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BetaNews.Com (4 non lus)

Razer announces Wildcat for Xbox One -- a pricey 'tournament-grade' controller

Publié: août 29, 2015, 6:07pm CEST par Brian Fagioli
Unlike on PC, console gamers have far fewer options to gain an advantage by buying hardware. PC gamers, for instance, can buy faster processors, better graphics cards, SSDs and more. Console gamers can pretty much just buy different controllers. Third party console controllers have historically been horrible, typically offering less precision at a lower price. The old joke was that third party controllers were reserved for the console-owner's friends.

Peripheral manufacturer Razer hopes to change this with its new Wildcat controller for Xbox One (it should also work on Windows 10). The company calls it 'tournament-grade'. Featuring advanced ergonomics and additional buttons, can it outdo the stock controller? More importantly, however, can it compete with Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Elite Wireless Controller?

"Designed to be a cut above the rest, the Razer Wildcat has four additional buttons -- two bumpers at the shoulders and two removable triggers on the underside. Positioned right at your fingertips, these Multi-Function Buttons can be individually set to remap any of the other controls found on the controller. With the ability to freestyle the configuration of your controller, you get to decide exactly how you pwn the competition", says Razer.

The company further explains, "engineered to give gamers the most comfortable gaming experience even during the most intense of battles, the Razer Wildcat is based on the same familiar weight as the standard Xbox One controller and features a refined ergonomic shape, complemented by the placement of the Multi-Function Buttons. Together with the tactile feel of the Hyperesponse ABXY buttons, this stellar controller is perfect for staying on top of your game during extended training sessions and critical tournament moments"

Razer shares the following features.
- 2 shoulder Hyperesponse Multi-Function bumpers
- 2 removable Hyperesponse Multi-Function triggers
- 4 Hyperesponse ABXY action buttons
- 4 button Quick Control Panel
- Optional trigger stops for rapid fire
- 3.5 mm audio port for stereo audio output and microphone input
- Optional rubber palm grips
- Optional analog stick grip caps
- Carrying case
- Detachable 3 m / 10 ft. lightweight braided fiber cable with Micro-USB connector
- Approximate size : 106 mm / 4.17 in. (Length) x 156 mm / 6.14 in. (Width) x 66 mm / 2.60 in. (Height)
- Approximate weight (without cable) : 260 gm / 0.57 lbs
Priced identically to Microsoft's "Elite" offering at $150, Razer may have a hard sell here. Yes, the controller looks wonderful, but third-party controller stigma may still be in the memories of many consumers. The company would be smart to undercut Microsoft by $20 or so. Coincidentally, both controllers will see an October release too.

Ultimately, consumers will want to wait until after both controllers are released and reviewed before making a decision. Of course, using the stock controller is also an option -- truly talented gamers shouldn't need an (arguably) unfair advantage.

Will you buy the Razer Wildcat for Xbox One? Microsoft's Xbox Elite Wireless Controller? Or will you save some green and stick with stock? Tell me in the comments.
[assets.razerzone.com]
Full steam ahead for Microsoft phones after patent infringement win

Publié: août 29, 2015, 2:26pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Microsoft has been cleared of patent infringement by the US International Trade Commission. The case dates back to 2007 when InterDigital Inc claimed Microsoft infringed its patents, and there were calls for a ban on the import of handsets.

InterDigital Inc has been battling in court for eight years, initially trying to claim royalties on phones made by Nokia, now transferred to Microsoft. As well as blocking the call for an import ban, the ITC stated that Microsoft did not infringe patents relating to the way mobiles make calls. In short Microsoft is in the clear and InterDigital's rights have not been violated.

InterDigital CEO William J. Merritt responded to the ruling with a bittersweet swipe at Microsoft. He said: "[the] decision is disappointing but is expected to have a limited impact on our going-forward business, given the decline of the Nokia mobile device business under Microsoft’s control and its limited market position."

In a statement, Microsoft said:

We're grateful the Commission stopped InterDigital from trying to block our products. We'll continue to pursue our separate suit addressing InterDigital's unlawful conduct and abusive patent licensing scheme.

InterDigital stock slumped in reaction to the announcement, but it's not clear just how much of a difference -- if any -- the decision will make to Microsoft's ability to claw its way back to greater significance in the smartphone market as it prepares to launch Windows 10 for phones.

Photo credit: OlegDoroshin / Shutterstock
Twitter's diversity goals are completely meaningless nonsense

Publié: août 29, 2015, 12:33pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Workforce diversity is something that every company wants to be seen to be getting right. At the moment -- particularly in the world of technology -- they're failing spectacularly. As in so many walks of life, it's a world dominated by white, middleclass men, and it's a problem that gets worse the further up the hierarchy you look. Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft. They all have one thing in common: a desire to be seen as the most welcoming, ethnically and sexually diverse, forward-thinking companies out there.

