How Microsoft's fast track Azure will help businesses conquer IoT

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="How Microsoft's fast track Azure will help businesses conquer IoT" src="http://ift.tt/1IkUJYm"/><br/><br /><p>Things are getting smarter in business – quite literally. Everything from light bulbs to lifts to your product inventory can be a smart object that you can track, model and make predictions about, thanks to sensors that tell you where they are and how they're performing.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>That means the <a href="http://ift.tt/1aqTPOK">Internet of Things</a> isn't just for big businesses and smart cities; any business that has physical assets can take advantage of IoT. That's why Microsoft is bundling up all the IoT services on its <a href="http://ift.tt/1HvmSeU">Azure</a> cloud into the Azure IoT Suite, and offering a Quick Start program of free half-day workshops to help businesses build proof of concept systems for handling their own things.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>"The idea is to help them to understand some of the challenges they face in business and what IoT can offer to help them," Microsoft's Sam George told TechRadar. "IoT is an ongoing journey. The first stage is figuring out what business problems companies can tackle with IoT and moving them along in that. With this, a business can start with a very tactical business challenge, they can build a solution to help them with that and then they can expand into additional products and services. Quick Start is a way of getting on that track."</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Helping SMBs</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The plan is to pass on what Microsoft has learned from helping larger companies build IoT systems – like Transport for London's asset tracking and predictive analytics, NEC's FieldAnalyst system that does facial recognition, analyses the age and gender of visitors and tells you more about traffic patterns, or the system Rockwell Automation uses to monitor oil wells and petrol pumps – to smaller businesses who don't have those kind of resources.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The IoT Suite brings together some existing Azure services and some new services that will come out later this year, for a single price.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>"What we're enabling with this is simplified solutions as well as extremely simple billing and we're making this available very broadly when before it has only been available to larger companies. Customers can quickly provision solutions for asset management, remote monitoring and predictive maintenance. It includes Event Hubs, Stream Analytics, HD Insight, Storm, Azure ML, map-reduce … <a href="http://ift.tt/1zSJFPa">Power BI</a> for rich visualisation will be part of the suite.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>"And there are some new services that we're developing to enable extreme scale not just for telemetry ingestion but for command and control, device management and device identity and registration. We'll announce those later this year."</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Those will include services based on Microsoft's open source ConnectTheDots.io project for building sensor boards using hardware like Arduino UNO or DUE, Raspberry Pi, Gadgeteer or Intel Galileo.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Rockwell Azure IoT" src="http://ift.tt/1IkULzs" title="Rockwell built an IoT system on Azure for asset monitoring – could your business do the same?" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Sensor selection</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>If you need help picking sensors to make your things smart, you can do that as part of the Quick Start, George said. "Some customers have already figured out their hardware needs, but some customers are looking to us for recommendations. We will have quite a comprehensive set of partners around hardware that we will recommend to customers if they're looking for that." The suite will even include services that will let you monitor the sensors and the data stream you're getting from them to make sure the system is collecting information correctly.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>There will also be some finished IoT solutions that businesses can adapt to their own situation rather than starting from scratch.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Getting the pricing right will be important. "Customers tend to start with modest deployments and scale up from there," George points out. "We're designing the solution to scale to the millions and tens of millions of devices. But we want to make sure that a customer doesn't have to start with modest deployment and completely resign it when they scale up.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>"As part of the suite we will be providing simple billing so customers can model what their costs will be as they scale from small deployments up to the massive IoT scale. If they're considering that, they want predictable pricing."</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Secure and transparent</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Given the number of reports on how poor the <a href="http://ift.tt/1M9OAPB">security</a> is in many IoT devices and systems deployed so far, George thinks Microsoft also has an advantage given its experience with security and privacy. "We will provide comprehensive guidance for customers on the best way to make sure they secure their solutions in ways that are easy to do out of the box and ensure privacy end-to-end.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>"One of the reasons customers are excited about Microsoft being in IoT is that they realise how seriously we take security and privacy and they want the lessons we've learned over the last few decades in security and privacy – things like threat models."</p><br /><br/><br /><p>That's also going to include considering how businesses use any data they're collecting from their own customers. Microsoft's chief privacy officer recently noted that there needs to be a trust framework for the IoT that includes transparency about the data collected and how it is used.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>He suggested the equation: "Trust = Privacy x Value x Security" – and noted that if any one of the variables equals zero, then trust will be zero. If the Azure IoT Suite can deliver what you want to achieve with IoT, a Quick Start session could help your business avoid some expensive mistakes.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><a href="http://ift.tt/1zDzYRr">How Microsoft is stamping out Azure failures and improving reliability</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1IkUJYw" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1GSd5mb" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1IkUJYy"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1GSd2H1" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1GSd2H3"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1IkULzy" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1GSd2H5"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1IkULzE"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1IkULPS"/> </a> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1GSd2H9" width="1"/><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1IkULPU" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />From <a href="http://ift.tt/yaGhNV">techradar</a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1aCMsU3<br/></div>

