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Hewlett-Packard has been on the forefront of the technological advancements for 77 years and has firmly positioned itself as a trusted manufacturer of durable and cutting-edge laptops. Recently HP reveled its new, awe-inspiring masterpiece, which according to the company’s representatives is the “world’s thinnest” notebook - Spectre. The new laptop is truly amazing, sporting elite finish and most importantly impressive components. It’s fair to say that at this point of time it’ll probably be within reach of the chosen few, who can afford the hefty price tag of around $1200, nevertheless, there is hope for the rest of us, that within a year the cost of this magnificent notebook will drop, so that more people can enjoy it.

Tech Specs of HP’s Spectre

The first thing that must be mentioned is certainly the dimensions of this gorgeous laptop: it’s 10.4 mm thick and weighs only 1.1 kg. The ultra-thin notebook can also boast 13.3-inch IPS screen, although it’s not 2K or 4K, Full HD suits it just right, considering the size of the screen. Spectre’s screen is protected by a super-sturdy and reliable Gorilla Glass 4 barrier and is only 2 mm thick, while the barrier itself takes also very modest 0.44 mm, allowing Spectre to be amazingly slim. This enables laptop to use significantly less power for the claimed 300 nits brightness (very impressive, especially since not even all professional UHD monitors can reach this high mark).



Nevertheless, one might argue that such brightness is an overkill, as it might blind you if you happen to open your laptop in the middle of the night and forgot to tune the brightness down a notch. But the sheer fact that it capable of generating this amount of brightness is worth mentioning. In regards to the color gamut, this notebook will not be suitable for graphic designers; nevertheless, it can provide decent 72% of the Adobe RGB color gamut, which is quite enough if you use it for work or entertainment purposes.

In regards to audio, Spectre is nothing short of great, considering that the company collaborated with a well-known audio systems manufacturer Bang & Olufsen to create deep audio effect thanks to HP’s Audio Boost technology.

Spectre can boast of 3 USB ports,two of which are Thunderbolt 3 compatible. All three ports can be used to charge the laptop and are capable of supporting sleep-and-charge technology.

By the way, HP went all in to make its masterpiece not only lightweight, but also extremely durable. It’s made of carbon fiber and machined aluminum. As for cooling, Hewlett-Packard used hyperbaric chamber, which channels air to create high pressure and eliminate hot air from the laptop’s components.

Two Variants of HP’s Spectre

HP will offer Spectre in two variants. They will come either with Intel i7-6500U or Core i5-6200U processor, 8GB of RAM and either 250GB or 512GB SSDs. Both come with batteries, capable of offering around 10 hours of work on a single charge, due to the hybrid 4-cell2-piece battery and a glass touchpad. Needless to say that company though of the peripherals for its masterpiece as well.



One will be able to additionally purchase notebook bag, wireless mouse and notebook sleeve. All peripherals were created in collaboration with well-known designers, which assures the style and high quality.

Release Date and Price

HP offered the possibility of pre-orders on April 25th, 2016. If you prefer to take a good look before purchasing something – Spectre will appear in retail stores on May 22. As to the price tag - Intel Core i5 processor version with 250GB SSD will cost $1,170, while Intel Core i7 with the same storage capacity will cost slightly more - $1,250

Conclusion:
HP’s Spectre is a remarkable masterpiece that can truly be called “world’s thinnest” notebook. HP went an extra mile to assure its durability, light weight, excellent audio system and ability to work for up to 10 hours on a single charge. This notebook will come in handy for those, who travel a lot and want to enjoy the notebook possibilities, instead of a tablet. Nevertheless, the screen itself could have at least 2K resolution and more storage capacity, considering the price tag.

Possibility of 4K gaming appeared not so long ago and hard-core gamers are already all over it. Why wouldn’t they be, considering that UHD allows experiencing your favorite games in much more details, revealing elements that weren’t previously noticeable. Apart from that, the very possibility to enjoy eye-candy graphics was a longtime dream for the majority of gamers, however all GPUs that previously existed were capable of producing only disappointingly low refresh rates that rendered gaming in 4K resolution impossible at that period of time.

Everything changed with the appearance of GPUs that are powerful enough to provide 60 fps or even more if you tweak some of your game settings from “ultra” to “high”. Absolute leaders among GPUs for 4K gaming are currently GeForce GTX 980 Ti and Radeon FURY X, which is why we will compare the two to find out which one is the best. It must also be noted that we’re talking about 4K gaming on UHD monitors that are connected to GPUs through DisplayPort. The majority of 4K TVs simply don’t have this type of input, which is why you’ll be stuck with only option of using HDMI that is unable to provide refresh rates over 30 fps even if you’re using the updated HDMI 2.0 version.

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

Which manufacturer to choose?
At the moment you can find multitude of GTX 980Ti modifications, however all of them are manufactured by three companies: MSI, EVGA and NVidia. For US players it makes sense to buy the EVGA versions as the manufacturer offers an abundance of perks(for example free games) if you make up your mind to shell out around $650 -$700 for its product. For the rest of the world – there actually isn’t much difference.


Depending on modification, one model can be better than another by a hair. Some gamers consider Nvidia to be more efficient (for instance WINDFORCE 3X cooling system modification),but others are practically in love with liquid cooling models. So if by the end of this article you decide that GTX 980 Ti is the one for you – just grab the best deal you’ll find, all three manufacturers are reliable and provide excellent customer support.

