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Intel's extra-fast 3D storage comes to your desktop PC
It didn't take long for Intel's 3D Optane storage to reach a product you can realistically buy. The chip maker has introduced Optane modules designed to boost the performance of your desktop PC. They're strictly cache drives that only hold 16GB or 32GB (the server module packs 375GB), but don't let that dismay you. In theory, the combination of extremely low latency (under 10 microseconds) with solid state drive speeds (at least 900MB/s in peak sequential reads) should dramatically reduce loading times across the board.
Google Allo's desktop client is in the works
Google just can't stop when it comes to messaging apps. While its texting software for Android has a new name, the AI-powered Allo is coming to a new platform soon. VP Nick Fox teased a desktop web client for the service in a tweet, while saying that it's "still in early development." Competing services like Facebook Messenger offer access to their smarts across platforms, so it's logical that Allo, which launched on Android last September, should as well.
AMD returns to high-end gaming CPUs with Ryzen 7
AMD has largely ceded the performance processor space to Intel in recent years. You typically get one of its chips inside a budget PC, not an all-out gaming rig. At last, though, you might have reason to get excited: AMD is launching Ryzen 7, a desktop CPU line based on its much-ballyhooed Zen architecture. The key is a dramatic improvement in the number of instructions the chip can handle at once. A Ryzen 7 CPU can do 52 percent more work every cycle than a similarly-clocked predecessor thanks to a newer 14-nanometer manufacturing process, five times the bandwidth and some overdue architectural upgrades. This is AMD's first processor with simultaneous multithreading (Hyper-Threading in Intel speak), so each core can execute two code paths at the same time.
Telegram updates desktop app with new look
In the midst of (yet another) security scare, Telegram has updated its desktop app. The new app (version 1.0) features a thorough redesign, bringing the experience more in line with Google's Material Design aesthetic, complete with animations and support for themes. Version 1.0 also supports deleting messages from the company's servers, a feature that was already available in the mobile app. (Previously, deleting a message from a chat on the desktop would only remove it from the device you're using.) Like editing, deletion only works on recently sent messages.
Digital Storm's compact gaming PC is fast and upgrade-friendly
It's tricky to find a small-form-factor PC that hits all the right notes. You can get easily expandable systems, but are they good-looking and as fast as a regular desktop? Digital Storm, at least, thinks it has everything nailed down. Its latest Bolt model, the Bolt X, promises to pair brisk performance with a slick design and easy expansion. To no one's surprise, the case is the big deal here. In addition to sporting a considerably cleaner look, it has both a vented base and top-mounted fans to improve the cooling. You can run overclocked processors and the "fastest" graphics cards in the Bolt X without cooking the insides, then. Digital Storm also vows painless upgrades through a "simplified" layout that lets you slot in fresh parts, including multiple storage drives.
HP's Sprout Pro looks nicer (and works better) than the original
In 2014, HP unveiled the original Sprout -- a unique all-in-one with a projector and camera extrusion that turns the surface between you and the display into an interactive space. It was designed for creative professionals and hobbyists, and a later version released in 2016 targeted the classroom. This year, HP has a new Sprout called the Pro G2, which the company says is a completely redesigned device, featuring "a higher resolution projection, more powerful processing, advanced 3D scanning and a more accurate precision active pen for drawing compared to the previous model." Basically, then, the Pro G2 should feel faster, more precise and more realistic than before, which seems to us more like an incremental upgrade than an overhaul.
Apple still has 'great desktops' on the way
If you've been following the Mac lineup in recent years, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Apple had largely given up on desktops. The current-generation iMac is over a year old, the Mac mini hasn't been updated since 2014 and the Mac Pro hasn't been touched since it was redesigned in 2013. Does the company care about people who need more power than a laptop? Yes, if you ask Tim Cook. In an internal forum post, the CEO explains that desktops remain "really important" and that there are "great desktops in our roadmap."
Facebook is testing group voice calls on desktop
It looks like Facebook is considering the possibility of making group voice calling available on desktop. According to TechCrunch, the social network has given a small number of users access to the feature to test it out -- if you want to know if you've been chosen, open one of your group chats and look for a phone icon near the top right of the messaging box. You only need to click that icon if you want to invite your friends to a multi-person call.
VLC media player now supports 360-degree videos
VLC, the app that lets you play basically any video format on practically any platform, is about to add support for a whole new medium. The company just unveiled a technical preview that enables its desktop app to play 360-degree videos, so folks can watch their dizzying footage on their computers. The preview is now available for Windows and Mac machines, and the full version will arrive with VLC 3.0 , which is expected at the end of the month.
Dell hints at its take on a Surface Studio-like creative PC
Microsoft and HP haven't completely cornered the market on creativity-minded desktops, apparently -- Surface Pro Artist noticed that Dell teased its own all-in-one creative PC as part of the AdobeMAX opening keynote. The short clip (below) avoids offering any explicit details, but it's clear that this isn't a direct parallel to the Surface Studio. You're not drawing directly on the computer, to begin with. Instead, Dell will have a Cintiq-style tablet display (it's not certain if this is standard or optional) where you'll create your masterpieces. The prominent chin on the Dell rig is also a sharp contrast to Microsoft's minimalist design. Are those speakers?
