Games Tip of the Day: Need for Speed - Shift 2 Unleashed: steering set correctly

"Need for Speed - Shift 2 Unleashed" shines not with a perfect driving physics, yet the control of the asphalt-spreading hatred challenging. Constantly threaten the cars break or slip off. This drives one or the other amateur racers in the madness. But the problem is less serious than it initially looks like: About the various control options, get a better handle on your race car.

With these settings, even a Ferrari mutated to Dressage: The settings are in front. It is advisable to play with this basic setting. Depending on the vehicle, the optimum setting varies by a few percentage points in each area. Also, you should readjust the tire pressure.

• 'Shift 2: Unleashed' Review (01/04/2011)
• Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed (15/04/2011)
• Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed Activator MULTi7 (2011) (12/04/2011)
• Shift 2 Unleashed review: Pedal to the medal (31/03/2011)
• Reviews: Shift 2 Unleashed (05/04/2011)

Shift 2: Unleashed (wikipedia)  

Palit GT 520. in passive or low-profile version, ideal for HTPC

Among the specific video card for HTPC systems - where the sheer processing power gives way to the various multimedia features, the quiet operation, compact size and low power consumption - Palit fits its interpretation of the GeForce GT 520. The card is available in two versions: with a low-profile active heat sink (with fan single slot) or as an entirely passive (no fan, but in a compact dual-slot), and integrates all the features of the architecture GF119 implemented by nVidia: API support for DirectX11 and CUDA and PhysX technologies, decoding movies Full-HD Blu-ray (also Blu-ray 3-D) and advanced support TrueHD and DTS-HD audio.

Windows Phone and the next novelty shown at MIX11

At MIX 11, Microsoft has given the new development platform for the next version of Windows phone that developers will be available beginning next May. The new concern, consequently, also the end user of the phone with the Redmond company's mobile operating system, and include support for multitasking background applications such as file transfer, audio playback (even in the case of integration with HTML5) and fast switching between apps, better integration of apps into the operating system that allows developers to take advantage of the Live Tiles, for example, for service by Live Agents running in the background; Direct access to the camera and sensors which gyro compass, and thanks to the library Motion Sensor; "The next release of Windows Phone Represents the Evolution of Our strategy for ensuring That developers are at the forefront of 'what's next' by investing in even richer customer experiences, a Powerful Application Platform and a thriving ecosystem, "said corporate vice president of Windows Management Program Phone, Joe Belfiore.

Xtion PRO Developer: Develop your knowledge with Asus

Asus unveils its first online contest for its new revolutionary device that allow Xtion PRO interact with the PC through your body in motion. In may participate in this contest developers, creatives and programmers around the world eager to create games and applications specifically for this new Asus device.

Body motion using the new Asus Xtion Pro can interact with the PC and includes all the tools necessary for developers to create their own programs. The event provides a first prize of $ 20,000 (14,000 euros) and the inclusion of application or platform game ASUS @ vibe, a second prize of $ 3,000, and a third $ 1,000.

Windows Phone: Adreno 205 and gyroscope

Microsoft has updated the minimum specifications for Windows Phone 7. So far, it was mostly to impose a specific hardware configuration with no other choice chip Snpadragon classic (1 GHz Adreno 200), Microsoft seems a bit open its aircraft. Because Microsoft's policy is flawed: if imposing a hardware configuration allows us to offer appliances that are all effective, it standardizes the park and does not originality.

Google: Revenues and profits up

The giant Google has released its financial results for the first quarter of the year. Reaching 8.58 billion dollars, the group's turnover rose by over 27% year on year (6.77 billion dollars recorded in the first quarter of 2010). Net income reached for his $ 2.30 billion, up 17% from last year. The profit margin was weaker than analysts had hoped, Google saw its general operating expenses rose from 1.84 billion dollars (27% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2010 to $ 2.84 billion (33% income) for the first quarter of 2011.

A GTX 590 to the water at Point of View

The manufacturer Point of View has launched in the market a GeForce GTX 590 overclocked from the factory and with a waterblock, the latter being manufactured by Aqua Computer. Dubbed Beast Edition, the GTX 590 graphics chipsets are two boarding GF110 clocked at 691 MHz and 1024 with CUDA cores running at 1382 MHz.

The reference model used to recall the GPU running at 607 MHz (1215 MHz for the shaders). The 3 GB of GDDR5 memory, interfaced to 2 x 384-bit, turn them on at 927.5 MHz. SLI, the GeForce GTX 590 Beast Edition has two PCI-Express 8-pin and DVI outputs (x3) and HDMI. Displayed on a tariff of 778 euros, this graphics card is currently in pre-order.

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€ 1.7 / GB: Crucial SSDs M4 slashing prices

Overdue and tested by us last Wednesday, the Crucial SSD M4 (aka C400) new generation finally arrived in the French dealers. LDLC and RueduCommerce have referenced today announced availability for April 18. At what price? These rates are very aggressive, well below those of SSD SATA 6 Gb / s competitors (3 Vertex OCZ and Intel 510).