GTX 980 Ti Specs

GTX 980 Ti can boast the impressive 6 GB of memory. Of course, some may argue that AMD RadeonR9 295X2 has 8 GB of memory, but keep in mind that it’s a dual-GPU, while 980Ti is a single GPU. Its memory clock speed can reach up to 7100 MHz, it has 8 billion transistors and a superb cooling system, whether its air or in-build water-cooling. Another benefit of GTX 980Ti is an abundance of the necessary connectors: 3 DisplayPorts1.2, HDMI and Dual Link DVI-I. One card can support up to 4 displays and that’s no wonder, considering that its maximum digital resolution is 5120x3200 if you use dual DisplayPort connectors.

Radeon FURY X

AMD entrance to high-end GPUs market
Previous couple of years have been a period of relevant stagnation for AMD. Company mainly focused on affordable GPUs production, not willing to compete for the high-end market with its main rival NVidia. Nevertheless, the recently developed Fiji GPU company got a real shot at soaring to the top in one leap. AMD has always inspired gamers with its ability to make technological wonders with very little, which why Radeon cooling systems FURY X can truly be considered a marvelous and decent claim at the top of high-end GPUs market. Considering that Fury X appeared at the time when the only real competitor was unbelievably expensive NVidia’s Titan X, Fury X would have fitted quite nicely in the 4K and virtual reality niche being the obvious choice in terms of capacity and price.


Alas, NVidia released its 980 Ti just a couple of weeks after Fury X release and placed a price tag, equal to Fury X. Nevertheless, AMD has its devoted following and the amazingly fast Fury X is still considered one of the primary choices of high-end GPUs for 4K gaming and virtual reality rigs.

Radeon FURY X Specs

The obvious gem of Fury X is the innovative water-cooled design that most likely attracted attention of modders. Apart from that, it has even more transistors that GTX980 Ti – 8.9 billion. However, in terms of memory it loses, as it has only 4GB. Fury X can also boast 4096 stream processors and shows more than decent results during benchmark testing. Just like GTX 98 Ti is has 3 DisplayPort connectors and one HDMI, however it’s HDMI 1.4, not 2.0 version like in 980 Ti. It also lacks DVI-I.


Bottom line:
Despite the fact that both GPUs show great results during benchmark testing, GTX 980 Ti wins due to the larger memory capacity and ability to consistently support UHD gaming at 60 fps. Nevertheless, if the games you’re playing in 4K do not require constant 60 fps or more, or in case you scale to 1080 – Fury X does its job perfectly.

Given the extent of development, which VR has already reached, the enormous amount of affordable and simple in usage VR-related devices can hardly be surprising. Nowadays each and every tech-manufacturing company is in search of a decent angle to get into VR. There is no doubt that virtual reality will be the gaming platform of the future. One can also note a rise in the production of mobile games. Combining these two would be quite an achievement. Speck attempted to create a device that is associated with both, and succeeded in it.

What is Speck Pocket VR?

Speck Pocket VR is a sturdy phone case that doubles as a virtual reality headset, allowing you to enjoy VR experience right out of your pocket. It was first unveiled at CES in January this year in Las Vegas. The reaction of the audience was beyond enthusiastic; everyone thought it to be cool and unprecedented approach to VR. It protects your phone from physical damage and allows you to immerse into the mesmerizing 3D worlds. Users will also be able to take advantage of CandyShell Grip – robust smartphone case, included in the device.

How does it work?

Pocket VR sports compact and collapsible design. When you open the phone case and fold it according to the instruction, precision-crafted lenses allow viewing virtual reality content with immersive effect. If no longer needed, side panels can be folded into flat case that shield not only the phone itself, but also lenses from any physical damage. Its extremely convenient design, gives Speck Pocket VR a definite edge over similar VR content viewing devices.

Price and Release date:

In compliance with Speck statement, company is planning to launch Pocket VR sales in spring 2016. This case is compatible with iPhone 6(s) as well as Galaxy S6. The overall price for the bundle of CandyShell Grip phone case and VR viewer will be approximately $70.


Bottom line:

Virtual Reality era is finally here and continues to evolve at an exponential rate. Although at the moment true VR headsets, such as Vive and Oculus are the most popular ones, they are too expensive for the average gamer. This is exactly the time when small and thought through devices as Speck’s Pocket VR can actually succeed.

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Mad Catz is interactive entertainment products manufacturing company, founded in 1989. Despite its long presence in the entertainment market, the majority of users know it for the magnificent and efficient peripheral device, such as gaming mice and keyboards. Among the most popular models of which are R.A.T.™ 7 Gaming Mouse and S.T.R.I.K.E.™ 5 Gaming Keyboard. Given its active involvements in the latest technological trends, it is not surprising that Mad Catz decided to try its hand on smartphone peripheral devices that combine practicality of a multimedia keyboard with an outstandingly easy to use gaming pad.

What is S.U.R.F.R?

Company’s latest creation, S.U.R.F.R mobile gamepad and keyboard, was presented on Mobile World Congress 2016. In compliance with information, provided by the representatives, S.U.R.F.R was created specifically for Samsung smartphones, namely cutting-edge models S7 and S7 Edge. As soon as Samsung released the details of its upcoming S-series smartphone models, Mad Catz got to work and the result of their work is truly amazing. New accessory is both convenient and practical; it already gained a lot of admirers.

How does S.U.R.F.R works?

Innovative Gaming Pad/Keyboard S.U.R.F.R is compatible with Bluetooth. Mad Catz
has equipped it with full-fledged QWERTY keyboard, dual analog sticks as well as 2 triggers that provide easiness of use, while playing games. S.U.R.F.R can boast an abundance of buttons, standard like back, multitask, home that work as shortcuts for Android OS as well as 4 buttons, designed specifically for gaming, such as A,B, X, Y.

