatekeeper by not only authorizing user access to the main display, but also controlling Internet access. The devices come with key access or line-of-sight and password protection and enable multiple collaboration modes:
Open: Users freely share content on the screen.
Screen key: requires line-of-sight for sharing.
Moderated (with password): Moderator approves/rejects items before they are displayed, which is especially important in an educational environment.
Option for AES-128 encryption of transmitted content
Are you considering whether a wireless presentation system would fit into your organization?
Ask yourself the following questions:
Does your organization have the ability to effectively manage presentations from multiple presenters in real time?
Do you spend significant amounts of time to ensure that meetings where multiple participants should be present and share content run smoothly?
Do you notice a delay between presentations when using different devices?
Does your current system allow multiple users to easily switch between source displays?
What makes a business projector? Depending on the manufacturer, you will get different answers. An overview of different classification possibilities.
Even though brightness is the top selection criterion for business projectors, manufacturers use different options for implementation. Since some companies use two-track or even three-track systems including LCoS, the first thing they want to know is how they divide the market and what their business focus is.
Canon, for example, is positioning the LV series with 3LCD technology in the multimedia or consumer sector, while the LCoS-based devices in the XEED series are more in the business segment, with the installation models offering interchangeable lenses. According to product specialist Dieter Röther, brightness is an important criterion, but even more important is the raster and distortion-free quality of the projection, which includes high resolution and color reproduction.
Competitor BenQ divides the market into home cinema and business, including education. General Manager Thomas Müller puts more emphasis on Full-HD capability, price/performance ratio, black level and contrast in home cinema, whereas brightness, contrast ratio and interface diversity as well as flexibility with regard to the installation location are the most important factors for business devices.
“The future belongs to widescreen and Full-HD”
According to product manager Tobias Rönnebeck, Acer segments the projector market according to five areas of application: the rapidly growing home cinema market, the likewise increasingly popular short-distance projectors, installation equipment, LED representatives and the classic business projectors, which are highly portable at only 2.0 to 2.5 kg. The most important criterion for Rönnebeck is in any case the resolution. “The future belongs to widescreen format and Full-HD. In addition, brightness and contrast play a central role with business devices, since conference rooms often cannot be completely darkened,” says the Acer manager.
Finally, according to Clara Son from brand marketing, Sony divides the market into short and ultra-short distance devices, desktop and installation projectors, as well as home cinema projectors and beamers for visualization and simulation. The enterprise sets thereby on the own 3LCD panels like the inorganic BrightEra panels, which bring a higher fill factor, a longer life span and a better contrast ratio with itself.
With the Acer CastMaster Touch, the Taiwanese manufacturer offers you an easy way to connect your notebook to a TV or projector. Images, videos and sound should be transmitted within milliseconds with just one touch.
You want to give a presentation, but the cable is too short to connect your laptop to the TV or projector and the wireless transmission fails because the devices are not found in the network? Acer wants to remedy such situations with the CastMaster Touch.
The presentation system consists of two parts. A dongle, which you attach to your notebook and a receiver, which is connected to the TV or projector. It is not necessary to install any software or set up a network connection.
The transmission is started or paused by touching the touch surface. A receiver can be connected with up to 64 dongles. With a single touch of the touch surface, it is then possible to switch between the individual sources.
The system is connected to the end devices via USB type C, HDMI or USB. Picture and sound should be transferred between transmitter and receiver in less than 100 milliseconds. Acer also promises a robust connection. The Acer CastMaster Touch should be able to perform its service without any interference even in offices with many interfering signals.
Thanks to a large number of connections, the CastMaster Touch is not only a presentation system, but can also be used in a variety of ways. For example, it can be connected to a sound system via audio-out and then only transmits sound or music to it. Furthermore, the receiver offers an RJ-45 Ethernet port and three USB ports as well as an HDMI input and output.
Price and availability
According to Acer, the presentation system is expected to go on sale during the third quarter. The market launch will therefore take place between the beginning of July and the end of September. The recommended retail price is 999 euros. Thus the Cast Master Touch might be rather interesting for enterprises or educational facilities, in which much presentations are held.