Watch Microsoft's Surface event in 10 minutes
Microsoft had no shortage of announcements at its big Surface event. The Surface Studio all-in-one was undoubtedly the centerpiece, but the tech pioneer also unveiled a supercharged Surface Book, low-cost third-party VR headsets, the art-oriented Surface Dial accessory and a major Windows 10 update that's focused on creators. It's a lot to digest, we know. Thankfully, you don't have to spend ages reading our liveblog to see what happened. We've recapped the choicest parts of the announcement in a 10-minute video that you can watch right here -- you just have to sit back and enjoy.
What to expect from Apple's 'Hello Again' event
Apple is sneaking in one more big product unveiling before 2016 comes to a close, and expectations for new Macs are running high. And how couldn't they be? Aside from last year's iMacs and the 12-inch MacBook, Cupertino's computer lineup has gone largely untouched since 2015 -- and there are numerous systems that have remained the same for even longer. But which Macs are going to get an upgrade on Oct. 27th? And is there a chance that other devices will get their moment in the sun? We've rounded up some of the more credible rumors to give you a sense of what's likely in store.
Apple reportedly unveils new Macs on October 27th
Even before Apple's September event, rumors swirled that the company would save any Mac-related updates for an October presentation. As the month has gone on, however, fans have wondered whether or not anything would happen. Isn't it a little late to send out press invitations? Supposedly, you can relax. Recode sources claim that Apple will introduce new Macs at an event on October 27th. This would be a smaller-scale affair than the iPhone 7 introduction (possibly held on Apple's campus), but that doesn't mean that it would be devoid of interesting products. If you believe the rumors, just the opposite is true.
Samsung's cylindrical PC looks like a very trendy trash can
Apple, HP and MSI aren't the only ones big on super-stylish, trash can-shaped desktop PCs. Samsung has quietly started taking pre-orders for the ArtPC Pulse, a cylindrical computer that bears more than a passing resemblance to the current-generation Mac Pro. The two systems couldn't be more different in terms of focus, however. While the Mac is aimed squarely at workstation users, the ArtPC is most definitely intended for home use. Its centerpiece is a top-mounted, 360-degree Harman Kardon speaker with ambient lighting -- much like HP's Pavilion Wave, this could sit in your living room just as easily as it could in your den.
Apple's macOS Sierra is now available for download
If you skipped the beta releases, today's the day you can put Siri to work on a Mac. Apple's latest desktop operating system, macOS Sierra, is now available for download. While the new version debuted back at WWDC and followed with a public beta, this is the first time the finished product will be available to the masses via the App Store on a Mac.
AMD ships its extra-efficient 7th-generation processors in PCs
While Intel is busy revamping its laptop processors, AMD is focused on the desktop side of personal computing. The chip designer has started shipping its 7th-generation A-series processors in desktop PCs, starting with machines from HP and Lenovo. The CPUs are based around as many as four Excavator cores, rather than the coveted Zen cores you've heard about lately, but that should still get you a lot of performance per watt. If you believe AMD, its 35- and 65-watt processors deliver the kind of speed that previously took over 90 watts -- the A12-9800 is about as fast in a general computing benchmark (PCMark) as Intel's Core i5-6500, and roughly twice as fast in graphics (3DMark) if you're relying on integrated video.
Razer and Maingear partner on an all-out gaming PC
Maingear isn't playing favorites when it comes to partners for over-the-top gaming rigs. The PC builder is teaming up with Razer for the R1 Razer Edition, a tower PC that's as much about showing off as boosting your frame rates. Razer, as you might have noticed, handles the design -- it's monolithic, flashy and loaded with green lighting, including for the optional liquid cooling system. Even the wiring is kept super-tidy to both improve airflow and impress your friends.
Creating and sharing GIFs with Giphy Capture is dead simple
While we might not be able to agree on the correct pronunciation of "GIF" (hint: it's the one that doesn't sound like the peanut butter brand chosen by choosy moms), we can find some common ground on the animated image format's utility. Giphy, the internet's preeminent GIF repository, has dabbled with custom-GIF tools before, but its GIF Maker is a web app and is pretty basic in terms of functionality. With the latest version of Giphy Capture, the outfit is looking to streamline the creation process from any video source and add a few bits that it didn't have prior.
HP's new Omen gaming PCs include a cube-shaped desktop
Gamers have many reasons why they steer clear of desktops from big-name brands, but one of the biggest is the poor expansion. You may have fewer upgrade slots (if any) versus a white label or home-built rig, and you'll frequently have to contend with non-standard parts. HP thinks it can make you reconsider, however. It's refreshing its Omen gaming PCs once again, and the highlight is a completely new Omen X Desktop that promises both the perks of a major company's industrial design with the expansion that you crave. That cube-on-its-side look is not only relatively unique in a sea of generic towers, but genuinely functional. Its three-chamber structure separates hot components while giving you room for expansion that includes dual graphics cards, four tool-free hard drive bays and an M.2 SSD. Also, this is an industry-standard chassis -- HP will sell you the barebones case if you prefer to supply your own internals, and Maingear will even build its own beastly gaming PC around the box this year.
Origin PC, Velocity Micro jump on Intel's 10-core processor
Now that Intel has officially trotted out Core i7 Extreme Edition processors based on its shiny new Broadwell-E platform, gaming PC makers are coming out of the woodwork with systems that tout these extra-fast chips. You'll now find up to a 10-core processor in models from Origin PC (the Chronos, Genesis, Millennium and Neuron) and Velocity Micro (the Raptor Z95, Raptor Signature Edition and ProMagix HD80). If you like to run multiple apps at once or use software that thrives on multi-core CPUs (such as video editors), you're in paradise.
