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The Logitech G Color Collection is made to look good on your stream
The G-Series Color Collection from Logitech features this G733 wireless headset that includes RGB lighting, swappable headbands and DTS: X stereo sound for $130.
Logitech's newest lag-free gaming mouse is loaded with thumb buttons
If you thought Logitech's G603 Lightspeed was light on thumb controls compared to its G602 predecessor, you can relax -- you'll be drowning in them this time around. The company has introduced a G604 Lightspeed mouse that packs six thumb buttons like the years-old G602 while offering modern creature comforts like a 16,000DPI HERO sensor, Bluetooth support and, of course, no-lag Lightspeed wireless. It's pitched as ideal for playing World of Warcraft Classic and other titles where you might have an abundance of commands that beg for faster access.
Logitech's new mechanical keyboards are 'more comfortable' to type on
Logitech has revealed a pair of new mechanical gaming keyboards that use its low-profile GL Switches, which are half the height of typical mechanical key switches. Since you won't need to push down as much before the keyboard recognizes a keystroke, it should be about 25 percent faster to press the keys. Logitech says that should provide "a more comfortable typing experience."
Logitech unveils a wireless version of its G502 gaming mouse
At long last, Logitech is releasing a wireless version of its popular G502 gaming mouse. It redesigned the G502 from the ground up for the Lightspeed variant, which uses Logitech's PowerPlay charging system. You should get up to 48 hours of use on a single charge with default lighting, or up to 60 hours with the lights off.
Logitech's wireless G Pro mouse is built for esports
Wireless gaming mice are anathema to esports pros for a reason -- when you're that skilled, even a modest amount of lag can throw you off. Logitech is betting that it can fulfill their dreams, though. It's launching a wireless version of its G Pro mouse that was designed for (and with the help of) competitive gamers. It draws on both Logitech's increasingly familiar Lightspeed tech for near-zero lag and supports PowerPlay wireless charging, but it also touts the company's high-precision 16,000DPI sensor and a 2.8oz weight that makes it easier to flick around in the heat of a tournament.
Logitech's G305 is an affordable, no-lag wireless gaming mouse
Logitech's extremely-low-latency Lightspeed technology was largely reserved for well-heeled gamers when it first hit the scene last June, but it's a much different story a year later. The peripheral maker has unveiled the G305, a Lightspeed-equipped mouse that costs $60 -- much more justifiable than the pricier G703 and G603. You won't get a particularly exotic design (this is a standard six-button mouse), but you also won't have to compromise on lag just because you're using a mid-tier mouse. It uses Logitech's newer 12,000DPI HERO sensor, too, so it promises to be as responsive as its more expensive counterparts.
The best gifts for the PC gamer in your life
Of the more than two dozen sections in our massive holiday gift guide, the PC gaming is one of the largest. That's because there are so many directions you can go in here: You can splurge on a laptop (we recommend three here) or pick up any number of accessories like headphones, a mouse, keyboard, mic or webcam. Or, you know, you can pick up some actual games. Find all that in our guide at the link below, and while you're there, check out the 100-plus other items in there.
Logitech's latest no-lag wireless gear includes a mechanical keyboard
Logitech's ultra-low lag wireless peripherals are quickly expanding beyond mice. It's introducing two more peripherals that take advantage of its Lightspeed tech, including its first keyboard. The G613 (above) has the mechanical switches that many gamers prefer in a keyboard while offering the virtually undetectable 1ms latency inherent to Logitech's. If you combine this with a Lightspeed-equipped mouse, you're theoretically eliminating two wires without losing your edge in twitch-happy games. Thankfully, there's a new mouse on offer as well.
Logitech's wireless-mouse charging tech feels like a miracle
Logitech's main mission at E3 this year: proving to gamers that wireless mice are just as capable, and sometimes more so, than their corded counterparts. The company revealed two innovations at the show: Lightspeed, its low-latency wireless-transmission technology, and PowerPlay, a way to charge mice while using them on a custom mat. Both solve the main complaints some gamers have around wireless mice: that they're laggy and could lose charge at any moment.
