What to expect from tomorrow’s PlayStation Meeting

Slim PS4, upgraded “Neo” console, and more should be discussed.

(credit: Aurich Lawson)

Sony stayed strangely quiet about its upcoming hardware plans back at June's E3, using the convention to focus on PS4 software instead. That silence seems set to come to an end tomorrow, though, as Sony prepares some major hardware announcements for its PlayStation Meeting event in New York City.

We'll be there live, ready to liveblog all the news of Sony's upcoming gaming plans. For now, though, here's what we expect to hear (and what we don't expect to hear) when we sit down in the PlayStation Theater tomorrow.

PS4 Slim

At this point, the redesigned PlayStation 4 has to be among the worst-kept secrets in video game industry history. It has been weeks now since word of the system first leaked out via British auction sites; the info was then quickly confirmed by a Eurogamer reporter who actually saw one in person. Since then, there has been copious additional confirmation that the new, slimmed down system is real. That includes an extensive review and video from Let's Play Video Games and even a full teardown showing the system's redesigned innards.

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SoftBank completes acquisition of ARM

SoftBank completes acquisition of ARM

After announcing plans in July to acquire ARM, Japan’s SoftBank is now the proud owner of the company that designs the technology used in most of the world’s smartphone processors.

SoftBank has completed its $32 billion acquisition of UK-based ARM Holdings.

ARM doesn’t actually make any processors, but it licenses its designs to companies including Qualcomm, Samsung, NVIDIA, and MediaTek. In addition to powering smartphones and tablets, ARM-based chips are also used in servers, robots, and IoT products.

Continue reading SoftBank completes acquisition of ARM at Liliputing.

SoftBank completes acquisition of ARM

After announcing plans in July to acquire ARM, Japan’s SoftBank is now the proud owner of the company that designs the technology used in most of the world’s smartphone processors.

SoftBank has completed its $32 billion acquisition of UK-based ARM Holdings.

ARM doesn’t actually make any processors, but it licenses its designs to companies including Qualcomm, Samsung, NVIDIA, and MediaTek. In addition to powering smartphones and tablets, ARM-based chips are also used in servers, robots, and IoT products.

Continue reading SoftBank completes acquisition of ARM at Liliputing.

Digitale Agenda: Dobrindt hält Gigabit-Ausbau bis 2025 für zu wenig

Die Digitale Agenda der Bundesregierung ist noch längst nicht umgesetzt. Nach Ansicht von Infrastrukturminister Dobrindt sind beim Breitbandausbau sehr ambitionierte Ziele erforderlich. (Netzpolitik, Cebit)

Die Digitale Agenda der Bundesregierung ist noch längst nicht umgesetzt. Nach Ansicht von Infrastrukturminister Dobrindt sind beim Breitbandausbau sehr ambitionierte Ziele erforderlich. (Netzpolitik, Cebit)

Wahlkampf: Britischer Politiker verrät aus Versehen sein Passwort

Ein offensichtlich historisch interessierter britischer Politiker teilt aus Versehen sein Passwort und andere Zugangsdaten auf Twitter mit. Dabei geht es um den Kampf der Normannen gegen die Angelsachsen. Mittlerweile hat die Kampagne den Post entfernt…

Ein offensichtlich historisch interessierter britischer Politiker teilt aus Versehen sein Passwort und andere Zugangsdaten auf Twitter mit. Dabei geht es um den Kampf der Normannen gegen die Angelsachsen. Mittlerweile hat die Kampagne den Post entfernt - und sich ein neues Passwort ausgedacht. (Security, Internet)

Kohlenstoff-Nanoröhren: Fujitsu will ab 2018 NRAM produzieren

Basierend auf lizenzierter Technik von Nantero möchte Fujitsu Semiconductor in den kommenden Jahren Chips mit integriertem Speicher auf Basis von Kohlenstoff-Nanoröhren herstellen. Die sichern Daten nicht flüchtig, wenn auch mit geringer Kapazität. (Kohlenstoff-Nanoröhren, Nanotechnologie)

Basierend auf lizenzierter Technik von Nantero möchte Fujitsu Semiconductor in den kommenden Jahren Chips mit integriertem Speicher auf Basis von Kohlenstoff-Nanoröhren herstellen. Die sichern Daten nicht flüchtig, wenn auch mit geringer Kapazität. (Kohlenstoff-Nanoröhren, Nanotechnologie)

Intel plans to buy computer vision company Movidius

Intel plans to buy computer vision company Movidius

Intel is the dominant maker of the chips used in laptop and desktop computes, but the PC market has plateaued (or declined) in recent years, so Intel has been looking to move into emerging technologies.

The company’s efforts in the smartphone space haven’t gone very well. But Intel has big plans for virtual reality, drones, automotive technology, and other Internet-of-Things product categories.

As part of that vision, Intel has announced plans to buy Movidius, a leader in the computer vision space.

Continue reading Intel plans to buy computer vision company Movidius at Liliputing.