How Microsoft's fast track Azure will help businesses conquer IoT

Things are getting smarter in business – quite literally. Everything from light bulbs to lifts to your product inventory can be a smart obje...

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Review: Updated: Chromecast

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="Review: Updated: Chromecast" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJBda"/><br/><br /><h3>Introduction</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><em>Update: Check out our list of devices that work with</em> <a href="http://ift.tt/1ENymMk">Google Cast</a><em>. Original Chromecast review written in August 2013.</em> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Streaming media around your home isn't a new idea, but the rise of internet-based on-demand services like <a href="http://ift.tt/11atV9p">Netflix</a>, <a href="http://ift.tt/1ASJeY0">Sling TV</a> and <a href="http://ift.tt/1fvXFRJ">Amazon Prime Instant Video</a> means that it's becoming more and more popular as a way to watch TV.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast is an inexpensive media streaming adapter that turns any HDMI-equipped television into an app-driven smart TV when paired with a phone, tablet or computer.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The total package is Google's answer to products like <a href="http://ift.tt/XWnfwK">Apple TV</a>, <a href="http://ift.tt/1cS2LKp">Roku 3</a> and the <a href="http://ift.tt/1ejm43d">Amazon Fire TV</a> – all of which are designed to take your digital content and get it up on your big screen without fuss or fiddle.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Google's offering streaming in its simplest form: the Chromecast is a small HDMI dongle that plugs directly into your TV and connects to your Wi-Fi network.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>From there, you choose what to watch on another device and then Chromecast streams that content directly and displays it on your TV. But that means unlike the competition, it has no real interface of its own. It just sits and waits for your other devices to tell it what to stream.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li>What's new with Chromecast? MTV, TED Talks and Qello Concerts now have Chromecast support!</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p>On its launch in the middle of last year in the US, the Chromecast wowed with its cheap price and it can now be had for as little as $32. It's similarly bargainous in the UK: just £30 - less than a third of the Apple TV's RRP. That's awesome.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="chromecast uk" src="http://ift.tt/1dmywyl" title="Chromecast is easy to set up and easy to use" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>On launch, the services that tied in with Chromecast were limited and very much a work in progress. But 15 months on, the list of compatible apps is impressive.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Most of the big hitting services are now compatible, with Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu Plus, Pandora, HBO Go, Starz and Showtime Anytime etc... all ready and waiting in the US, and BT Sport, BBC iPlayer and more in the UK. You can find a complete list of <a href="http://ift.tt/1r6QicV">Chromecast-compatible apps</a> on the Google Chrome Store.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="chromecast uk" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJBdb" title="It plugs straight into an HDMI port on your TV" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Music is really restricted for UK users, with even the lone Pandora app support no good for us due to licensing restrictions. The key addition here would be Spotify, but there's a wide <a href="http://ift.tt/1aJwkPI">range of services</a> that could become available. The truth is that the 'casting' method of getting video onto your TV is simply not very compatible with music.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>We're sure that this will change (Google can be very persuasive…), but there are major limitations on built-in support at the moment.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Google's Chrome browser on Mac or PC lets you mirror a browser tab to your TV, meaning that you can theoretically send any of these services to your TV that way, but there are issues with this.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="chromecast uk" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJBdf" title="You can mirror browser tabs from Chrome on a PC and Mac" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>If you stream video via the compatible apps, the content is streamed directly from the internet to Chromecast without traveling via your phone or tablet.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>But if you mirror a browser tab, you're effectively streaming video to your computer from the internet via your router, then streaming it back to your router and then streaming it out once more to your TV, resulting in heavy network traffic.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>If your network is flaky, this will result in choppy performance. We tested on a variety of networks and found results were variable but a clear network (around 8-10Mbps down) should be able to handle it. Browser streaming options are Extreme (720 high bitrate), High (720p) and Standard (480p).</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Using Chromecast, though, it's clear that it's designed for use with portable devices in mind. You won't find a Chromecast remote in the box or a main menu tying all of the apps together like on an Apple TV or Roku 3. Recent firmware updates have soothed this problem giving users the ability to use their TV remote to control some functionality, but at the end of the day you'll still need to keep a device running the app within arm's reach.