E3 hasn’t forgotten about PC gaming
While consoles hog the bulk of the spotlight at E3, PC gaming is still a big part of the convention. Intel held its first-ever E3 event yesterday, where it announced the VR Challenger League, an esports competition dedicated solely to virtual reality games like The Unspoken and Echo Arena. It's partnering with Oculus and ESL to make that happen, so it actually has a shot at making VR esports a thing. During E3's PC Gaming Show yesterday, we saw some long-awaited upgrades for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (vaulting and weather, oh my!), and Microsoft unveiled Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, a completely remastered version of its classic RTS. Additionally, we caught glimpses of Battletech, the new strategy game in the MechWarrior universe; Cliff Bleszinski's multiplayer shooter LawBreakers; and Total War: Warhammer 2.
Logitech gives gamers a reason to like wireless mice
Ask dedicated gamers why they prefer wired mice over wireless and you'll hear two familiar refrains: Even a little wireless lag can be unacceptably high, and it's no fun to plug in or swap batteries mid-match. Logitech may have found a way to kill both birds with one stone. The company is introducing a pair of technologies, Lightspeed and Powerplay, that theoretically make wireless gaming mice practical even if you depend on pinpoint accuracy. Lightspeed uses "end-to-end signal optimization" to cut latency down to a single millisecond, while the Powerplay system (above) relies on magnetic resonance to continuously charge your mouse. In short, it should perform about as well as a wired mouse without that pesky cord getting in the way.
NASA is helping Stephen Hawking get a tiny ship to Alpha Centauri
NASA is helping Stephen Hawking and Russian venture capitalist Yuri Milner with the monumental task of getting a tiny probe to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth. Project Starshot aims to propel a lightweight silicon "StarChip" to one-fifth the speed of light by hitting it with lasers from Earth, getting it to the star within 20 years. The space agency will help solve one of the thorniest problems -- the intense radiation of interstellar travel.
Test can show if the speed of light has changed
Modern science assumes that the speed of light has always been the same. Researchers have suggested that this seeming constant might have changed over time, however, and they now have a way to find out whether or not that's true. Professors João Magueijo and Niayesh Afshordi have developed a prediction that should test for changes in light speed. They've given the fluctuations in density the early universe, detectable through cosmic background radiation, an exact spectral index number based on the theory that light was much faster in the first seconds following the Big Bang (0.96478, if you're curious). If future measurements of the index line up with this number, they'll support the notion that light speed has shifted.
Neutrinos may not be faster than light, but they can shapeshift
About four years ago, CERN made a claim that sent shockwaves through the scientific community. During the course of an experiment, CERN scientists apparently discovered that neutrinos -- tiny subatomic particles that travel near light speed -- could possibly accelerate faster than light. That, however, turned out to be an error, apparently due to some faulty testing equipment [Sad trombone]. Why are we talking about this now? Well, scientists have finally completed the experiment's original goal, which was to see if neutrinos could shift from one type to another (also known as the Oscillation Project with Emulation-tRacking Apparatus (OPERA) experiment). And, well, they can. Between 2008 and 2012, researchers were able to shoot a beam of "muon" type neutrinos through the Earth -- traveling a 730 kilometer distance from CERN in Geneva, Switzerland to the Gran Sasso lab in Italy -- and found that they had metamorphosed into "tau" type neutrinos on the other side. Just recently, the team uncovered the fifth such "tau" neutrino, thus concluding the experiment. While the study's result won't spoil Einstein's theory of relativity, the discovery is still an important step forward in the world of particle physics. [Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Scientists eye secure communications by slowing down light
We've already seen what fiber optics can do for internet speeds, and it looks like the medium could be used for quantum communications too. See, as EurekAlert tells it, scientists from the Vienna University of Technology have figured out a way to modify the material so it can be used to control the speed of light. The researchers successfully grafted cesium atoms to the fibers, allowing them to slow light down from its typical 671 million MPH pace to around 112 MPH (180 KPH). The researchers were able to bring the light to a complete stop and then restart it later, too -- something EurekAlert says in a pretty major step toward quantum internet. It'd be much more secure than what we have currently as well, given that professor Arno Rauschenbeutel says that quantum physics at its very core allows for a connection between sender and receiver and anyone tapping in won't go unnoticed. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
Faster-than-light neutrinos are back in the game
Back in September, CERN dropped the improbable news about its faster-than-light neutrinos, causing eggheads worldwide to cry foul. Understandable really, as if true, a lot of what we think we know about the universe essentially falls apart. So, expect severe bouts of head-scratching once more, as a second round of experiments from the same OPERA collaborative has reported similar results. The initial experiments used a long chain of neutrinos, fired from point A to B. Skeptics claimed that this might have introduced an element of uncertainty to the results -- the new tests used much shorter blasts, meaning that if they arrived just as quickly, then this potential cause for error is scratched out. The new data still needs to undergo the usual peer review, and other possible causes for error remain. For now though, it looks like one of the main arguments against has been addressed, making the Einstein-challenging neutrinos one step closer (or is that ahead?) to re-writing the rule book.
