(Credit:
TomTom)
When we took our first look at the TomTom app for iPhone, it seemed like a perfectly competent helper for getting from points A-to-B. But, we couldn't help but notice that a few of our favorite GPS navigation features were notably absent--particularly TTS instructions and graphic lane guidance.
Well, there's good news for users of the TomTom app in the form of a free update that adds these missing features, and a few more.
The update will add text-to-speech (TTS) for spoken street names and points of interest (POI) as part of the device's directions, graphic lane guidance which displays a visual representation of complex highway intersections with indications of valid lanes for the route, and a "Help menu" offering a shortcut to emergency number and directions to the nearest emergency services. TomTom is also enabling in-app iPod player control, so drivers won't have to exit the application to pick a song or playlist.
Also included in this update are a free map update and the inclusion of a safety camera database update. Users will be able to set audio warnings when approaching safety cameras or driving over the speed limit, possibly preventing citations and increasing vehicle safety.
TomTom tells us that the application update has been submitted to Apple and is pending approval. For current users of the TomTom app for iPhone, this will be a free update. For everyone else, the price of the app will remain at $99.
(Credit:
CNET / Josh Lowensohn)
Ever wondered what some of the graphical differences are in games that make use of the newer hardware in the latest versions of Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch? So were we. That's why we put together a screenshot comparison gallery of 13 games, all of which are either packing extra OpenGL ES 2.0 goodies, or that more complicated graphics modes that run a whole lot better on the beefier hardware spec.
As for our testing, we ran each title on an iPhone 3G and a third-generation iPod Touch, the latter of which packs the faster innards required for some of the advanced OpenGL effects.
To our surprise, there were very few apps on the App Store that made use the new graphical spec, and even fewer that required a standalone version of that application to do so. However, many of the developers we talked with said that they were cooking up new titles that would be pushing these new devices a little further than what they had already created. That's good news for those with a newer iPhone or iPod Touch, but a definite thorn in the side of those who might not be able to play some of near-future App Store releases on their original iPhone or iPhone 3G.
Click on our slideshow link below to get started. We've also included links to each version of each app (in case there are variations), all of which open up in iTunes. Also, in case we missed any, feel free to leave them in the comments and we'll try to add them later.
Update: We've added bonus screenshots of Ravensword, the upcoming 3D RPG, as well as top-down pinball game Wild West Pinball.
See also:
The future of iPhone games
For games, no big rush to speedy iPhone 3GS
iPhone developer: 3G S graphics will be sooo much better than PSP's
Will HD video make your Netbook?
(Credit: Nvidia)We're weeks away from the Windows 7 launch, which is bringing along with it a collection of souped-up laptops and Netbooks that have been waiting for Microsoft's new operating system as their coming-out party.
In particular, this means that Netbooks paired with Nvidia Ion GPUs are going to be on their way soon enough. We've heard about these devices endlessly in teases from Lenovo, HP, Samsung, Asus, and of course Nvidia. The mobile GPU is essentially a GeForce 9400M processor--the one that's in Apple's MacBook lineup--but rebranded for Netbooks. This sounds great on paper, but for Netbooks it's being paired with an Atom processor, not a Core 2 Duo.
In demos we've seen, it will enable Netbooks to play HD video and even some mainstream 3D games. The Netbooks that will get Ions will all largely have the same Intel Atom N-series processors that current Netbooks have, but will benefit from added processing in some instances on the GPU, as well as the graphics boost. At the prices some of these new Netbooks are claiming they'll sell for--$399, for instance--it sounds like a decent deal.
But is a graphics boost the missing link for you, the laptop consumer? Is the Ion in fact a way to solve any frustrations you may have had with Netbooks up until this point? Or are you looking for better CPUs, keyboards, or other features? A few months ago we guessed at what future Netbooks could bring, and graphics certainly loomed large. But will a video-friendly Netbook provide enough oomph to be anything more than a secondary computer, and will such a device begin to supplant video-savvy smartphones as a traveling companion of choice? On the other hand, is the growing trend of thin-and-light laptops with ULV non-Atom processors of more interest?
We ask because we wonder if 11.6-inch Ion-powered Netbooks will in fact be the Holy Grail of the holiday season, or are simply a clever marketing campaign. Once we get our hands on a few, we'll let you know soon enough.
Sony said that a small percentage of Vaio laptops with Nvidia graphics chips may experience problems and the company offered to provide an extended warranty to cover the cost of repair. This follows similar statements by Apple, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell.