Once I started to virtually have my life stored on my iPAQ, I had a concern about what I would do if I lost the ability to charge my iPAQ. I was especially troubled if I lost that ability for several days which has occurred several times in my life. During the winter, power outages occur due to snow or ice storms. Depending on where you live, the possibility of hurricanes, flooding and other adverse natural weather conditions can bring about the loss of power without notice. Because power outages can occur at any time, without warning, and for a variety of reasons, it is important to have a “backup” plan that is safe, secure and reliable.
How do I charge my cell phone? What about listening to the radio or watching an emergency TV broadcast? Real questions, legitimate concerns — so the search began for an alternative power solution.
Finding sources of alternative power solutions was an easy task but were these solutions practical and were they going to satisfy all the needs I might have? For the most part, if we lose power, rarely is it longer than a day but there are those times when a couple of days without power do occur. So should I buy a generator? How about a very large solar panel?
Cost is an issue and spending up to several thousand dollars for a potential power loss wasn’t really practical. I wanted the ability to charge my devices in an emergency but I also wanted the ability to have a portable power source that would satisfy my need for electricity in those special situations that occur.
I decided to try this solution because, even though I have a small solar charger, every time I have lost power it has either been at night or so overcast that a solar charger was useless. I wanted the comfort of a backup power supply that was not outrageously expensive and yet would provide me with the power I needed for those essential devices that I use daily.In January, I posted a news item on a power supply that began by saying: “If you’ve ever wished you could take an electrical wall outlet with you, now you can”. I remembered that Xantrex Technology Inc. introduced their PowerPack 400R , a portable AC and DC power source that could be used for a variety of electrical needs. It was a seven-in-one power unit that certainly was ideal as a personal security device in a blackout, or a source of power for that “away from an outlet” tailgate party or for the do-it-yourselfer who needs portable or backup power for small power tools.
I know that this isn’t the ordinary review covering iPAQ’s but I truly got sucked into the iPOD Shuffle excitement. Being the gadget geek that I am, I heard the announcement at MacWorld last week concerning the new iPOD Shuffle. My wife enjoys jogging on our new treadmill and asked me to look for a walkman so that she could jog and listen to music. What perfect timing, Apple announces this new 512MB or 1GB player the size of a pack of Trident gum and my wife needs some tunes for her jog. So I went online and forked out the $99.00. Unfortunately, that was one of the worst decisions I have made in a long time, thanks to Sandisk.
The two iPod Shuffles are Apple’s smallest, lowest-capacity, and cheapest iPods to date. Measuring 3.3″ x 0.98″ x 0.33″ and weighing only .78 ounces, each glossy white plastic shuffle is accurately touted as the size of a package of chewing gum and the weight of four quarters – a significant drop in size from last year’s cell phone-sized iPod mini. Neither shuffle is capable of holding the typical person’s entire music collection: the $99 model stores around 120 songs (approximately 10 CDs), while the $149 model can fit roughly 240 songs (20 CDs), depending on the tracks’ size and compression. As the title says its a “shuffle” which means you have no display, no equilizer and no easy way to get to the 221st song on the shuffle, so basically you have to play your songs in random order. My thumb was getting tired since I was looking for that nice and peaceful song while I was resting, unfortunately I was stuck listening to Motley Crew, a song I listen to when working out. I will say one thing – the lack of controls means that there’s also a lack of any adjustable equalizer. Really, it’s just a normal plain jane MP3 player. If you really want your money’s worth why not take a look at Sandisk’s new MP3 players? After reading this review you’ll realize Apple is really good at causing hype and in this case delivering a product that just doesnt compare to the competition.Well last week my iPOD Shuffle showed up and first impressions are that it’s definitely sleek, and sexy. All you get in the package is the shuffle, the lanyard, an extra USB plug cap for those who don’t feel like walking around with it hanging around their neck, two white Apple stickers and the iTunes set up disk. Also enclosed is a laminated card which explains the controls and what the embedded red, amber and green LEDs on the front and back of the Shuffle mean (battery levels). There’s no power charger, it gets its juice from your USB slot when it’s plugged in. If you have a Windows PC the shuffle will look just like another drive like any of the number of other flash-based players out there.