Intel plans to buy computer vision company Movidius

Intel is the dominant maker of the chips used in laptop and desktop computes, but the PC market has plateaued (or declined) in recent years, so Intel has been looking to move into emerging technologies.

The company’s efforts in the smartphone space haven’t gone very well. But Intel has big plans for virtual reality, drones, automotive technology, and other Internet-of-Things product categories.

As part of that vision, Intel has announced plans to buy Movidius, a leader in the computer vision space.

Continue reading Intel plans to buy computer vision company Movidius at Liliputing.

Report: Huawei is building a successor to the Nexus 7

Evan Blass claims a small Google tablet is coming.

Enlarge / The 2013 Nexus 7.

Perennial product leaker Evan Blass claims that a new Google tablet is on the way. Huawei will apparently be building a 7-inch tablet for Google, making the device a follow-up to the Nexus 7. Blass says the device is due out before the end of the year.

Huawei-built "Nexus 7" rumors have been floating around for some time. Last year, TechTimes reported on a Huawei-made Nexus 7 that would launch in 2016, but the site's suggested launch time of "Google I/O" didn't pan out. Blass' comments are definitely the most reliable source of Nexus 7 rumors we've seen yet.

Of course "Nexus" probably won't be the name of this device. Google is undergoing the Great Hardware Unification of 2016, and according to a report from Android Police, the Nexus line is going away to make way for a unified "Pixel" line. The two upcoming Google phones are reportedly going to be branded "Pixel" and "Pixel XL." If that report holds true, this device would probably be branded a "Pixel," too.

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Amazon adds $100 Moto G4 Play to Prime Exclusive lineup

Amazon adds $100 Moto G4 Play to Prime Exclusive lineup

The Motorola Moto G4 Play is a 5 inch smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage.

First unveiled a few months ago, the phone is basically a smaller, cheaper, less powerful version of the Moto G4. And now it’s available from Amazon for $100 and up.

Amazon has added the Moto G4 Play to its line of Prime Exclusive phones.

These phones are basically offered for $50 off their list prices to customers willing to put up with ads on the lock screen and in the notification tray, as well as some pre-loaded Amazon apps including the company’s shopping, Kindle, and Appstore apps.

Continue reading Amazon adds $100 Moto G4 Play to Prime Exclusive lineup at Liliputing.

Amazon adds $100 Moto G4 Play to Prime Exclusive lineup

The Motorola Moto G4 Play is a 5 inch smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage.

First unveiled a few months ago, the phone is basically a smaller, cheaper, less powerful version of the Moto G4. And now it’s available from Amazon for $100 and up.

Amazon has added the Moto G4 Play to its line of Prime Exclusive phones.

These phones are basically offered for $50 off their list prices to customers willing to put up with ads on the lock screen and in the notification tray, as well as some pre-loaded Amazon apps including the company’s shopping, Kindle, and Appstore apps.

Continue reading Amazon adds $100 Moto G4 Play to Prime Exclusive lineup at Liliputing.

Dobrindt: Bundesförderung soll 94.000 Kilometer Glasfaser bringen

Die Bundesförderung geht an echte Glasfaser-Projekte in schlecht versorgten Regionen. Doch der Glasfaserausbau in Deutschland benötigt 45 Milliarden Euro, bereit stehen nur rund 4 Milliarden Euro. (Glasfaser, VATM)

Die Bundesförderung geht an echte Glasfaser-Projekte in schlecht versorgten Regionen. Doch der Glasfaserausbau in Deutschland benötigt 45 Milliarden Euro, bereit stehen nur rund 4 Milliarden Euro. (Glasfaser, VATM)

Intel acquires Movidius to bring “computer vision” to more devices

Movidius’ SoCs and algorithms let computers “see” and process the real world.

Enlarge / Computer vision is a critical technology for smart, connected devices of the future. (Credit: Intel Corporation) (credit: Intel)

Last night, Intel announced that it will buy Movidius, an Irish company that makes computer vision processors used in devices such as drones and virtual reality systems. According to Intel's press release, the goal is to weave Movidius' technology in with Intel's RealSense cameras to enhance "computer vision and perceptual computing" in its devices.

Movidius has been around for nearly a decade, making low-power, high-performance SoCs that have been used by the likes of Lenovo, DJI, and others. It has also created algorithms for deep learning, depth processing, and navigation, so it's easy to see why Intel would want to use both of those pieces in its RealSense camera systems. While Intel has the "eyes" of the computer down with RealSense, Movidius' technology will likely become an integrated part of the computer's "brain" as the visual cortex.

Intel says it's particularly looking to integrate Movidius' work into augmented, virtual, and merged reality systems as well as robotics and security systems. Intel has been shopping around for companies that contribute to this bottom line; just last month, the company acquired the deep-learning company Nervana Systems to help it compete in the AI sphere. Recent acquisitions show how Intel has broadened its focus away from x86, turning its attention to new technology like virtual reality devices, drones, and smart home products.

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