Wine 2.18 is now available for those wishing to run Windows games/applications on Linux this weekend…
Source: Phoronix – Wine 2.18 Released With Various Improvements
Monthly Archives: September 2017
A Seemingly Blank Business Card That Only Reveals Its Information When Viewed In Front Of A Bright Light
This is the Blank Business Card developed by Toronto artist Dorota Pankowska. The card consists of three separate layers of cardstock glued together, the middle of which is a laser cut stencil that reveals the card’s information when viewed in front of a bright light. Interesting. These would be perfect for…actually I’m not sure who these would be perfect for. *gets handed business card* What the hell is wrong with you, this is blank. “Hold it up in front of a bright light.” What are you, trying to blind me? This is going to be like that whole eclipse thing all over again.
Keep going for one more shot of a card without the top layer added just in case you’re really struggling with this idea because you were kidnapped by mole people and have been living underground for a year and forgot how light works (it happens).
Source: Geekologie – A Seemingly Blank Business Card That Only Reveals Its Information When Viewed In Front Of A Bright Light
That Time I Went Viral While Running the Wendy’s Twitter Account
16th Minute is our series where we check in with ordinary people who momentarily went viral.
Source: Gizmodo – That Time I Went Viral While Running the Wendy’s Twitter Account
Following Mysterious 'Sonic Weapon' Attacks, US Pulls Most of Diplomatic Staff From Cuba
It appears that the Trump administration has an opportunity to undo the reopening of diplomatic relations with Cuba—just like it wanted to do. Following unexplained “covert sonic device” attacks on envoys from both the US and Canada that were stationed in Havana, the State Department is pulling more than half of its…
Source: Gizmodo – Following Mysterious ‘Sonic Weapon’ Attacks, US Pulls Most of Diplomatic Staff From Cuba
How to Upgrade Your Game of Tag
Tag, the classic game of chase, is just as thrilling now as it has been throughout the years. If you’ve got a group of people and an open space for running and screaming, here are some variations of the basic game. Try them out. You’re It!
Source: LifeHacker – How to Upgrade Your Game of Tag
LG's Sprint-exclusive V30+ arrives on October 13th
Assuming the iPhone 8 and 8+ haven’t done anything for you, and Google’s Pixel successor doesn’t blow your hair back, maybe the LG V30+ will do the trick. If you’re a Sprint customer who’s been patiently waiting, the phone, with its 128GB of internal…
Source: Engadget – LG’s Sprint-exclusive V30+ arrives on October 13th
Conquer Your Headphone and Cord Clutter Once and for All
The last time we checked in for our staff’s Weekly Upgrades, our editors were making DIY Otter Pops, splashing around in Saltwater sandals, and loading up on cozy accessories for the cold months to come.
Source: LifeHacker – Conquer Your Headphone and Cord Clutter Once and for All
Critical EFI Code in Millions of Macs Isn't Getting Apple's Updates
Andy Greenberg, writing for Wired:At today’s Ekoparty security conference, security firm Duo plans to present research on how it delved into the guts of tens of thousands of computers to measure the real-world state of Apple’s so-called extensible firmware interface, or EFI. This is the firmware that runs before your PC’s operating system boots and has the potential to corrupt practically everything else that happens on your machine. Duo found that even Macs with perfectly updated operating systems often have much older EFI code, due to either Apple’s neglecting to push out EFI updates to those machines or failing to warn users when their firmware update hits a technical glitch and silently fails. For certain models of Apple laptops and desktop computers, close to a third or half of machines have EFI versions that haven’t kept pace with their operating system system updates. And for many models, Apple hasn’t released new firmware updates at all, leaving a subset of Apple machines vulnerable to known years-old EFI attacks that could gain deep and persistent control of a victim’s machine.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Critical EFI Code in Millions of Macs Isn’t Getting Apple’s Updates
Elon Musk's Mars dream hinges on a giant new rocket
Last night, Elon Musk dumped more futuristic space tech ideas at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) than we’ve had possibly over the past decade. That includes a new spaceship, Mars and Moon missions, and even using rockets for high-speed…
Source: Engadget – Elon Musk’s Mars dream hinges on a giant new rocket
Lian Li Releases PC-Q38 Chassis: Small and Versatile mITX Case
Lian-Li has announced their latest small form factor (SFF) chassis, the PC-Q38. Lian-Li calls the full aluminum, windowed Mini-ITX case one that focuses on performance per liter, offers liquid-cooling potential, and for those who find the PC-Q37 is too big for their needs. Outside of being smaller than the ITX supporting models surrounding it, the styling has changed. A single power button surrounded by a blue LED sits in the middle of the gray (or silver) brushed aluminum face The edges are rounded lending it to a more classic and subdued look.