Price and Release date

At the moment it remains unknown how much will the new Gaming Pad/Keyboard S.U.R.F.R cost at its launch. Nevertheless, experts say that when it comes out simultaneously with GS7 and GS7 Edge in spring, on March 11 to be exact – the price will be around $80, based on the price of the originally developed model.

Bottom line:

Given that there aren't many analogous peripheral devices on the market Mad Catz gaming pad/keyboard S.U.R.F.R has every reason to become a hit among future GS7 and GS7 Edge users. Affordable price, great design and interesting technology make it a front-runner among peripheral devices for Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphones.

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It's a commonly known fact that all-in-one computers are a perfect solution for office. They consume less power than laptops and usual PC and require very little space in comparison to the bulky PC’s. However, all-in-one computers also have their shortcomings. For instance, they have integrated graphics card and other components, which simply cannot be powerful enough to support video gaming at a level, required by hardcore gaming enthusiasts. With technological advancements, video games become increasingly demanding in terms of hardware. Apart from that, the appearance of VR and 4K UHD monitors also require quite a serious set-up for smooth work. Therefore, all-in-one computers simply cannot compete in the field of gaming with their rather weak integrated hardware.

Introducing Origin Omni

Origin has unveiled its new technological wonder during CES 2016 in Las Vegas. It’s an all-in-one computer with curved monitor, designed specifically for gaming. Obviously, it is hard to underestimate the benefits of such device – it takes very little space and requires only keyboard and mouse. No more tug-of-war with tangled cables all over your workstation – everything is inside its stunningly beautiful curved monitor.

What distinguishes Omni from other AIO's?

Origin Omni is customizable. It means that Origin equipped its latest creation with traditional components of a decent gaming PC. Thus, if there arises the necessity to replace one of the components, say graphics card – you can easily do it. Apart from that, Origin spared no expenses on the gorgeous curved 34” monitor that amazes with its quality. Omni will be available in several configurations; however, modders will find it easy to replace components, as they deem necessary.

Tech specs:

Given its gaming direction, there must be no doubt in the seriousness of its set up. This stunning beauty can boast Core i7 processor, Sealed Liquid–Cooling system, developed by Origin, NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X graphics card, 32 GB of RAM and dual 2.5”SSD’s. Not bad for all-in-one computer. However, the real gem of this device is its gorgeous and beautiful curved 3440 x1440 QHD 34” display with 60Hz refresh rate that can double as TV via HDMI. All of the components can be replaced if better version are needed and available, even the motherboard itself.

Price tag and Release date

As it was promised by Origin, Omni must become available shortly – in the 1st quarter of 2016. Given that the 34” curved monitor alone costs around $800, it should come as no surprise that the prices will start at $2,000. If comparing with gaming laptops, prices on which start at $3,000 and higher – its cost seems reasonable, even more so if you take into account insanely powerful GTX TITAN X, which is included in the rig.

Conclusion:

Origin Omni became first all-in-one PC, created for gaming. Now, the question is whether gamers, aiming for high-end gaming PC will take a second look at it and consider buying it instead.

Unfortunately for Origin, these hardcore gamers are the target audience for Omni, so now its creators are anxiously awaiting for the reaction of the audience. Will it be a strong competitor in the PC gaming race – that remains to be seen.

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In comparison with virtual reality devices, such as Vive and Oculus, which are about to be released, augmented reality devices remain sort of in the shadows. That is quite unfair, given that this technology that has first of all industrial application, will one day replace smartphones. Granted, augmented realty devices are not as sleek as VR headsets (however that is also arguable), nevertheless, if one gets a chance to use one – it becomes a real eye-opener.

What is Meta 2?

Meta 2 – an augmented reality headset has been unveiled in February, during TED 2016. The first feature that catches theeye is certainly the extensive 90-degree field-of-view and 2560×1440 display. Such an extensive field of view is unprecedented for augmented reality headsets; even HoloLens offers lesser field-of-view. However, according to CEO of Meta augmented reality headset in future will look just like a stripe of protective glass.

How Meta 2 works?

In virtual reality, field-of-view (FoV) is very important because user has to be concentrated on the virtual world. In augmented reality, field of view must be clear, as images are streamed into theeye retina. Meta 2 can replace practically every mobile device – tablet, laptop, smartphone – you name it. It allows you to interact with virtual objects, streamed to the wearable glasses. Movements of your head and body are
being tracked with sensors that transfer the signals and modify the way the objects are displayed on the glasses. The controls help to select and move objects. Meta 2 also provides eye-tracking, which has a definite advantage as an enterprise-focused solution, despite the fact that for now manual input is considered a more precise option.

Price tag and Release date

At this point, VR can be considered a first step towards industrial use of augmented reality, an adaptation of sorts. It’s still new and desirable for many. However, as soon as the hype surrounding VR is over and people start to think about practical application of the technology, augmented reality era will began and stay for good. Company planning to start shipping the headsets in the 3rd quarter of 2016. Meta 2 dev kit is available for per-order for the price of $949.

Bottom line:

Virtual reality is just a first step towards augmented reality application at an industrial scale. Its possibilities are truly limitless and when the technology allows making the AR headsets lighter and more affordable, gradual transition towards replacing all our mobile devices with AR headsets will commence.

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As it is aptly noted on the Bang & Olufsen website, BeoLab 90 is not for everyone. It is hardly surprising given its hefty price tag of $80K. Nevertheless, this sound system is worth every cent. After three years of research and engineering company finally unveiled its loudspeaker at CES 2016.

What is BeoLab 90?