Sony Vaio VGN-AR series laptop
(Credit: Sony)Nvidia first disclosed the problem with its graphics chips in July 2008, saying at the time that graphics processors manufactured with a certain material set were failing in the field at a higher than normal rate.
In a Sony eSupport USA notice dated August 3, the company said: "Sony, in cooperation with Nvidia, has been looking into any possible effect to Vaio notebooks with Nvidia graphic processors. Until recently we had not identified any Vaio models that were affected by this issue."
The statement continues. "However, after closely monitoring the situation, Sony has now determined that a very small percentage of Vaio computers with the Nvidia graphics chips may experience this issue. These PCs may exhibit distorted video, duplicate images or a blank screen due to a failure of the Nvidia graphics chip."
... Read more
So we've started our back-to-school retail roundup of laptops, and while Dan and Scott got their first reviews posted without incident (the HP Pavilion dv7-2185DX and Sony Vaio FW480J/T, respectively), I wasn't as lucky with the Asus G71GX-RX05.
Actually, that's not entirely true. You see, the review was sailing right along until I started reading complaints about the system's Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M graphics adapter basically dropping frame rates to 1-2fps once the GPU temp hits roughly 81 degrees Celsius. So we did a little more testing and, sure enough, the frame rates dropped and we couldn't get them back up without a restart.
Turns out Asus is aware of the problem and has been busily working on a fix. Some hiccup in the BIOS is causing the drop out, and the manufacturer will be issuing a new BIOS version on or about July 9.
As soon as we have a chance to test it out, we'll be revising and rating our review. However, if you've already bought one, rest assured that a fix from Asus is on the way and your frame rates will be back where they belong. (Which, at least in our tests, was very good for the well-configured $1,149 laptop.)
Update: The new BIOS is ready for download. For the easiest updating, use the Asus Live Update app preinstalled on the laptop. It will download the new BIOS and then just follow the onscreen prompt to flash your system.
You can also go to the Asus support site and look up the model number and download the BIOS. Installation instructions are available from there as well.
We'll be testing out the new BIOS today and with any luck refreshing our review with performance results and ratings.
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This monitor has no soul...that we know of.
(Credit: CNET)I'll be completely honest: LCD computer monitors intended for graphics professionals are not my area of expertise. Most of the monitors I've reviewed have been consumer-focused.
Monitors like the Dell SP2309W and Samsung P2370, while great for gaming or just looking nice in your apartment (respectively), would not be caught dead on the desk of a graphics professional. (Of course, if I'd found a monitor could actually die at all, well, I probably would not be writing this, as the prospects of an inanimate object possessing a soul would be far too exciting to continue sitting at my workstation, working.)
Silliness aside, I'll be soon be diving headfirst into a small, shallow pool of Pro Graphics monitors, starting with the Eizo ColorEdge CG222W. The CG222W is intended for graphic pros and can be found from around $1,200 to $1,500. The monitor includes either an S-IPS panel or a Samsung S-PVA panel (the LTM220M3), depending on whether you believe FlatpanelsHD or TFT Central. According to TFT Central, the panel used in the NEC Multisync p221w-bk is the same as the one housed in the Eizo.
If that's true, it's strange that the NEC monitor costs only a third of the Eizo's price. And for this reason, you won't see a review of the Eizo CG222W for a couple of weeks. I'm waiting for NEC to send me the P221W-BK so I can compare them directly and figure out just what makes the Eizo so much more expensive.
Also, I'll also likely be using some new tests that are better-suited for professional monitors, like photo viewing and a black level test.
NEC says it can get me the monitor in a couple weeks, so look for reviews of both a short while after that. In the meantime, check out a few pics I took of the Eizo. Commence stalling.
Updated at 3:50 p.m. PST: correcting for Intel GN40 graphics support and adding pricing information for target market.
Acer launched a PC Tuesday that attempts to bring PC-class performance to Atom-processor-based PCs.
The Acer AspireRevo, about the size of a hardcover book, combines Nvidia graphics with the Intel Atom processor.
(Credit: Acer)The Acer AspireRevo is the first Atom-based PC from a major PC supplier to use Nvidia's Ion chipset that packs GeForce 9400M graphics, the same graphics used in the Apple 13-inch MacBook and MacBook Air.
By design, Atom is a more power frugal and, concomitantly, slower processor than Intel's mainstream Core 2 chip architecture.
The AspireRevo's marquee external feature is the diminutive size: the desktop is comparable in size to a laptop (though slightly thicker, about the size of a typical hardcover book). Internally, the device will test Nvidia's thesis that devices, such as Netbooks, that pair the Atom processor with Nvidia graphics offer much better performance than Intel-only (i.e., Atom-with-Intel-chipset) platforms.