The PC-Q38 looks the part of an HTPC and does not take over the room with a flashy appearance. Due to its moveable rubber-padded aluminum feet, it is able to be oriented both vertically, with the windowed panel to the left, or laid horizontal with the window on top. All panels, excluding the front and windowed panel, have long holes cut into them for ventilation purposes while all are easily removed for cleaning. Dust filters were not included, so more frequent cleanings may be required.
The front panel is located on the top (while standing up) and has two USB3.0 ports as well as 3.5mm front panel microphone and speaker plugs. Though many of the latest mITX motherboards will have USB 3.1 (10 Gbps) Type-C port on their back panel IO, I would have liked to see it on the PC-Q38’s front panel as well considering motherboards are offering front panel connections in teh latest chipsets already.
Specifications show support for 2x 120mm fans up top and what looks to be another on the back. The top of the case is able to house up to a 240 x 120mm radiator, or if air cooling is the plan, a CPU cooler up to 145mm tall can fit. Graphics card support is up to (L)315mm x (D)142m (over 12.75” long); Enough room for most high-end GPUs. Users are able to mount three HDDs inside the case, two 2.5” and one 3.5”, which should be adequate for many users, particularly those using an M.2 drive. By default, the PC-Q38 requires a SFX based power supply up to 140mm. Lian-Li will offer an optional bracket in order to use the more common ATX form factor units. And with their footprint also coming down in size, options are available.
| Lian-Li PC-Q38 Mini-ITX Chassis | |
| Model | PC-Q38 |
| Case Type | Mini Chassis |
| Dimensions | (W)180mm x(H)295mm x(D)372mm |
| Color | Black / Silver |
| Front/Side Panel | Aluminum / (L/R) Acrylic |
| Body Material | Aluminum |
| Net Weight | 2.5kg |
| External Drive Bays | None |
| HDD/SSD Bays | 1 x 3.5″, 2 x 2.5″ |
| Expansion Slots | 2 |
| Motherboard Type | Mini-ITX |
| System Fan (Optional) | 2x 120mm(top) |
| I/O Ports | 2x USB3.0, HD Audio |
| VGA Card Support | (L)315mm x (D)145mm |
| CPU Cooling Support | (H)140mm |
| PSU Support | SFX PSU,(L)140mm |
| Radiator Support | Top: 240mm x 120mm |
The Lian-Li PC-Q38 is available at Newegg for $109.99. The SFX to ATX PC-Q38-1 PSU kit will be available soon (price was not mentioned).
Related Reading:
- Lian-Li Reveals PC-V3000: Full-Tower Aluminum Chassis
- Lian-Li Releases PC-Q39 Tempered Glass Mini-ITX Tower
- Lian-Li PC-Q37 Announced: Two-Stage Mini-ITX Chassis with Tempered Glass
Gallery: Lian-Li PC-Q38
Source: AnandTech – Lian Li Releases PC-Q38 Chassis: Small and Versatile mITX Case
I'll Take This Miniature Commodore 64 Over a Tiny SNES Any Day
Unlike many of my friends, my first video game console wasn’t the original NES. It was a Commodore 64, which my parents bought as our first home computer. It could do a few useful things, but the C64 was always first and foremost a gaming system in our house. So while I find the SNES Classic Edition intriguing, this …
Source: Gizmodo – I’ll Take This Miniature Commodore 64 Over a Tiny SNES Any Day
This $120 HDMI cable claims to make your picture better… and it does
Well, this is a turn-up for the books. Normally an HDMI cable that claims to improve your picture quality would be just so much audiophool [editorial standards prevent me from using an appropriate noun here]. HDMI cables carry digital signals, and bits are bits, right? Add to that a “directional” claim—you’ve gotta plug the right end into the TV—and normally our eyes would be rolling.
But the Marseille mCable Gaming Edition appears to be a working, legitimate product. It’s an HDMI cable that makes the kind of claims that we’ve come to expect from audiophile con men, but there’s a key difference: Marseille isn’t making its performance claims on the basis of specious nonsense about construction, materials, and chakras. Rather, this cord works because the Gaming Edition HDMI cable has a microchip in it. That microchip performs anti-aliasing of the signal passed through the cable.