First of all, it’s an innovative piece of cutting-edge technology that is stuffed with multitude of latest advancements in the field of digital sound. BeoLab 90 can boast 18 hi-tech loudspeaker drivers, strategically placed on the tower to provide the best performance. However, speakers are not the only feature that makes BeoLab 90truly impressive. It also possesses 360-degree design that secures incredible clarity of sound in every corner of the room.

How does it work?

BeoLab 90 combines not only speakers, but also sound silencer. Imagine yourself in a conference room where sound reflects from the walls and impedes clear perception of what the speaker is saying. BeoLab 90 absorbs this reflected sound, allowing you to experience sensational clarity of sound. This technology is called an Active Room Compensation. It allows you to enjoy clear sound in any part of your apartment or room.

Moreover, BeoLab 90 can also boast Beam Width Control that allows you to direct sound in any part of the room or the apartment. If in the conference hall people could not hear you clearly from the last rows of seats – no problem, just use the remote control,choose Beam Width Control and direct sound where it is needed the most. You can actually beam it in any direction as BeoLab 90 offers 360-degree coverage.

Tech Specs

BeoLab 90 is equipped with 18hi-tech loudspeaker drivers that produce around 8200 watts per loudspeaker via 14 channels of ICEpower amplifiers. It also contains 4 class D amplifiers that were modified for BeoLab90’s unique design. It is made to deliver impeccable sound anytime and anywhere. System can also be controlled by your smartphone with the help of an app. This app can be used to pre-program all settings in compliance with your preferences.

Bottom line:

Bang & Olufsen company has truly outdone itself with this amazing sound system. Ease of use, cutting edge technologies and unbelievable clarity of sound justify the high cost of the system. Those lucky of us who will be able to afford it will be in for a treat. It truly is an innovative, outstanding and inspiring piece of technology.

There was a time when Nokia was known for dominating mobile phones market. However, that time has long gone and last year Nokia Technologies called it quits. Nevertheless, the end of the something old is usually the beginning of something new. In the spirit of this saying, Nokia decided to enter new and booming industry of virtual reality. However, as opposed to the majority of companies, entering VR competition, Nokia decided to bank on creators of virtual reality content and not on the end users. The groundbreaking next-gen OZO 360-degree camera for virtual reality was unveiled last year in Los Angeles.

OZO Overview and Price Tag

Given that Nokia created this device for professional VR content makers and VR is already a $7 billion industry, exponentially growing with lightning speed, it was hardly surprising that the price tag was as hefty as $60,000. It is a professional camera for the companies that are focused on creation of immersive 3D virtual environments, which implies long hours of editing, when regular cameras are used. As opposed to this tedious process, Nokia offers fully synced footage that can be easily achieved using OZO. As Ramzi Haidamus, president of Nokia Technologies, stated, "With OZO, we plan to be at the heart of this new world." Their hopes are quite justified, considering the enormous advantage in creation of VR content that OZO can easily provide.

OZO Specs

OZO is capable of capturing 360° spherical video with surround sound thanks to the eight 2K x 2K camera sensors that record video to 500GB SSD. You will be able to capture 45 minutes long video in one session. It’s obvious how VR professionals will use it, but it doesn’t mean that loaded general users cannot enjoy it – OZO is available for pre-order with $5,000 down payment. It also offers a wide row of wonderful accessories, such as docking station, cartridge bundle or media module. Naturally, all accessories are not included in the standard pack and can be purchased separately.

OZO features:

All-in-one
One of the main advantages of OZO lies in its ability to capture and store video and audio information in one file, which can then be uploaded to you device via one output cable from a single memory cartridge.  


Real-Time Monitoring
Real-time monitoring is another advantage of OZO technology as it provides full control of all cameras. Thus, the scene and image is shot from every possible angle and viewpoint. Moreover, camera lenses adjust to the hanging conditions in order to deliver outstanding results.

Integrated Memory
OZO comes with digital cartridges. Each of them has a capacity to store 45 minutes of footage. This is especially convenient because it eliminates the need to store the data piece by piece on multiple external hard drives or multitude of other storage devices.  

Bottom line:

There is no doubt that due to the price tag, OZ will not appear in the homes of general public, however companies that are focused on VR content will see an outstanding profit from using OZO. Nevertheless, there is no need to be disappointed just yet: if the device flies off the shelves and proves to be as useful and irreplaceable as it seems to be, its more affordable siblings are bound to appear. Granted, they will not be for all of us, but for a few of us, who are relatively well off – they will be within reach.

People that lead an active lifestyle know how hard it is to take a decent shot while running, jumping and doing other sports-related activities. GoPro doesn’t always provide the desirable results, which is why we are forced to ask someone to take a picture of us or to make a video of us doing something.

When others film us, our hands are free and we can concentrate on our sport – run faster, jump higher, swim smoother and so on. But what about the cases, when person lives alone and wants to film himself climbing, jogging, running, swimming, kayaking or performing any other activity?

He has no one to take a photo or video of him. Of course, he can spend an hour calibrating the camera and stand, but he will still be limited to filming a video or taking a picture in one place. Lily drone camera can change that.

What is Lily

Lily was created for a clearly defined purpose – to help people effortlessly express their creativity. Unlike other drones, whose primary purpose is flying, Lily concentrates on her subject. In essence, Lily camera is aflying companion that follows you everywhere, ready to capture finest moments of your adventure trip, work out, hiking and any other activity.



It doesn’t require any radio controller or flight-control app – it calibrates itself thanks to a complex system of sensors that include gyroscope, magnetometer and accelerometer. Video recording starts as soon as you activate it by throwing it in the air. Final Lily version for consumers will also be waterproof, so you’ll be able to toss it into the ocean or pool and start recording your swimming.

How the Auto Follow Lily Drone Works?