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Chromecast rivals</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>All streams originate from a special "Cast" button that's built into each compatible mobile app - your device is the remote.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Currently, Windows Phone 8 users, who don't have many options among app-filled streaming technology, are totally out in the cold for Chromecast support, with only third party YouTube app TubeCast being compatible. So Chromecast is only really suited to those with Android and iOS devices.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Despite these limitations from the big names, Chromecast has extra potential to it thanks to developers getting creative with the Google Cast SDK.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Apps like AllCast enable Android and Apple iOS users to display video and photos through the Chromecast. Which is useful since Google somehow neglected to add this feature to Android.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Both major media center apps, VLC and the Plex app will happily stream to Chromecast, which is perhaps the best way to get your library of downloaded videos up on the big screen. Photo Caster is a free app that enables iOS users to put their photos on-screen similarly.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Media Browser is an app for iOS and Android that streams media content stored on any computer in the house, giving the Chromecast home theater PC (HTPC) granting capabilities. You can even stream Podcasts from a few apps.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The way Apple integrated its AirPlay streaming solution deep into iOS means that it inevitably has better support when combining an iOS device with an Apple TV, but as long as developers continue to use the Cast SDK, we will inevitably see almost as widespread support for cross-platform solutions - iOS, Android and Chromecast all working together seamlessly.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Sure, Roku has its Roku SDK, but it's easier for many developers to make their apps compatible with the Android-based Chromecast. It requires a little bit of retooling rather than learning an entirely new ecosystem, as is the case with the Roku.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Between its universal nature, rock-bottom price and ease of setup, Chromecast is massively tempting as a little TV add-on.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Design and interface</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast is so small it could easily be mistaken for an oversized USB thumb drive with a little more heft to it.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>That contrasts with Apple TV or <a href="http://ift.tt/1cS2LKp">Roku 3</a>, which sit as separate boxes, and often have extra outputs, such as for audio. It looks more similar to the <a href="http://ift.tt/1fiNuEG">Roku Streaming Stick</a>, but don't be fooled - the stick doesn't use casting, it runs apps onboard like the other Roku devices.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast just is one big HDMI plug, with the exception of its power cable.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's a simple black unit, likely to blend into the colour of most TVs (though if it ends up sticking out of the side noticeable, it'll be somewhat more intrusive).</p><br /><br/><br /><p>If your TV is wall-mounted, Chromecast could be really awkward to implement depending on your TV's HDMI port positions. It might also not fit into the space for HDMI ports in some setups, so Google has included a short HDMI extender cable.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="chromecast uk plugged in" src="http://ift.tt/1dmywys" title="Side-loading HDMI ports are perfect for Chromecast" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>It gets around immediate problems, but be aware that at 72 x 35 x 12 mm, Chromecast might be an awkward fit.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><br/><br /><br/><br />Powering Chromecast can be a little more complicated depending on the age of your television, because it can't run on the power from the HDMI port alone.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="chromecast power cable" class="lft" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJBdk" width="200"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>On the rear of the unit is a micro-USB port, and Google has included a five-foot micro-USB-to-USB cable in the Chromecast box along with a power adapter that plugs into the mains.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Ideally, you wouldn't use the latter of these - if your TV has a USB port on it, as many Smart TVs do, you can use that as the power source.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Otherwise, you'll have to plug in, and it's possible you'll find that five feet isn't enough. Again, it's not a big problem, but it's worth being aware of.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Once it's plugged in and ready, Chromecast's software setup is not complicated at all - in fact, it's barely existent.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="set up" src="http://ift.tt/1dmywOJ" title="The Android and iOS apps walk you through the easy setup process" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's a matter of visiting Google's Chromecast "getting started" website on a laptop, tablet or smartphone, downloading and installing some software, and connecting the device to your home WiFi network.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Google has provided apps for each platform that take care of this for you, with the Android version especially good – it does almost everything for you.