The cable is intended for console gamers. While the Xbox One X is set to shake things up a bit when it’s released later this year, the consoles currently on the market are, especially from a GPU perspective, relatively underpowered. While PC gamers can readily achieve 1080p or better with a wide range of anti-aliasing options—which offer all kinds of trade-offs between performance, image quality, and the visibility of jagged edges—console gamers have far fewer options. Their graphics processors just aren’t strong enough to offer the same kind of flexibility and image quality.
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Source: Ars Technica – This 0 HDMI cable claims to make your picture better… and it does
Microsoft Rolls Out A Preview Of The New Skype For Linux
Adding to the list of Microsoft’s Linux actions in 2017 comes a new preview version of the “next-generation” Skype for Linux…
Source: Phoronix – Microsoft Rolls Out A Preview Of The New Skype For Linux
Google Drive documents are now accessible in iOS 11's Files app
What good is the Apple Files app that came with iOS 11 anyway? Well, now that Google Drive plays nicely with it, the possibilities are… okay, they aren’t endless, but you get the idea. Now that iOS has a central file library, it’s nice that your it…
Source: Engadget – Google Drive documents are now accessible in iOS 11’s Files app
It Was Huge!: Massive Leatherback Turtle Washes Up Dead On Beach In Spain
These are two videos of a massive two meter (~6-foot 7-inch) endangered leatherback sea turtle that washed up on a beach in Calella in the province of Barcelona, Spain earlier this week. I’m fairly certain that is the largest turtle I have ever seen, including Tokka from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. The massive creature, which is estimated to be over 6,000 years old (personal estimate) is being moved to the Veterinary Faculty of the Autonomous University of Barcelona where an autopsy will be performed, and scientists will presumably discover it gave its life trying to help its friends Nemo and Dorie find their families.
Keep going for the videos while I pour a little liquor out (technically a warm Coors Light) for my fallen homie. Also, I’m just happy to see no tourists decided to sit on it for a photo op like I’d expect from Florida.
Source: Geekologie – It Was Huge!: Massive Leatherback Turtle Washes Up Dead On Beach In Spain
How to Do a Proper Time-Out for a Misbehaving Kid
As a disciplinary strategy, spanking is definitely out: It not only doesn’t work, but it’s associated with the same negative outcomes, to a lesser degree, as those that result from child abuse.
Source: LifeHacker – How to Do a Proper Time-Out for a Misbehaving Kid
Here's How You Can Volunteer As A Trucker In Hurricane-Ravaged Puerto Rico
Disaster relief efforts are well underway in Puerto Rico, with aid pouring in from the likes of celebrities and automakers alike. Yet, one of the biggest issues the island faces is the shortage of truck drivers to get incoming supplies from the docks and to the people who need them.
Source: LifeHacker – Here’s How You Can Volunteer As A Trucker In Hurricane-Ravaged Puerto Rico
Linux LTS Kernels To Now Be Maintained For Six Years
An anonymous reader writes: In a bid to help Android smartphone vendors the Linux LTS (Long Term Support) kernels will now be maintained for a period of six years. The Linux LTS initiative backed by the Linux Foundation has supported annual LTS kernels for two years worth of updates, but that is being changed for Linux 4.4+ at the request of Google and their Project Treble. This means the Linux 4.4 LTS kernel will be maintained through 2022 and the upcoming Linux 4.14 LTS through 2023 for security/bug fixes in order to last a complete “device lifecycle.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Linux LTS Kernels To Now Be Maintained For Six Years
A mini version of the Commodore 64 is coming in 2018
It’s hard to deny the popularity of Nintendo’s retro mini systems. After all, demand far outstripped supply for the mini version of the original console, and the same is expected to happen for today’s SNES release. It’s not a surprise, then, that oth…
Source: Engadget – A mini version of the Commodore 64 is coming in 2018
Hubble Catches a Glimpse of the Most Distant Active Comet Ever Seen
Behold C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), or “K2" for short. At a jaw-dropping distance of 1.5 billion miles (2.4 billion km) from the Sun, it’s the farthest active inbound comet ever documented by astronomers.
Source: Gizmodo – Hubble Catches a Glimpse of the Most Distant Active Comet Ever Seen