All you have to do in order to activate this self-flying companion drone is to place the tracking device in your pocket or in a waterproof case and toss Lily in the air (or water for future waterproof version). That’s it. It’s that simple. Now it will be following you wherever you go. Using a complex system of sensors Lily will take well-focused photos of you.

Lily will have a computer vision system to recognize your face and keep it in focus on videos and photos. You will not need any controllers or apps for controlled flight and/or calibration. Lily is 100% self-flying and calibrating. It’s a perfect companion always ready to fly at a needed angle and take a perfect photo of you.

Lily can fly above you, before you, behind you, left or right of you and follow you when you jump or fall. Little tracking device will let it know if you’re falling so it can instantly calibrate itself to keep you in frame. Lily makes you a true star of you adventure video.

Lily Camera Tech Specs

The idea of creating Lily appeared in autumn 2013 in UC Berkeley robotics lab. In half a year investors SV Angel and Shana Fisher backed the project. As a result of the given green light there has appeared an adorable round flying camera drone with blue smiling LED eyes, weighing only 1.13 kg.

Lily is quite small: 26cm wide and 8 cm tall. It can fly 15 meters up, shooting a video of you from above. Lily is capable of flying 20 minutes until it needs to recharge, which gives you plenty of time to perform and capture plenty of tricks.

Lily boasts of Full HD camera shooting either 60 FPS videos in 1080p resolution or 120 FPS videos in HD-ready (720p) quality. Built-in GPS will allow Lily to follow the tiny tracking device that you’ll need to either place in your pocket or wear as a watch on your wrist in a waterproof case.

How much is Lily Drone?

Lily is already quite popular and her creators made $34 million in pre-orders (so far there have been pre-ordered 60000 devices). Company encourages pre-orders by making a huge discount in comparison to a retail price. Pre-order cost will be $499, while the retail price tag will be as steep as $899.

Conclusion

Lily drone camera marks a new era of video shooting, it replaces the need of a complex network of cameras to capture the most exciting moments of your active lifestyle. Full HD will provide eye candy images with stills of perfect focus and contrast.

Nevertheless, it’s a rather expensive device that will not be affordable for the majority of potential users. However, the lucky ones that can afford it will be able to enjoy photos and videos of impeccable focus and quality.

Would you buy the lily drone that follows you if money weren't a problem? Share with any other thoughts on Lily drone on comments below.

PlayStation VR is Sony's first venture in the world of VR, which is why it is abundantly clear that company doesn’t want to ruin any chance its headset has on success. While Oculus Rift and HTC Vive can already boast long lists of games, crated specifically for them, Sony is lagging a bit behind in this respect.

Nevertheless, CEO of Sony, Kazuo Hirai claimed that company has around 200 developers, who work relentlessly on creation of 100 truly immersive games for PlayStation VR. In the light of the hype surrounding spring release of Rift, Sony opted to play the waiting game, announcing the release of PlayStation VR this summer.

Although those who already own PS4 are disappointed due to the delay of the release, Sony knows that the only thing that will ensure success of PlayStation VR in terms of popularity is an impressive list of the exclusive games. Therefore, company decided to delay release until it can make at least 100 games for PlayStation VR available for the buyers.

Advantage of PlayStation VR over Oculus Rift and HTC Vive

Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus Rift said that PlayStation VR «isn't quite as high-end» as the Oculus Rift, however, many people have already gave up on getting the Rift due to the incredibly high price of the device itself and of PC components required for its work, and preferred to wait for PlayStation VR instead. «High-end» Rift was already dubbed «a toy for one percenters» as the overwhelming majority of potential consumers will not have the means to buy it.


Oculus and HTC have recently revealed the requirements for using their headsets and it instantly became clear that only precious few of the gamers’ community would be able to afford the set up. Price per desktop, needed to run both headsets goes up to $1500 and that does not include the price for the device itself, which for the Rift will be $600 as it was announced on January 6th, when pre-ordering began.

PlayStation VR will run exclusively on PS 4, which is way more affordable than the above-mentioned PC set ups required for Rift and Vive, and currently retails for only $350 – granted, not too cheap, but still affordable to a wider audience.

Apart from that, PS4 presence in the homes of thousands of people makes a solid ground for the arrival of PlayStation VR. Thus, even if the price of the device itself will be steep or even equal to that of the Rift, it will still be cheaper than Rift or Vive + PCs that are required for their work.

PS4 VR Headset Outlook

Sony really spent time on creation of elegant white edging curved screen with integrated LED-illumination. As opposed to Rift and Vive, PlayStation VR doesn’t have a strap that goes from forehead to the neck. Instead, it has a mall cap that ensures comfortable and secure wear. The absence of that straps helps user to wear his headphones more comfortably. Another advantage of the device itself is in its light weigh – Rift and Vive are considerably heavier. Moreover, due to the opening
between face and screen, players do not experience motion sickness.

Read this: Razer OSVR – Democratic approach to virtual reality

Tech Specs

PlayStation VR boasts of a Full HD 1080p OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 100-degree field of view. PlayStation 4 processes games and streams them to the connected PlayStation VR. Apart from the PS4 console there is a mini box that holds the keys of immersive 3D rendering. This box can be connected to a monitor or TV and show what user, wearing headset, is experiencing in the game. This is another advantage of PlayStation VR, because Rift and Vive are not that living room friendly.

Due to the integrated LED lights PlayStation 4 can track the movements and position of the player via PlayStation Camera that is capable of tracking PlayStation VR at 1000 times per second ensuring impeccable immersive experience. Moreover, user can turn his head 360 degrees to see the game at any angle. Seamless performance is achieved due to the sensor, installed in the back of the headset. Sensor helps PlayStation Camera to determine when you are looking backwards.