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="set up chromecast" src="http://ift.tt/1dmywOL" title="The dongle will connect to your home wifi once you've given it the settings" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>On iOS, for example, you need to switch to a Wi-Fi network created by the Chromecast so that you can then tell it how to join your main Wi-Fi network – it's easy enough, but requires a bit of annoying back-and-forth to the settings.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>On Android, it's all handled for you invisibly – you don't need to manually change Wi-Fi at all. It's impressive.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="success" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJDSp" title="Once it's set up, any compatible device will see and be able to cast content to it" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><br/><br /><br/><br />Once you've set up, Chromecast is basically ready to go. It's always on, so when you want to use it, just switch the HDMI input you've got it on and fire media at it. When there's nothing playing, you generally just get a screensaver, showing pretty photography.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Content and performance</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast finally gives Android owners an official media-relay option that broadcasts content from their smartphones and tablets to a TV in similar way to Apple's AirPlay technology. That it works across Android, iOS, PC and Mac is even better.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>There's a "Cast" button that's usually built into the top right of all of the compatible mobile apps - it looks like a rectangle with broadcasting bars (like a Wi-Fi symbol) in the corner.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="cast" src="http://ift.tt/1dmyxT4" title="The Cast button appears automatically next to compatible content" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's easy to recognise, despite Android being full of similar rectangles these days (and Apple's AirPlay symbol being somewhat similar).</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Tap the "Cast" button and you'll be offered a list of Chromecast devices on your network, so just choose which one and you'll see the screen spring into life, loading the video or audio content you selected.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The app then becomes a remote, basically, enabling you to control the screen. The likes of Netflix even give you a custom screen on the device, ditching playing the video there as well in favour of big buttons for controlling playback easily.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="cast" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJDSw" title="One press and you can throw your video to your TV" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Video quality is great from most online sources - Netflix in HD looks as good as you'd hope. We did encounter some freezing issues towards the end of a film, but pausing and restarting got us back in action.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Netflix is also capable of streaming from the website on PC or Mac natively (not using the tab mirroring feature) to Chromecast, but when we tried this, the audio was often a tiny bit out of sync.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="stewart lee" src="http://ift.tt/1dmyy9l" title="Once it's streaming, your device becomes the remote control" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Not enough to make it unwatchable, but it was a bit distracting. Most of the time, when you send video over to the Chromecast, it picks up quickly. Generally, once you've started playing a video, you can exit the app and start doing other things - and this applies both to mobile and desktop.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>This means Chromecast can act as a second screen in a couple of cases, particularly when used with desktops, letting you browse the internet or do something else on the computer while a tab with your Gmail, Twitter feed or a video is running in a "casted" background on the big screen.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="netflix" src="http://ift.tt/1jBJDSB" title="Netflix works flawlessly and streams in HD" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>However, it's not suitable as a second screen option for work; it's just a mirror of something you've already got open, so if you want to interact with it, it needs to be done on your main computers screen. There's also noticeable two-second lag between the computer and the TV.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>That's a similar amount of consistent lag experienced when using Apple AirPlay mirroring on a Mac computer, but it is at least consistent - it doesn't suddenly hang or get choppy, for the most part.<br/><br /><br/><br />But here's where AirPlay mirroring from a Mac shows up Chromecast's limitations: the browser extension is just that - browser-based.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="youtube" src="http://ift.tt/1dmyy9q" title="Casting a browser tab is as easy as adding the Chrome extension" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Showing off a photo you retouched in Photoshop, a document you want a group to proofread in Word, or any program outside of the Chrome browser tab you're casting requires diving deeper into an options menu for a hidden command that's deemed "experimental" by Google.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's buggy and slower than Apple TV's full computer mirroring. Chromecast is not meant for mirroring system-wide applications -at least not yet.