First synthetic benchmarks of Nvidia Titan X Pascal hit the web Apparently Titan X Pascal samples are already out in the wild, as Facebook employee shares first results of synthetic benchmark based on Nvidia CUDA, by comparing old and the new Titan X. Bear in mind that this is not strictly a typical hardware comparison, as both cards are using different, more architecture optimized cuDNN libraries (4 vs 5). That said, we cannot and should not convert those results into gaming performance... VideoCardz
Machines, madness and freedom: Invention in the Mojave Desert The airport in Mojave, Calif., does not look like much. It's a modest complex planted in the middle of the Mojave Desert surrounded by ruddy mountains and dust-covered emptiness. The vibe of the place reflects Mojave the town. It feels rundown and depressed and as though its best days---if it ever had best days – are behind it. Bloomberg
Cisco: Potent ransomware is targeting the enterprise at a scary rate Enterprise-targeting cyber enemies are deploying vast amounts of potent ransomware to generate revenue and huge profits - nearly $34 million annually according to Cisco's Mid-Year Cybersecurity Report out this week. Ransomware, Cisco wrote, has become a particularly effective moneymaker, and enterprise users appear to be the preferred target. NetworkWorld
Xiaomi to launch Google Daydream-based VR headset soon: Report Xiaomi's presence at this year's Google I/O developer conference fuelled speculations about the Chinese tech giant partnering with Google to launch one or more products. But with no such announcements made at Google I/O, all the speculations were put to rest. That might no longer be the case, as a recent report by Android Headlines website has revealed that Xiaomi is working on a Virtual Reality (VR) headset based on Google's new Daydream platform... The Times of India
Breakthrough solar cell captures CO2 and sunlight, produces burnable fuel Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have engineered a potentially game-changing solar cell that cheaply and efficiently converts atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into usable hydrocarbon fuel, using only sunlight for energy. The finding is reported in the July 29 issue of Science and was funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. A provisional patent application has been filed. UTC
Tesla faults brakes, but not autopilot, in fatal crash Tesla Motors has told Senate investigators that its crash-prevention system failed to work properly in a fatal crash, but said its Autopilot technology was not at fault, according to a Senate staff member. Instead, Tesla told members of the Senate Commerce Committee staff on Thursday that the problem involved the car's automatic braking system, said the staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The NY Times
NASA's Hubble looks to the final frontier Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the TV series "Star Trek" has captured the public's imagination with the signature phrase, "To boldly go where no one has gone before." The Hubble Space Telescope simply orbits Earth and doesn't "boldly go" deep into space. But it looks deeper into the universe than ever before possible to explore the fabric of time and space and find the farthest objects ever seen. Hubblesite
Dark patterns are designed to trick you (and they're all over the Web) It happens to the best of us. After looking closely at a bank statement or cable bill, suddenly a small, unrecognizable charge appears. Fine print sleuthing soon provides the answer – somehow, you accidentally signed up for a service. Whether it was an unnoticed pre-marked checkbox or an offhanded verbal agreement at the end of a long phone call, now a charge arrives each month because naturally the promotion has ended. Ars Technica
Is Uber reducing drunk driving? New study says no. A new study casts doubt on Uber's claim that ride-sharing has reduced drunken driving. Researchers at Oxford University and the University of Southern California who examined county-level data in the United States before and after the arrival of Uber and its competitors in those markets found that ride-sharing had no effect on drinking-related or holiday- and weekend-related fatalities. The Washington Post
Getting caught using a VPN in the UAE will cost you over $500,000 New federal laws issued in the United Arab Emirates has resulted in an outright ban on the use of VPNs – and a fine of up to $545,000 if you are caught using one. Last week, UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a new set of federal laws which include one forbidding UAE citizens from using VPNs to mask their digital footprints. ZDNet
Portable device produces biopharmaceuticals on demand For medics on the battlefield and doctors in remote or developing parts of the world, getting rapid access to the drugs needed to treat patients can be challenging. Biopharmaceutical drugs, which are used in a wide range of therapies including vaccines and treatments for diabetes and cancer, are typically produced in large, centralized fermentation plants. MIT
NESPi - my Mini NES Classic Raspberry Pi games console In the end, this project turned into more of a love-letter to the NES than just printing a case. I learnt a lot of new things about Linux, 3D design, wrote my first Python program and had a blast doing it... The NES was the first console I had growing up. I've got strong memories of playing Nintendo games with my brothers when we were younger. Daft Mike
Ten year anniversary of Core 2 Duo and Conroe: Moore's Law is dead, long live Moore's Law Today marks a full 10 years since the first Core 2 Duo processors, and hence Intel's 64-bit Core microarchitecture, were made officially available at retail. These included a number of popular dual-core processor parts, including the seemingly ubiquitous E6400 and the Core 2 Extreme X6800. These were built on Intel's 65nm process, and marked a turning point in the desktop processor ecosystem. To quote Anand in our launch review: 'you're looking at the most impressive piece of silicon the world has ever seen'. AnandTech
How player feedback can make (or break) a work-in-progress game Skyrim is your story, not Bethesda's. The meaning behind Undertale is based onyour choices as the player. The Witness is subject to your interpretation. Videogames care not for the author's intent. These games are yours. They were crafted as a single experience and released into the wild as complete, final products, subject to the player's interpretation. PC Gamer
The chip card transition in the US has been a disaster Over the last year or so in the US, a lot of the plastic credit cards we carry around every day have been replaced by new one with chips embedded in them. The chips are supposed to make your credit and debit cards more secure – a good thing! – but there's one little secret no one wants to admit: Quartz