Controllers

Owners of PS4 VR Headset will have a decent selection of controllers. The primary controller will undoubtedly be DualShock 4. DualShock 4 gamepad is motion-sensitive, trackable by PlayStation Camera via integrated light bar and possesses already known layout. PlayStation VR owners will also be able to use familiar PlayStation Move wand controllers. Initial tests of using PlayStation VR with these controllers showed promising results. If everything goes as planned, this combination may revive the motion control era.

Last thought on Sony PlayStation VR headset

The Sony PlayStation VR definitely has its advantages: in terms of hardware needed for headset usage it takes the cake, as PlayStation 4 costs only $350 as opposed to $1500 PCs required for usage of Rift or Vive.

Due to fact that many users already have PS4 – they will need to buy only headset, making PlayStation VR much more affordable for the wide audience. At the moment there may not be as many games for Sony ps4 headset as there are for Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, nevertheless Sony chose to wait till the hype surrounding Oculus Rift dissipates, meanwhile concentrating its efforts on creation of multitude of qualitative games, exclusive for ps4 gaming headset.

All-in-One computers are fascinating devices that have come a long way from being the only option on the market like Commodore PET to the tiny niche, associated only with iMac and finally to modern convenient devices for those of us who seek to optimize their workspace.

Currently, Apple lost the monopoly on these All-in-One PCs as there have emerged affordable and equally efficient and up-to-date All-in-One models from Lenovo, Dell, Acer and other manufacturers.

Moreover, some of the modern All-in-One PCs have touchscreen feature, allowing you to work directly with monitor and increasing the efficiency of your work. Touchscreen all-in-One PC is undoubtedly a great choice if you have little space and do not require your PC to be a gaming monster.

What All-in-One touchscreen computer is the best?

Below are best affordable All-in-One touchscreen PCs that showed top results during testing against corresponding benchmarks:

Dell XPS 18 (1820) All in One Desktop
Dell XPS 18 (1820) is the most expensive entry in this list ($1.5K). It has 18” full HD IPS display with 10-point touch capability that can be removed from the stand and used like a tablet. This PC is portable and quite sleek, which is why it will fit in the majority of briefcases if there appears a necessity to take it to work for a business meeting or in a trip.

The heart of this PC is Intel Core i7 processor, which is quite impressive for all-in-one PC. System boots from 256GB SSD, but you can increase the capacity via SD card slot, cloud storage or portable external SSD/HDD via USB 3.0. This PC can be powered directly via AC adapter or via stand, which has a port for power connector. The display shows clear and bright colors even in case the room is lit with sunlight.

However if it’s too bright for you – you can adjust contrast and brightness in settings. It’s decently calibrated by manufacturer, which is why it can be used straight from the box. Stand for XPS 18 is ergonomic and tilts 10 to 70 degrees.

Overall, it is a great All-in-One touchscreen PC for routine work and entertainment purposes. It’s fair to say that it lacks capacity for such a price tag, however you can boost it via external drives or cloud storage.

Read this: 5 Best PC cases on the market

Lenovo C260 Touch Screen


Lenovo C260 Touch is a perfect example of affordable all-in-one PCs with touchscreen. It has a minimal price tag of $480 and can boast 19.5" high-resolution LCD touch screen display encased in polycarbonate chassis.

Lenovo C260 Touch supports a surprising amount of advanced features and components, found in much more expensive PCs, such as quad-core Intel Pentium J2900 processor, 4GB of RAM that can be upgraded to 8GB, Intel HD Graphics and a 500GB HDD, which is more than enough if you’re planning to use it for general purposes, such as work and entertainment.

It’s not a gaming monitor, however it’s fast, reliable and sleek enough to free a lot of space on your workstation. Interface wise it has one USB 3.0 port and a couple of USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet port and HDMI-out that will allow you to watch your favorite videos or movies on big screen TV.

Overall, Lenovo C260 Touch takes the cake for an ideal entry-level PC with lots of useful functions, convenient interface and impressive memory storage for such a small price tag.

Acer Aspire Z (AZ3-615-UR15) All in One

For those who love bigger Full HD screens Acer has released its new model Aspire Z (AZ3-615-UR15) with a modest price tag of $950 for a midrange All-in-One touchscreen PC. Acer Aspire Z boasts 23’’ Full HD touchscreen that showed outstanding results during testing. The images are clear and sharp.

Display shows great colors even in sunlit room and can be calibrated in compliance to your preferences. Apart from that, it has Intel Core i5-4570T processor as well as Intel HD Graphics 4600. Interface wise it is compatible with multitude of devices.

It has 4 USB ports: 2 x USB 2.0 and 2 x USB 3.0, HDMI -in and -out that allows connection to a new PC when Aspire becomes obsolete. 8GB of RAM will be more than enough for system to run flawlessly.

The capacity of Aspire Z is also impressive – 1TB will allow you to store heaps of data. Overall, it’s a perfect harmony between value and price. It worth every cent due to the up-to-date processor, big touchscreen display and noteworthy HDD capacity.

Dell OptiPlex 9030 Touch Screen

Dell OptiPlex 9030 Touch is a midrange All-in-One touchscreen PC with price tag on a hefty side - $1324. Nevertheless, it may amaze with a multitude of high-end components and features. It boasts 23” Full HD touchscreen with 10-point touch capability that allows several people to work on the same PC simultaneously. OptiPlex 9030 Touch is quite ergonomic with adjustable stand for better viewing angles.

Intel Core i5-4590S processor makes it run rather quick. Price can be justified by a wide range of features that facilitate the exploitation of this PC and prolong service life of its components. It supports -in and -out HDMI ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports and 6 (!) x USB 3.0 ports – that’s enough ports to connect OptiPlex 9030 Touch to all the USB devices in your house.

8GB of RAM ensures speedy work of your system, while 500GB HDD offers plenty of space to store all your movie and music collections. The only downside it relatively slower system boot if compared to SSD-powered PCs.

Lenovo Horizon 2e

Lenovo Horizon 2e is an affordable 2nd-gen all-in-one touchscreen PC with reasonable price tag of $750. It boasts 21.5” Full HD 10-point touch touchscreen that can be tilted 15 to 70 degrees. The heart of this PC is Intel Core i3-4030U processor that helps system run seamlessly.

It has adequate RAM capacity of 4GB, which is more than enough from general usage. Thanks to 1TB of storage, you can install all the apps and programs you wanted to install, but never had enough space.

Intel HD Graphics 4400 provides enough power for the blue-ray movies to run flawlessly without
any lags. Interface wise Lenovo Horizon 2e supports 3 x USB 3.0 ports, HDMI-in port and SD card reader.

It’s a fairly priced, up-to-date and convenient all-in-one touchscreen PC that you should consider if you want an efficient and reliable all-in-one touchscreen PC.

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The best touchscreen All-in-One PCs we would buy if were you

Touchscreen All-in-One PC is an amazing option for people intending to use their PC for general purposes: it’s ergonomic, takes little to no space (if mounted on the wall) and costs adequately. Of course, there are hi-end models like iMac that will burn a hole in your budget, but you won’t gain much by choosing it, because there is a multitude of affordable all-in-one touchscreen PCs from other manufacturers that cost considerably less.

For entry-level all-in-one touchscreen computers, we would recommend rather cheap Lenovo C260 Touch that has great functionality and modest price tag.

However, if you made up your mind to go for a midrange PC, then you should consider Acer Aspire Z with impressive RAM and storage capacity as well as multitude of connectivity options that make this PC the heart of your entertainment system.

On January 6th, 2016 Oculus has announced the price on the pre-order of Oculus Rift and the price tag made many people angry, people are already starting to call it “one percent’s toy”.

The majority of VR community expected the cost to be around $350 and even that was
quite a splurge, given that you would have gotten only headset with the release of Oculus Touch delayed until the end of this year. Apart from $600 for the Oculus Rift itself, you will need serious hardware to use it, which is not cheap as well: for instance, the price tag for NVIDIA GTX 970 is around $400 – and that’s only the video card.

However, there are those VR fans that are not surprised at all with such turn of events. They think that it was to be expected from a multi-billion company that almost monopolized the Virtual Reality market thanks to the hype surrounding the headset release.

OSVR to the Rescue!

This is where Razer OSVR comes in and swipes the VR developers’ community off their
feet. OSVR stands for Open Source Virtual Reality. In order for you to have a better understanding of this notion let’s just say that if Oculus Rift can be compared to iOS, Razer OSVR is the closest thing to Android in terms of VR. Razer is developing OSVR in collaboration with Sensics.

One OSVR to unite and standardize them all:

Their idea is to make virtual reality accessible to everyone, which is why, you can actually build a headset yourself or if you don’t have the means – simply order it from Razer for only $199. Creators want OSVR to be open source hardware and open source software. Razer OSVR is developed to be a universal device and software that will set a new unified standard to all the VR and motion-tracking devices that are currently available on the market (Leap Motion, STEM System, Hydra and others).

Specs for the Hacker Dev Kit, released in June 2015:

Given the approachable price tag of $199, OSVR is surprisingly qualitative and robust. It can boas Full HD (1920x1080) OLED screen showing 60 frames per second, a gyroscope, 2x USB 3.0 ports, compatibility with Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux. In terms of weight, OSVR can definitely be called the lightest VR headset currently available on the market.

Concerns about the Razer OSVR open-source approach:

While the overwhelming majority of developers salute the democratic open-source approach of Razer’s OSVR, some still express concern whether the company will withstand the competition of HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. There is no doubt that developers will eagerly work with OSVR, but will Razer and Sensics be able to support all of them, or at last a part of them – that remains to be seen.

As a rule only about 30% of the projects, developed using open-source software and/or hardware see the light of day. Nevertheless, Razer is confident that new unified standard will provide better opportunities for developers to create projects compatible with all VR and motion-tracking devices, available on the market.

Conclusion:

There can be no mistake – 2016 will be the year of Virtual Reality, but how will it take off – that remains to be seen. Oculus Rift turned out to be a disappointment price wise, targeted for the precious few of us, who have enough funds to indulge in it. Therefore, Razer OSVR has a decent chance to be perceived not only as a viable rival to HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, but also as an affordable way for any of us to experience Virtual Reality.

Every now and then, each of us wishes not to be bothered by outside world, it’s especially true, when we’re working on complex projects that require absolute attention and concentration. The obvious way to avoid the unwanted noise will be working in a separate room, but in most cases, it’s not an option. However, there is no need to lose your cool and fly off the handle – you just need to buy qualitative and comfortable noise-cancelling headphones.

Here are the best noise-cancelling headphones that are currently available on the market:

1. Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Although these headphones are quite pricey ($300 - $400), it’s fair to say that they worth every cent. Apart for the obvious function of absolute noise cancellation and very comfortable padding, these headphones provide stunningly clear and dynamic sound. Bose QuietComfort 25 weight 196 grams and are rather durable, despite the fact that they are mostly made of plastic.

They come in a very concise case that is surprisingly small for over-the-ear and full-sized headphones. These headphones are perfect for travelling. You will need only one AAA battery to use them for 35 hours. This is a foldable model, equipped with the instruction on how to fit them inside their case. Overall, they deserve 4.5 stars for a perfect balance of quality and price, with the absence of wireless option being the only downside.

2. Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Over-Ear Wireless HeadPhones

If you are looking for the best sounding headphones and ready to fork up around $500 – these ultimate comfort Bluetooth headphones are exactly what you need. Memory foam earpads are coated with soft leather and the noise cancellation turns on automatically, so that you can concentrate your full and undivided attention on work or something that you are listening.

These headphones are as sturdy as they come with stainless steel side arms and comfortable and reliable case to keep them intact during your travels. The battery life is quite decent - 22 hours, which is quite enough even for long oversea flights. These are the headphones for those, who can truly appreciate the ultimate quality of music.

3. Philips Fidelio NC1 Noise Reducing Premium Headphones

These elegant and comfortable headphones are actually relevantly affordable with $299 price tag. Philips Fidelio NC1 are rather balanced noise-cancelling headphones with a feasible built-in quality characteristic of Philips. They can boast an impressive 25+ hour’s battery life. By the way, the rechargeable battery itself is included in a hard case.

With this battery, you will be able to enjoy over 30 hours of noise-cancellation. Earpads are accomplished in memory foam, coated in fine leather. It’s fair to say that Philips Fidelio NC1 provide top-notch comfort and excellent noise-cancellation for relevantly moderate price. It’s a great deal for those, who don’t want to splurge too much on headphones, but still want to enjoy excellent quality.

Read this:Best 4K monitor for gaming to buy in 2016

4. Samsung Level Over

Although many users find these headphones to be too expensive, the majority agrees that their comfort level and quality of sound are well worth the price. Apart from that, these are among the few top-shelf headphones that offer wireless option. Natural sound and very impressive noise-cancellation make them a decent competition to Beats Studio Wireless.

They have built-in Li-Ion battery, detachable audio cable and button-free controls. Overall Samsung Level Over are a good choice for those, who don’t believe in folding headphones and appreciate long-term comfort.

5. Beats Studio Wireless Headphones

These awesome wireless over-the-ear noise-cancelling headphones can boast in-line microphone, 9-meter wireless range and high level of comfort. These foldable headphones come with comfortable hard case, capable of saving them from damage even if they are carelessly thrown in a bag or suitcase.

Beats Studio Wireless headphones can be used to make calls and are so concise when folded that you can actually put them in your jacket’s pocket. The only drawback is the battery life, which is 12 hours – while decent on its own, it pales in comparison to 35 hours of work of Bose QuietComfort 25.

Conclusion:

Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones seem to be the best choice, both pricewise and quality wise. 35 hours of work, fairy acceptable price, reliability and comfort of use make these headphones the best out of five.

Although Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless headphones is almost as well balanced and comfortable, their price tag is rather high.

Sixense has recently announced the upcoming release of its groundbreaking untethered motion tracking system for virtual reality (VR). The new motion-tracking platform, called STEM System, gives its users an opportunity to feel free and comfortable while interacting with virtual reality environment.

Thus, user will be able to move around his living room or sit at his desk, wearing STEM devices. System will track his position from five points, providing a much more profound VR experience, no matter if the user is at his desktops or walks around the room.

The advantages of the new platform include longer range, considerably improved performance and wireless use. This is particularly important in terms of convenience; wireless operation allows you to avoid entangling yourself in all the power cords, while using STEM System with tethered VR devices, such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift or Microsoft HoloLens.

System Components:

Base
Base is a changing station for all 5 STEM devices: 3 STEM Packs and 2 controllers. Apart from that, it has 3 USB ports for charging, so if Oculus, HTC or Microsoft ever manage to deliver untethered VR headsets – you’ll know where to plug them. Besides, you can always charge your phone or other portable devices.

2 STEM Controllers
2 wireless STEM controllers will actually function very similar to Oculus Touch. You’ll have your basics here: trigger, set of buttons and a joystick. However, it will have one thing that has not been announced in Oculus Touch - haptic feedback. This is a major improvement, since haptic feedback helps user feel more confident in his actions in VR environment.

3 STEM Packs
STEM Packs are designed exclusively for tracking. They will be attached to calves and head and also provide haptic feedback. The headpiece will be attached to the VR headset to provide impeccable tracking of the users head movements.

Features of the new STEM System Technology:

STEM System is a next generation of motion-tracking technology, currently used worldwide. It’s a step forward in the direction of enhanced performance, substantially decreased latency and considerably boosted range that allows interacting with the base at an impressive distance.

• Untethered electromagnetic motion tracking
• Five-point body tracking providing freedom of movement for interaction with Virtual Reality.
• 5 Tracking Points
• 3 STEM Packs are attached to head and calves, while 2 controllers are operated by hands. Packs can also be removed and attached in various configurations.
• Increased range
• New STEM System will allow you to be as far as 5 meters away from the base, while interacting with VR environment.

Conclusion:

Given that limitations, associated with the real world, spoil virtual reality experience, conventional devices, such as mice or keyboards seem alien for VR, killing the depth of the user’s immersion. STEM System changes that and provides users with a magnificent virtual reality experience, where they can freely walk and look at their feet, actually seeing feet, as they would have in real life.

VR developers agree that with the further progress of VR technology the need of untethered motion-tracking devices is as relevant as ever. New STEM System from Sixense is a decisive step in the right direction, a beacon of hope for uninterrupted and absolute immersion in virtual reality. STEM System frees you from wires and gives you freedom of impeccable VR experience.