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>App limitations</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The Chromecast tab extension is also limited to Chrome at the moment and may never work outside of the Google-owned browser. That means FireFox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera users are out of luck if they had hoped to "Cast" using their favorite browser.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>While Google has opened up the Chromecast API for building applications, it's still forcing everyone to use Chrome for tab casting from a computer.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Chromecast HDMI media streaming device" src="http://ift.tt/1er1pnN" title="All this for just £30 - what's not to like?" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast also doesn't require an entire Apple TV device to sit in your entertainment console or force you to wire up with a lengthy power, HDMI and optional Ethernet cable.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Its plug-and-play nature means that it can be transported much more easily and fit into a backpack to carry to a school presentation or business meeting (we used Apple's iCloud version of Keynote to show a presentation from a Chrome tab), hotel room, or friend's TV. That flexibility may be worth its inexpensive price alone.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>There is one potential of inflexibility, though. The total lack of built-in apps or direct method of control (such as a dedicated remote) means that if your device runs out of battery or is in another room, you can't play anything.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>We had a few little niggles, such as a photo-casting app that forgot the Chromecast after each use and had to hard quit and restarted.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Most of these are probably up to developers to fix, though, and as things mature, we expect they'll improve.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Verdict</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Google's take on an AirPlay like universal streaming service is hugely impressive, not just for its price, but because it works well, on many platforms.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's possibly the perfect companion device to an older TV with no smart features, and it's certainly the cheapest way to get Netflix up and running in your living room if you can't plug in any other compatible devices.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><br/><br /><br/><br />We hope that developers will also be able to work in some other interesting Chromecast options for the future, provided the technology allows it - something equivalent to the big-screen gaming that AirPlay enables for Apple users would be great to have cross-platform, for example.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>That said, this option is now being covered in Google's forthcoming <a href="http://ift.tt/1wP8ush">Nexus Player</a>, so don't expect Google Chromecast to get gaming features any time soon.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>We liked</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast is brilliantly easy to set up, gave us little hassle after the first few minutes, and then worked really well.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>You quickly become accustomed to the idea of just reaching for your phone and beaming something over to it - just like the future should be.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The streaming quality is generally very good, and it's quite reliable, especially for a product that's still fairly early in its life. It's also impressive that it works so well on all platforms.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>At $30/£30, we definitely like the price. It's well into impulse-buy territory, and we do think it's worth picking one up just for its potential, even if you already have a way to stream the services it currently works with.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>We disliked</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The lack of apps was the simple, major problem when Chromecast originally launched. It was fairly well-supported in the US, but elsewhere it needed fleshing out... and it has been.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The only thing you might dislike about Chromecast is its reliance on the phone in your pocket or the tablet on your coffee table. But for anyone who keeps those things with them, it's not a problem and in fact for many it's a more convenient way of arranging things.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>There are a few other things we'd like to see, such as a bit more polish to improve things further – faster loading of videos in some apps, broader support in basic Android apps, stronger streaming from desktops, for example.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Verdict</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Chromecast is an inexpensive, easy-to-use way of accessing streaming on your TV. All the major video streaming apps are compatible and you soon find yourself using it on a daily basis.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>If it cost more, we'd say it might be worth looking at the Amazon Fire TV or the Nexus Player, but at this price how can you possibly argue? Chromecast is fun enough, robust enough and has enough potential that thoroughly recommend it to anyone without a smart TV.</p><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1PWE6aI" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1Dcoy9a" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />From <a href="http://ift.tt/yaGhNV">techradar</a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1yyAkyY<br/></div>