In our last survey of prices of SSD, in fact, the average price of the new generation is much closer to the above 2 € / GB At about 1.7 € / GB, M4 are also flights from the previous generation, while providing superior performance. The 512 GB model, though very expensive in absolute terms, even reached the record price per GB lowest to date, 1.5 € / GB Is clearly crucial to get a place in the sun on the SSD market.

• SSD durability question (09/04/2011)
• The Crucial m4 (Micron C400) SSD Review (31/03/2011)
• Addonics SATA adapter turns six CF / CFast cards into one SSD (13/04/2011)
• Seven SSD sizzlers (07/04/2011)
• Crucial's M4 / C400 SSD reviewed, hitting store shelves in late April for an undisclosed sum (03/04/2011)

Solid-state drive (wikipedia)  

Apple closes a security hole three weeks after Microsoft

March 15, Comodo, one of the organizations issuing SSL certificates for secure transactions on the internet detected an intrusion on behalf of one of its customers. The author manages to be granted nine licenses for major domain names: google. com, login. yahoo. com, login. live. com, etc.. With these certificates, the attacker could create false websites visually identical to the originals and authenticated them as well and retrieve the IDs of users.

PCMark 7 available May 3

The publisher Futuremark yesterday gave a release date for its new 7 PCMark test suite which we have already had occasion to talk to you. It will be available for download on May 3. The publisher Futuremark yesterday gave a release date for its new 7 PCMark test suite which we have already had occasion to talk to you.

It will be available for download on May 3. As usual, Futuremark will launch in several versions, including a free one. 7 Free PCMark give access to one of the seven tests PCMark 7, but there will be no restriction on the number of executions of the test and everyone can save its results in the base line data from Futuremark.

Bull supercomputer for Japanese nuclear

There are some coincidences that would have probably preferred to avoid. While Japan through the most serious nuclear crisis in its history (or even history), CEA (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique French) and AJEA (Japan Agency for Nuclear Energy), mandated by F4E, just select the builder of the future supercomputer for research into controlled nuclear fusion which will be located in Japan.

Internet at 30 Mbps for all in 2020

The Industry Committee of the European Parliament voted by 46 lanes and 1 against, a proposal by the European Commission establishing the first program on radio spectrum policy. Under this program, all Europeans have access to the Internet and all its services to 30 Mbps by 2020. This course must be passed through the explosion of cellular connections.

One important focus of the program is the reallocation of radio frequencies to mobile networks. By 1st January 2013 all member states should have released the 800 MHz band after the cessation of analog television. By 2015, "part of the spectrum allocated to mobile data transfer should be at least 1200 MHz," according to MEPs.

GPU Ivy Bridge: 3 screens, HDMI 1.4, 16 shaders

On the sidelines of the Beijing IDF, Intel unveiled some information about its future processors Ivy Bridge, more precisely on their integrated GPU. In a video posted last Wednesday, Phil Taylor, a software engineer at Intel, delivers a few secrets: Intel is also counting on improvements to the AVX instruction set provided by Ivy Bridge and the gain bandwidth afforded by PCI-Express version 3.0 .

QPAD launches its new MK-80 keyboard.

QPAD launches new mechanical MK-80 keyboard-oriented professional players and more demanding users, features blue LED lighting in all its key enabling viewing in all light conditions. This new keyboard manufacturer QPAD is emerging as a great choice for those seeking a quality keyboard and precision mechanical design makes the keystrokes is more accurately and quickly, unlike traditional keyboards that use rubber domes .

The great comparative browsers

Finally available after four months late, twelve and two betas RC, Firefox now claims 4 to turn the title of fastest browser, the less demanding and more compatible. The competition is formidable, however, with the surprising IE9 without forgetting Chrome, Opera and Safari. Verdict?

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A cursor for disabled

The research group has published two AIM software for Windows intended to help disabled people to use a mouse. The Mouse Pointing Angle Magnifier and are downloadable for free. Some disabilities make using a mouse difficult because of the precision that is sometimes necessary to click on a specific corner of the screen.

AIM includes scientists from the University of Washington who tried to find a solution to this problem. Pointing The Magnifier creates a circle around the cursor. It is possible to adjust its size to customize the interface disability. The more the user has difficulty manipulating a mouse, the smaller the circle is large.

The Wii 2 would be formalized in June

Nintendo should present a successor to the Wii at E3. Rumors talk for now of a comparable HD console to the PS3 or Xbox 360. Fans of the console still know that Nintendo's reputation was not built to specifications, but the gameplay and games that appeal to a type of players who do not necessarily occur on home consoles competing.

For now, we do not know if Nintendo will take the Wii controllers or has developed a completely different system. We just know that according to rumors, Nintendo is trying to polish his relations with developers and has already shown the new console at some of them to encourage them to write games for its next platform.