This won't be quite the slam dunk that it was before, however. Intel recently started shipping the Atom N280 and the accompanying GN40 chipset, which for the first time on an Intel Netbook platform delivers 1080p HD playback.
"The AspireRevo...is perfectly suited for the living room, because Nvidia Ion provides a brilliant graphics experience with digital photos, watching video, and playing family-friendly games," said Gianpiero Morbello, corporate vice president of marketing for Acer, in a statement.
Nvidia listed the following capabilities for the Ion-based AspireRevo:
- Ability to run Windows Vista Home Premium
- 1080p HD video with true-fidelity 7.1 audio
- Popular games including Spore, Call of Duty 4, and Sim City 4 *
- DirectX 10 graphics with advanced digital display connectivity
- Accelerated video enhancement and transcoding using Nvidia CUDA technology
(* Correction: originally listed as "Sim City 5" )
Pricing information was not immediately available. Generally speaking, Ion-based desktops are expected to be priced under $300.
The official covers of two 3D graphics cards, the ATI 1GB Radeon HD 4890 and the Nvidia 896MB GeForce GTX 275, came off Thursday morning.
At $250 for the baseline cards (overclocked models will be available for each for $10 or so more), these cards establish a new midrange battleground, filling the gap between the $150 and $300 price points we covered earlier this year.
Each of these cards, respectively from Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia, has a two-slot PCI Express design that requires two six-pin cable connections to your PC's internal power supply. They also support each vendor's respective multicard technology, Crossfire for ATI, and SLI for Nvidia.
The ATI 1GB Radeon HD 4890.
(Credit: Advanced Micro Devices)The Radeon HD 4890 doesn't introduce much in the way of new features, though it has a clock speed bump over its Radeon HD 4870 cards released last year. The core clock has gone from 750MHz on the 4870 to 850MHz on the 4890, and the memory from 900MHz to 950MHz.
AMD's ATI made a few other tweaks to memory bandwidth and fill rates, but for the most part, the two cards are very similar. The Radeon HD 4890 is available now at various online retailers, and prices so far reflect ATI's suggested $249 baseline.
The Nvidia 896MB GeForce GTX 275.
(Credit: Nvidia)Nvidia's new GeForce GTX 275 is slated to become available for purchase on April 14. And while we don't imagine that Nvidia could simply make a new 3D card appear overnight (nor do we necessarily know which vendor actually started taping out its new card first), we find it interesting that mere days after ATI called us for a briefing on the Radeon HD 4890, Nvidia got in touch regarding its own new product.
... Read moreSenior Localization Producer Patrick Riley called into The 404 this week to talk with us about MadWorld, the new M-rated Wii game from Sega that has raised the eyebrows of media watchdog agencies such as the NIMF. Together we discuss the responsibilities that parents must endure when it comes to M-rated gaming, and how education about the ESRB's rating system needs to have a more public presence.
MadWorld, developed by Platinum Games, is a surreal, ultra-violent, over-the-top beat-'em-up game that borrows its art style from that of a graphic novel. Black, white, and red are the only colors in the game which adds to its unique overall presentation. In it, you assume the role of Jack, a contestant in a sadistic game show called Death Watch that was formed after a major city's transportation arteries were severed.
Patrick also talked with us about how the game came to fruition, explaining the origins behind the storyline, art style and the appearance of such celebrities as Greg Proops.
Madworld is available now exclusively on the Nintendo Wii.
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With everything going green, it was only a matter of time before we added more power consumption testing in the labs. With all the advancements in graphic cards--multiple GPUs, multiple power connections, Crossfire, and SLI--they're now one of the biggest energy hogs in your rig. Our goal is to look at GPU power consumption and measure power vs. performance vs.cost.
The test bed is Intel-based, with a Core i7 965 processor at 3.20GHz and 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz. The meter used to measure the system's power is a Watts up? Pro ES. Watts up? is a "plug load" meter that measures the amount of electricity used by whatever is plugged into it.
Testing is done in two states, first the idle test; this is where we simulate an end-user environment, by opening Internet Explorer, iTunes, and Windows Mail. We then let the system idle for about 5 minutes, export the results from the Watts up?, and use the average of the total idle watts for our score.
The next phase is a 3D high-end test, where we have Crysis running multiple runs at 1,600x1,200 resolution and, like the idle test, we export and average the data.
For a detailed look at the actual testing process, check out the gallery below for photos of our GPU power testing setup. To see the actual results of our power consumption testing, check out these recent graphics card reviews.