Review: Updated: Chromecast

Introduction Update: Check out our list of devices that work with Google Cast . Original Chromecast review written in August 2013. Streami...

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10 great console games we wish we had on PC

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="10 great console games we wish we had on PC" src="http://ift.tt/1ISZ3xU"/><br/><br /><h3>Introduction</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Last of Us Intro" src="http://ift.tt/1ckHaOG" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>PC gaming is the best – we all know that – but occasionally the grass looks that little bit greener and shinier over there, where the consoles graze…</p><br /><br/><br /><p>And indeed there are some games which are console-only, and we dearly wish could be brought over to the PC. In that spirit, we've picked out our top 10 titles which haven't found their way onto the humble personal computer, and really should have.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Some are old, some new, and there are classics like The Last of Us, along with some more surprising entries, but they all share one thing in common – they would make excellent ports. Right, on with the show...</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li>You might also want to check out: <a href="http://ift.tt/1IfQ7lY">10 games that shook PC gaming</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><h3>The Last of Us (PS3/PS4)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="The Last of Us" src="http://ift.tt/1ckHaOL" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Naughty Dog's epic survival game has now been remastered for PS4 and surely deserves a PC outing. The Last of Us is a once-in-a-generation game that focuses on narrative and characters. It follows single father Joel and orphan Ellie as they travel from a quarantined Boston, across Pittsburg to The Rockies.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The landscape echoes Fallout 3's desolate world, but there's far more detail and variety. It's a cinematic tale told with heart, soul and a lot of zombie blood. It's also got a killer multiplayer that is crying out for mods.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Halo 5" src="http://ift.tt/1ISZ0Cs" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>The daddy of console FPS games, the one that arguably made bigger waves than 1997's N64 classic Goldeneye. The original Halo did come out on PC, but more recent ventures such as Master Chief Collection and Halo 5 are Xbox One exclusive. It's being developed by 343 Industries instead of Bungie (who did Halos 1-3). In this episode, Master Chief has gone rogue and you play as Agent Locke who's hunting down the chief. Storylines aside, Halo is about blasting through as many Covenant as possible before your Plasma Rifle overheats.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Heavy Rain (PS3)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Heavy Rain" src="http://ift.tt/1ckH8Gr" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>QTEs or Quick Time Events garnered a lot of criticism particularly in the classic Dreamcast forklift truck simulator Shenmue (okay, so there was some other brilliant stuff in there too). Heavy Rain is a mystery game where you control four characters who are looking for missing boy Shaun. You mainly play his father Ethan, and your choices and QTE success rate decide the fates of all four. Can he get back together with his wife or have a fling with insomniac Madison?</p><br /><br/><br /><p>All the while there's a psychotic Origami Killer on the loose who likes to set increasingly sadistic trails for the missing kids' loved ones. Visually it's a stunning game for the time. PCs have always pioneered adventure and puzzle games, it seems a shame we missed out on this.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Uncharted 4" src="http://ift.tt/1ISZ0SI" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's a drain-climbing, tomb-raiding, wise-cracking adventure from the Great Danes of cinematic console gaming: Naughty Dog. This fourth instalment is due out in 2016 and is set three years after the last one. The nearest the PC has probably had to this is LucasArts' 1999 game Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, though of course that's showing its age.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The series is famed for its sharp script, breath-taking level design and accurate real-world settings. One minute you're shimmying around the face of a giant ancient sculpture and the next you're dangling off a train that's precariously balanced across an icy ravine.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="LittleBigPlanet 3" src="http://ift.tt/1ckH8Gt" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>From the moment Stephen Fry utters "The Planet Earth, or as the rest of the omniverse call it 'The Orb Of Dreams'," you know that this is going to be special. Currently in its third incarnation, this customisable platform series has been charming PlayStation devotees since 2008. Oddly enough it plays like a PC game, there's no need to simply plough through the main storyline, players can instead create their own levels and upload them for the world to see and play. It's Mario for the modding generation.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Silent Hill (PS1)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Silent Hill" src="http://ift.tt/1ISZ3y0" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>The Resident Evil remake might have made its way to PC, but the arguably more polished and ground-breaking Silent Hill 1 has yet to be remade, let alone be released on anything other than the original PlayStation. Even the sequels have been ported. Unlike Resi, Silent Hill is fully 3D, set in an open world that feels claustrophobic because of the thick fog (used both as an atmospheric device and to mask the draw distance limitations of the original PSX). It may be made up of crude and angular polygons but the possessed nurses still make us want to hide behind the sofa.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Shadow of the Colossus (PS2/PS3)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Shadow of the Colossus" src="http://ift.tt/1ckHb4Z" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>If you haven't had chance to play this then think of it as a more mysterious and artistic Legend of Zelda. It's also incredibly sad and forces you to slay placid giants roaming its vast open and isolated world in order to save a girl you barely know. Director Fumito Ueda originally meant there to be 48 Colossi. Due to time restrictions and hardware capabilities he has to cut it down to just 16. A PC port could quite easily handle the added demands.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Forza Motorsport 6 (Xbox One)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Forza 6" src="http://ift.tt/1ISZ0SO" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>The recently unemployed Top Gear pundit Jeremy Clarkson is probably salivating (apologies for that image) at the prospect of Forza Motorsport 6 – a driving sim with hidden depth. Fans praise the realistic damage, intelligent AI and endless customisation of the Forza series.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>There's nothing of this scope, playability and fun on PC unless you count the F1 series. But they have more in common with sports games, whereas Forza is a driving sim that feels part of the real world. The settings are towns and cities rather than stale race circuits and the early cars aren't that far from what you might see on the road. However there is hope – Project CARS promises a game along the same track for the PC.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>The Legend of Zelda (Wii U)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Legend of Zelda" src="http://ift.tt/1ckH8Gv" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Legends don't come much bigger than this. Nintendo is a company born on exclusives, and its fans seem to like it that way, hence the recent uproar over the decision to develop for iOS. This, rather than Mario, would find a perfect home on PCs. Often the complex controls make you feel like there aren't quite enough buttons to fire an arrow and then switch quickly to the Master Sword to deal the death blow to Ganon. Also it would mean not having to buy a Wii U just to play one game.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Dance Central series (Xbox 360/Xbox One)</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Dance Central" src="http://ift.tt/1ISZ0SS" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Hear us out now! Everybody at some point has played this at a party and loved it. Bet you've even got your favourite character (we love Taye). Just think, if this was on PC, it would be customisable with music from your own library and the ability to capture and program your own dance moves. There would be an online hub where players could exchange songs and routines. And mods would mean custom characters and backdrops. None of this could ever happen on a console. Dance Central for PC!</p><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1Cuoges" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yeZP86" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1CuohPp"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yeZNNG" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1CuohPs"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yeZP89" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1Cuogev"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yeZNNJ"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1CuohPu"/> </a> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1yeZP8a" width="1"/><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1Cuoj9U" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1ahpgup<br/></div>