It's great PR, and now Twitter is trying to step up its game. News of a commitment to making the Twitter workforce more diverse sounds great, but sounding great isn’t the same as being great. I've mentioned that talk of diversity is good public relations, and that's exactly what we see here -- spiel, empty gestures, misguided proposals, and embarrassingly ham-fisted approaches. Now Twitter is taking things a step further.

The company has announced that it is "committing to a more diverse Twitter". In a blog post by the vice president of Diversity and Inclusion, Janet Van Huysse (my god... a woman! How diverse!) we are fed a three course meal of bluster, hot air, and marketing spiel. Of course Twitter is 'committing' to a more diverse Twitter. It would be madness not to! Everyone else is doing it, so why don't we?

Almost three quarters of Twitter's workforce is male. A mere one percent (one!) is black. So we should welcome the announcement that "we are now setting company-wide diversity goals -- and we're sharing them publicly" warmly, shouldn't we? No... because it is guff of the highest order. Twitter says that, globally, in 2016 it wants to "increase women overall to 35%, increase women in tech roles to 16%, and increase women in leadership roles to 25%", and in the US only it wants to "increase underrepresented minorities overall to 11%, increase underrepresented minorities in tech roles to 9%, increase underrepresented minorities in leadership roles to 6%".

How will it do this? It doesn’t really seem that Twitter has quite yet worked this out. Or if it has, it's not sharing this information -- which is odd when you consider that this is supposed to be an exercise in accountability and transparency. Janet Van Huysse wheels out some impressive-sounding phrases. Twitter will reach its goals by "building strong partnerships with organizations that create opportunities for underrepresented minorities", by "actively recruiting at colleges and universities for underrepresented talent", and "refining our recruiting and hiring practices to attract more diverse candidates".

This might look good on paper, but what does it actually mean. Break it down, and Twitter is basically saying that it wants things to be better than they currently are. The company gives no indication that it understands why things are the way they are, or what steps are actually needed to make progress. The post is almost a logic puzzle, filled with circular reasoning. "We want to create a workforce with more minorities in it, so we'll hire more minorities". Lovely... but how? How will processes change? Is there something about Twitter that makes it unappealing to minorities? Is the company infected with institutional racism? What are the problems that you have identified beyond not having enough different colored faces?

With issues like this -- particularly in relation to large companies on a public stage -- details matter. It's all very well to say that things will get better, but if we can't follow what's happening, if we don’t know how things are being measured and how existing systems are changing, how can we tell if whatever program that has been put in place is actually effective? How can we be sure that the figures are meaningful? It would be easy to hire a bunch of people who fit the ethnic profile which the company currently lacks, but we're not just talking about numbers on one particular day. Will these people stay in employment? Will they have the same opportunities as the dominating white, middleclass employees who are already in place? Will pay structure be the same? Will preferential treatment or positive discrimination be used to ensure that targets are hit? What is more important to Twitter -- being seen to strive for a diverse workforce, or actually creating and feeling the benefit of a truly diverse workforce?

But there is another question that needs to be answered.

What are the consequences of Twitter failing to hit its targets? In twelve months' time, most people will have forgotten about the promises that have been made. There will, of course, be websites and blogs that are only too quick to jump on the company when the year is up and see if Twitter has met its goals. If it hasn’t, what's going to happen? Twitter will be criticized and lambasted. That happens anyway. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Even if the company fails spectacularly, gets nowhere near its targets, if nothing changes at all -- even if things get 'worse' -- Twitter will say that it tried... and, ultimately, that's all that matters as far as PR is concerned.

Everything Twitter says may sound wonderful. What it actually means, if it actually amounts to anything, and if the execution is not an embarrassment, are entirely different matters.
How to remove a stuck S Pen from a Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Publié: août 29, 2015, 10:03am CEST par Mark Wilson

Is it a design flaw, or just a case of a company expecting its customers to know how to do something? The problem of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 S Pen getting stuck inside the handset if inserted the wrong way has divided opinion.

But whether you think someone who has managed to get their S Pen stuck is stupid or has fallen into a trap that could have caught out anyone, there is a solution. There's no need to resort to brute force to remove your S Pen -- it is possible to get it out without breaking anything. The solution is beautiful in its simplicity.

A video has appeared online showing the surprisingly simple technique that can be used to gently and safely remove your stuck S Pen. No special tools are needed, and you won't do anything that invalidates your warranty. The video also illustrates just what happens when the stylus is inserted the wrong way, and why it causes such a problem.

(Don’t be put off by the fact that the first shot of the Note 5 in the demonstration shows it with its back removed -- this is simply to make it easier to see what’s going on, and you won't need to take the back off your handset).

The video really speaks for itself, so if you need to remove a reversed S Pen, check it out: