Raspberry Pi 3 : Design,Specifications & Performance

The Raspberry Pi 3 is the third generation Raspberry Pi. It replaced the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B in February 2016.
The Raspberry Pi has sold eight million units – three million in the last year alone – and now on its fourth birthday a brand new upgraded Pi has been released.  

We recommend the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B for use in schools, or for any general use. Those wishing to embed their Pi in a project may prefer the Pi Zero or Model A+, which are more useful for embedded projects, and projects which require very low power.

Specifications 

SoC: Broadcom BCM2837CPU: 4× ARM Cortex-A53, 1.2GHzGPU: Broadcom VideoCore IV 
RAM: 1GB LPDDR2 (900 MHz) 
Networking: 10/100 Ethernet, 2.4GHz 802.11n wireless 
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.1 Classic, 
Bluetooth Low EnergyStorage: microSDGPIO: 40-pin header, populatedPorts: HDMI, 3.5mm analogue audio-video jack, 4× USB 2.0, Ethernet, Camera Serial Interface (CSI), Display Serial Interface (DSI)

  Design

 

A versatile and fully functional computer circuit board, but just a circuit board nonetheless. Of course there are a multitude of accessories including cases, touchscreens and cases with touchscreens, but for $35 what you get is the board. To use it you will need a microSD card, a keyboard, a mouse, and a TV or monitor with a HDMI port.

In the middle of the board is the black System-on-a-Chip (SoC) from Broadcom with the HDMI port below it and the USB ports, plus the Ethernet port, to the right. Along the top edge are the GPIO pins which are fully compatible with previous Pi boards. On the bottom of the board is the microSD slot which is used to store the OS and your data.
The board is powered via a 5V micro USB port, but unlike previous generations this one needs a bit more juice. It is now recommended that you use a 2.5A adapter if you want to connect power-hungry USB devices to the board.

  Performance

 

 

Before we look at the actual performance numbers, lets look at the theoreticals. The Raspberry Pi 3 is clocked at 1.2GHz compared to the 900MHz of the Pi 2, so that is a 33% increase from the start. Plus the Cortex-A53 is a faster CPU core than the Cortex-A7, so theoretically the Pi 3 should be around 50-60% faster than the Raspberry Pi 2, which is roughly a factor of ten times faster than the original Raspberry Pi.
According to these benchmarks the Raspberry Pi 3 is around 35% to 40% faster than the Raspberry Pi 2. It also seems to be around 3 to 4 times faster than the Raspberry Pi Zero (when comparing the single-core results to the multi-core results).
  
We recommend the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B for use in schools, or for any general use. Those wishing to embed their Pi in a project may prefer the Pi Zero or Model A+, which are more useful for embedded projects, and projects which require very low power.

Samsung Galaxy X :Samsung’s Foldable Smartphone

The South Korean handset maker has been rumoured to be working on foldable smartphones for few years now, and several reports have claimed that we might see a commercial foldable smartphone by end of this year.

The new trademark was spotted by a Twitter user Ice Universe who posted the screenshot of the document showing the name while another image included a Galaxy X branding promo, which may be fake at this point of time.

The company was said to showcase the foldable display and smartphone in a private room with the aim to get feedback from the attendees. The report claimed that the select audience preview would be used by Samsung as a way to predict demand from market for the foldable displays and smartphones. According to details, Samsung is likely to showcase both in-foldable products, which can be bend inwardly like books, and out-foldable products, which bend panels outwardly. One of the possible reasons why Samsung is rumoured to showcase the foldable displays and smartphones to other companies as it could plan to sell displays and technology to other handset vendors for commercial use.

 

 

 

Apparently being developed under the codename ‘Project Valley’, the leaks suggest that the Galaxy X will look like a normal handset when closed, but will fold out to double in size and (by the sounds of it) more closely resemble a tablet.

Disclaimer: THIS IS ONLY A RUMOUR

The Xbox Live Creators Program

Microsoft’s recently announced Xbox Live Creators Program, which will allow any publisher to publish games for the platform.You will be able to rapidly publish your game to Xbox One or Windows 10 through a short and simplified certification process,” the company posted on its developer site.

The Creators Program is very different from the ID @ Xbox developer program because the latter are qualified developers who even get development and marketing support from Microsoft. The new program is meant to boost indie game development on the platform. UWP compatibility is a bonus as this will add to Microsoft’s growing repertoire of cross-platform apps.

How to enter the Xbox Live Creators Program Preview

• Create a Microsoft Account if you don’t have one. You can create one here.
• Enroll in the Dev Centre developer program
• Apply to join the Preview for Xbox Live Creators Program. Microsoft says sign-ups are limited, as the program ramps up, more spaces will periodically be made available. You can take a survey for entry here.
• Check out documentation on how to integrate Xbox Live into your game.

The Verge reports that there’s a one-time fee for the program and that it ranges between $20 (around Rs 1,300) and $100 (around Rs 6,700), with no clarity on the criteria for the variation. Microsoft also reserves the right to pull down any of the apps after they’re published. 

It marks an interesting change of tack from Microsoft. In the recent past it’s been remarkably stringent with what shows up on the Xbox and Windows Stores.

With Steam Greenlight giving way to a carefully curated experience Microsoft’s Xbox Live Creator’s Program could essentially be the breeding ground for the next big independent hit. Or it could backfire much like Greenlight did, to the point where Valve has decided to enforce stricter procedures.
 

Facebook offers new tools to help prevent suicides

Facebook plans to use artificial intelligence and update its tools and services to help prevent suicides among its users.

The new features build on that by:

• Allowing users to report worrying live video
• Offering live chat support from crisis support groups on messanger
• Developing artificial intelligence to recognise those at risk

Facebook said that anyone whose video was reported as potentially suicidal would be sent support resources which would pop up on their screen.

Users are given options including a template text to ask loved ones to for help or details of helplines that can offer support.
The company said it was also developing AI that would work to find potentially suicidal posts through pattern recognition. Posts highlighted under the trial, which is currently underway in the US, will be reviewed by a human and then the users sent support material if appropriate.

Suicide is the second highest cause of death for people aged between 15-29 – but research showed that offering contact from friends and family was one of the most effective ways to prevent it.

 Suicide rates jumped 24 percent in the United States between 1999 and 2014 after a period of nearly consistent decline, according to a National Center for Health Statistics study.

Sony Launches Xperia Touch Interactive Android Projector

The Xperia Touch is an interactive projector that Sony’s innovation division, the Future Lab, first previewed as an experimental concept at SXSW last year. Now Sony Mobile is gearing up to release the product to consumers from spring 2017.

The projector turns any flat surface into a 23-inch high-definition touchscreen. It is able to detect movement corresponding to clicks and swipes, using a combination of infrared light and its built-in camera.

Sony Mobile says the camera operates at 60 frames per second, meaning the interface is “fast, fluid and responsive to physical touch”.

 As for specifications, the Xperia Touch runs on Android 7.0 Nougat, packs a 3GB of RAM, and offers 32GB of internal storage. Connectivity options include and Wi-Fi (SISO): 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.2, USB Type-C, NFC, and HDMI Type-D. 

Priced at EUR 1,499 (roughly Rs. 106,000), the Xperia Touch will arrive in Europe sometime in Spring. It should be made available on the Xperia Store Online and through select retailers as well.

 

The Window Solar Charger from XD Design

Nowadays it’s hard to find people without a tablet or smartphone. Everybody uses their phone or tablet from texting and making calls to email, web browsing, music, navigation and games. Our phones and tablets just make our life allot easier. 

And if the battery dies when you’re not near a power source, we start to panic. Imagine when you don’t have a power source while traveling or hiking during a holiday. Have no fear! With the useful XD Design solar chargers you can easily charge your phone, tablet, camera and MP3/ MP4 Players on the spot. 

Features

• Sun energy charger for window mounting
• Easily attachable to your window
• Contains a 1400mAh rechargeable lithium battery and a mini usb cable
• Size: 11 L cm x 11 W cm x 1.75 H cm

This 11 x 11 x 1.75 cm (4.3 x 4.3 x 0.68 inch), 95 g (3.35 oz) device features a 1,400 mAh Li-ion battery housed within an ABS plastic case. There’s a full-size USB port for dumping charge onto a connected device at 5 V (500 mA) and a mini-USB port to charge up its own battery in about three hours, if you can’t wait around for the claimed 13 hours needed by the 110 mA-rated 7.8 x 7.8 mm (3 x 3 inch) PV panel to soak up enough sun to provide a full charge. The unit has over-charge and short circuit protection built in.

 

The Window Solar Charger is said to need a good 13 hours in bright (sun)light to fully charge its battery using PV only. As with other solar chargers, the quality of the incoming light determines the actual charge time. It’s coming to the end of winter here in France at the moment, but we’ve had a good deal of day-long sunshine over the past few weeks. It’s not quite as high, as bright or as powerful as it is in summer but it’s been enough to secure a strong red glow from the unit’s LED.

 

Zotac Zbox Magnus EN1060 Review

What is the Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN1060?

The Magnus EN1060 is one of the smallest gaming PCs Trusted has ever seen. At just 210mm wide, 62mm tall and weighing less than a kilogram – this is a ridiculously impressive gaming desktop. But, of course, that small size comes at a cost.

Features & Design

A closer look at the specification reveals just how Zotac has been able to cram the GTX 1060 inside such a tiny PC. The move to a 14nm manufacturing process increases efficiency, and the focus for Nvidia’s new Pascal architecture was on power saving as well as performance.

The Zotac supports two SO-DIMMs of DDR4 memory, but only at 2,133MHz and only up to 32GB – even mini-ITX boards support 64GB at higher speeds. There’s an NVMe M.2 slot for fast storage, and a 2.5-inch bay for hard disks and SSDs.

You can have up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and whatever combination of storage devices you like as per the slots available. Zotac has partnered with Mumbai-based hardware distributor PrimeABGB to offer SSD and RAM combo deals, and we tested our EN1060 sample with one such bundle – a single 16GB stick of Kingston HyperX Impact DDR4 RAM and a 480GB Kingston HyperX Predator M.2 SSD. These are both high-end units, and this particular combination costs Rs. 42,401, pushing the total price of the Zbox Magnus EN1060 as we tested it up to Rs. 1,16,000.

The USB 3.1 ports on the front work at full Gen 2 (10Gbps) speed, and each of the HDMI and DisplayPort outputs can handle up to 4K 60Hz displays as long as you have the right cables. There should be enough ports for anyone, and we’d recommend using a wireless keyboard and mouse or even a gamepad if you prefer a clean look.

Design

It’s all black matte plastic except for the usual Zotac ‘O’ on top (which doesn’t light up) and a glossy front panel. The look might pass for industrial, thanks to the vents around the top and general boxiness of the whole unit, but we think that Zotac missed a bit of an opportunity here. It’s neither minimalist nor distinctive; somewhat like an oversized router or maybe a DTH set-top box.

The front panel has a large power button with an orange LED ring around it, an exposed SD card slot, USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C ports, and two 3.5mm audio sockets. Hidden but also present is an Infrared receiver which should work with standard programmable remote controls (no remote is included). The front panel layout is a bit haphazard, and the text labels aren’t printed very cleanly – it’s this kind of attention to detail that Zotac needs to work on if it’s aiming for general consumer acceptance in this day and age.

On the back, there’s a DC power inlet, two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, two HDMI 2.0 and two DisplayPort 1.3 video outputs, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a Wi-Fi antenna terminal. A short antenna is included in the box and can be screwed on within seconds. The fact that there are so many display outputs and Ethernet ports reinforces our opinion that Zotac was thinking of embedded and industrial applications for this model – all four video ports can apparently be used simultaneously which could be particularly interesting for full-motion high-resolution digital signage.

Performance

 
The Zotac’s cut-back GTX 1060 is still an impressive performer in games tests, with slick 1080p speed and the ability to play at 1440p, too.
It managed to beat a 50fps minimum benchmark in all three of Trusted‘s test games at 1080p, with its lowest average framerate coming in at 80fps in GTA V. It was consistently a little quicker than most laptops with the GTX 1060.
The Zotac played games at 2,560 x 1,440, too. Its Dirt Rally average of 66fps is excellent, and it managed 60fps in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.
That gives the Zotac enough power for large displays and widescreen panels. It’s also enough to handle VR headsets, although not at the same fidelity as its more powerful siblings.

The Zotac offers decent performance, then, but thermal tests reveal that it isn’t always plain-sailing. This machine’s GTX 1060 is rated for a peak boost speed of 1,671MHz, but it never got beyond 1,600MHz during testing. That’s only a tiny bit of speed, but it does show that the GTX 1060 is at its limit in this tiny chassis.

The processor is fine, and there’s scope for good components elsewhere. It’s also sturdy and easy to access all the bits you’ll need to install yourself.

But it’s expensive. The EN1060’s £890 price is high, especially if you have to buy components and an OS on top – for similar cash you can build a better machine, or buy a pre-made mini-ITX desktop with comparable components.

price (MRP): Barebones: Rs. 73,599; As tested: Rs. 1,16,000

World’s First 5G-Ready Smartphone Launched at MWC 2017

Chinese telecoms giant ZTE unveiled Sunday what it said is the world’s first smartphone compatible with the lightening-fast 5G mobile Internet service that networks expect to have up and running by 2020.

These Smartphone capable of download speeds reaching up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) – up to 10 times faster than 4G

The device, unveiled in Barcelona in northeastern Spain on the eve of the start on Monday of the Mobile World Congress, the world’s biggest mobile fair, will allow for 360-degree panoramic Virtual Reality video and fast downloads of ultra Hi-Fi music and videos.

Tech firms are racing to develop products that will be compatible with 5G, shorthand for the fifth generation of networks, which promise blazing fast connectivity for a generation used to streaming movies and TV directly to phones.

Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said ZTE was using the phone to “showcase innovation” and “offer a glimpse into the future when people will be able to download full movies in seconds” but it was not likely to be a big seller.
“The sad reality is that this smartphone will not end up in consumers’ pockets because both 5G and Virtual Reality are still years away to be a mass-market consumer reality,” he added.

Mobile World Congress is the world’s largest gathering for the mobile industry, organised by the GSMA and held in the Mobile World Capital Barcelona, 27 February – 2 March 2017 Register Now!

Chrome Malware Scam; Beware!

A new attack has just come to light that tricks users into installing malicious software, under the disguise of a font pack. It is reportedly affecting Google Chrome users on Windows and Mac both.

And it arrives as a pop-up on a few malicious sites. The report claims that this pop-up was seen on an ‘unnamed’ WordPress site. This pop-up doesn’t look fishy, and comes with the original Chrome logo and the same blue colour palette that the browser uses.

The text on the site doesn’t render, allegedly due to the use of JavaScript to mis-encode text with symbols, and the box informs you that the “font wasn’t found” (in this case, HoeflerText), and prompts you to download and install the fake Chrome Font Pack, called ‘Chrome Font v7.5.1.exe’, right away.

Furthermore, the report claims that only nine out of the 59 antivirus scanners in its database correctly identified the file as malware. It is not yet known what damage this malware can do, but we would advise caution before downloading any unknown software.

While the pop-up message is made with much finesse, and doesn’t easily give away hints of being fake, we recommend extra caution while downloading software through any such pop-ups on less legitimate sites online. Furthermore, ensure that you have good malware protection on your PC for secure browsing.

Cloudflare data leak: Explained

On the 24th of February 2017, Tavis Ormandy, a security researcher at Google identified a vulnerability which was spewing random data from Cloudflare’s clients all over the interweb. Now your first question probably is “What is Cloudflare?”

Well…Cloudflare is an internet infrastructure company which provides performance and security services to millions of websites. You may not be familiar with the name but the company’s technology is running on a lot of your favourite websites.

About the leak :

The data leak is reported to have been active since September 22, nearly five months before it was discovered. The bad news is that according to Ormandy, his samples revealed highly sensitive data. 

He stated “We’re talking full https requests, client IP addresses, full responses, cookies, passwords, keys, data, everything.” In simple terms what happened was that Cloudflare’s software was trying to save customer data in a safe place. That place got full and due to an error in the code the software started writing this data somewhere else. This place may have been a completely different website, any website. Cloudflare’s clients include companies like 1Password, FitBit and also tech giants like Uber, Microsoft,etc. So, for example: just imagine a snippet of information about an Uber ride you took, or even your social media password, could have ended up hidden away in the code of another site.The data was also cached by Google and other sites, which means that Cloudflare now has to hunt it all down before hackers find it.

Now to the good news. Seven hours after Ormandy’s tweet about the bug, the company had managed to completely patch their system from leaking data. For the most part, the exposed data wasn’t posted on well-known or high-traffic sites, and even if it had been it wasn’t easily visible. Cloudflare chief technology officer John Graham-Cumming emphasized that Cloudflare discovered no evidence that hackers had discovered or exploited the bug, noting that Cloudflare would have seen unusual activity on their network if an attacker were trying to access data from particular websites.

1Password reassured it’s users on twitter that none of their secrets, including the master password at the core of each account, could have been exposed by the bug.

What should you do ?

Three words. Change your passwords. All of them. ASAP!!

If you have been using the same password for all of your accounts, start using a different one on all of them. You will do yourself a favour.

The average person on the globe has around 27 different web accounts. Remembering so many different passwords seems like a tedious job, let alone changing them. So, it is wiser to use a password manager instead. Password managers like Lastpass, 1Password,etc. have excellent security measures in place for even the worst of times. This is evident from the fact that this leak had no effect on 1Password users as stated above.

Also enable 2 factor authentication wherever possible.

That said, you cannot control everything but you can at least take measures to make your online presence as safe as humanly possible.