Remember those faster-than-light neutrinos? Great, now forget 'em
A week ago the world went wild over CERN's tentative claim that it could make neutrinos travel faster than light. Suddenly, intergalactic tourism and day trips to the real Jurassic Park were back on the menu, despite everything Einstein said. Now, however, a team of scientists at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands reckons it's come up with a more plausible (and disappointing) explanation of what happened: the GPS satellites used to measure the departure and arrival times of the racing neutrinos were themselves subject to Einsteinian effects, because they were in motion relative to the experiment. This relative motion wasn't properly taken into account, but it would have decreased the neutrinos' apparent journey time. The Dutch scientists calculated the error and came up with the 64 nanoseconds. Sound familiar? That's because it's almost exactly the margin by which CERN's neutrinos were supposed to have beaten light. So, it's Monday morning, Alpha Centauri and medieval jousting tournaments remain as out of reach as ever, and we just thought we'd let you know.
Behind the Mask: The responsible microtransaction
It's no surprise to anyone that I am a pro-microtransaction gamer. Microtransactions make lots of money for the publisher and focus more on pleasing the game's core audience instead of relying on the silent majority of its subscriber base. However, microtransactions can quickly feel like exploitation. When a publisher overcharges or underprovides, it can cause cascading failures as the game's core customers become upset. Champions Online has jumped into the freemium market, and the game itself is pretty fun without the player needing to pay any money at all. Gold subscriptions, which allow for much wider customization and access to numerous fun features, are also a reasonable expenditure. There are quite a few other things to buy in the store... some of which are a little more responsible than others.
Northwestern University researchers route photon qubit, make quantum internet possible
Big brains across the globe continue to unlock the secrets of the qubit and harness it for myriad uses -- quantum hard drives, quantum computers, and even quantum refrigerators. The internet may be next in line to get quantum-ized now that researchers from Northwestern University found a way to route a photon qubit through an optical cable without losing any of its physical characteristics. A newly developed optical switch does the deed, which allows fiber-optic cables to share multiple users' quantum info at once -- making superfast all-optical quantum communication networks possible -- and gets us closer to having our tweets and status updates whizzing to and fro at the speed of light. [Thanks, Jonathan C]
Xsilva LightSpeed Mobile brings Apple Store-like checkout to any store
Xsilva Systems has been at the forefront of Mac Point-of-Sale systems for a while with their LightSpeed software. Now, they're bringing another member of the Apple hardware family into the LightSpeed fold. LightSpeed Mobile is designed to extend LightSpeed away from a traditional cash register, by using an iPod touch and Linea-Pro "sled" to scan bar codes and swipe credit cards from anywhere in the store. If this sounds familiar, it's because the hardware is the same that is currently used in Apple retail stores, although they use a proprietary app. For existing LightSpeed customers, LightSpeed Mobile is an additional US$1,299 (iPod touch not included). Complete turnkey retail solutions that include the necessary software, the Linea-Pro scanner, and a full POS hardware kit (receipt printer, cash drawer, and bar code scanner) start at $3,649. If you already have the necessary hardware and software, you can purchase LightSpeed Mobile in the App Store for just $19.99. A couple of fun videos showing LightSpeed Mobile in action follow on the next page. Thanks to Brad for the tip