10 great console games we wish we had on PC

Introduction PC gaming is the best – we all know that – but occasionally the grass looks that little bit greener and shinier over there, wh...

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Review: Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="Review: Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station" src="http://ift.tt/1DIDm5X"/><br/><br /><h3>Introduction and features</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>With 4K monitors becoming more widely available and with prices falling below £300/$300, one would have expected laptop manufacturers to smarten up and produce 4K friendly products. Well, it seems that this didn't happen unless you run an Apple MacBook/<a href="http://ift.tt/1m6dY1E">MacBook Pro</a>/MacBook Air.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Some flagship products like the <a href="http://ift.tt/1ygFuxP">Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro</a> still do not carry a mini-DisplayPort, opting instead for the more ubiquitous mini-HDMI connector. The latter, in its v1.4 iteration, is unfortunately not capable of running 4K.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Which is where the Startech USB 3.0 docking station (USB3DOCKHDPC) comes in and fills a niche. This is a great complementary accessory for Ultrabooks which usually have a couple of USB ports and no Ethernet connector (Apple's newest MacBook has just one port).</p><br /><br/><br /><p>This product, which comes with a two-year warranty, is targeted mostly at Ultrabook users who will want to use their computers in the office remotely, and still be able to connect an array of devices to it in record time.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Design</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Externally, this docking station is a slightly tapered, monolithic piece of plastic. Startech opted for that design because it can be tucked neatly under your laptop, but I saw it as an impractical solution, especially if you want to wire it up to half a dozen devices (which is certainly what I did).</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station ports" src="http://ift.tt/1yUtBdA" title="You get plenty of ports for your money" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>It has plenty of ports to satisfy even the most demanding user: a GbE connector, DisplayPort, HDMI, four USB 3.0 ports (one of these on the side is a fast-charge, always-on model), an audio connector and a security lock. You won't be able to charge your laptop, though, as it is a universal model.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Using it was a treat – just connect the USB 3.0 cable provided to any USB 3.0 port on your laptop and let the device work its magic. I did, however, deliberately choose to install the <a href="http://ift.tt/1nZF7jR">latest version of DisplayLink</a>, the essential piece of technology that allows the docking station to communicate with your monitor. Startech also provides you with drivers on a CD.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The kit, which uses the DL5900 chipset, is also compatible with various flavours of Windows (both 32-bit and 64-bit), and Mac OS X (from 10.6 onwards), though not officially with Linux. We haven't tried Windows 10 as well but there's no reason it shouldn't work.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station side" src="http://ift.tt/1yUtyOJ" title="USB 3.0 transfer rate is, however, throttled" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Features</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>As for the dock's advertised 4K capabilities, I have to say that it worked perfectly well in an office environment (I didn't try games or graphically demanding applications like Maya). If your laptop doesn't support 4K natively, the dock will be able to offer 4K capabilities – you will still be able to use your laptop display as a second screen.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Alternatively if you don't have a 4K monitor to hand, you can always use the HDMI and the DisplayPort in tandem to output to two full HD capable displays.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Another possible setup is using it with a MacBook Pro to power two 4K monitors in addition to the Retina Display of that laptop, giving you access to more than 23 megapixels (or about two 5K monitors). Note that Startech sells a (much more expensive) <a href="http://ift.tt/1DIDm61%20TB2DOCK4KDHC" rel="nofollow">Thunderbolt 2 4K docking station</a> for your Apple product.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>There is a big, big caveat though – your laptop will need to be a powerful one to drive 4K content, possibly one with a dedicated graphics card. Even a Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro with a Core M processor and an Intel HD 5300 GPU was not enough to provide a flicker-free environment.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station bottom" src="http://ift.tt/1yUtBtO" title="You'll need a powerful laptop to drive 4K content, of course" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Switching to a more powerful computer (we used a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card) was the solution. Speaking of gaming, this solution is likely to be inadequate for multi-screen, hard-core laptop-based gaming.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Not only does it add latency and would cause lag, the chipset used in the device is still a 30Hz model making the issue worse. On top of that, USB uses processor resources which can have an impact on performance; better stick to a DisplayPort connector if you have one.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Another issue we noted was the fact that the USB 3.0 transfer rate on any of the ports seemed to be throttled, which limits how quickly you can move a file to or from an external USB 3.0 storage device. This might be something to do with the fact that some capacity was earmarked/ring-fenced for display duties.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Verdict</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station is a nice addition for anyone who uses their laptop out and about, and also at a desk. It allows you to plug in your laptop quickly and start working within mere seconds.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>We liked</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The sheer number of connectors that this docking station offers is a real treat. 4K actually works very well if you have a decent laptop, and another bonus is the fact that this isn't a very expensive setup.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>We disliked</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The tapered design is not something I am a fan of, but then this is a very subjective matter. You can't charge your laptop yet and the USB transfer rate performance could have been better. I am being very picky though.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Final verdict</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>You can get this docking station for <a href="http://ift.tt/1DIDm63" rel="nofollow">just over £145 from Amazon</a> (around $215, AU$280), which is a reasonable long-term investment in a product that is not, unlike other proprietary docking stations, tied to particular brands or product families. It offers plenty of ports and true 4K capability for that money.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Expect the next iteration to pack a new chipset, offer USB 3.1 (type C – for the new MacBook, and type A) and potentially the ability to charge your laptop, which would bring down the number of cables needed to just one.</p><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1N7uZ8k" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1IINvgI" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1IINvgO"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1IINwkJ" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1N7v0Jp"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1IINwkL" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1N7uZ8s"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1IINvgS"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1N7v0Ju"/> </a> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1IINwkV" width="1"/><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1N7uZoK" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1IIO4Hw<br/></div>

Review: Startech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station

Introduction and features With 4K monitors becoming more widely available and with prices falling below £300/$300, one would have expected l...

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