HOW TO PAY PSPCL ELECTRICITY BILL ONLINE

STEPS TO PAY PSPCL
1.SEARCH PSPCL BILL PAY OR VISIT-https://billpayment.pspcl.in

2.CLICK BILL PAY

 3.FILL ACCOUNT NUMBER STARTING WITH Y23BA OR 3000 

4.CLICK ON PAY 5.PAY USING DEBIT CARD,NETBANKING,CREDIT CARD OR WALLETS 

DOWNLOAD OR PRINT RECIEPT THANKS

WATCH VIDEO

Convert media free, fast and online. No software installation needed.

Convert media free, fast and online.

No software installation needed.

This free online file converter lets you convert media easy and fast from one format to another. We support a lot of different source formats, just try. If you can't find the conversion you need, please let us know and write us an e-mail. We probably can help you...

CONVERT HERE

Xiaomi unveils the Mi Notebook Air, a MacBook rival available from $525

Xiaomi unveils the Mi Notebook Air, a MacBook rival available from $525

Even though China’s Xiaomi manufactures several products, ranging from smart bicycles to rice cookers, it’s mostly known for its line of budget-friendly mobile devices. Now, at a press event for the launch of its new Redmi Pro smartphone, the company has revealed its first entry in the laptop market: the Mi Notebook Air.

The laptop comes in two sizes, a 12.5-inch model and a lighter, more powerful 13.3-inch version. The larger laptop ships with an Intel Core i5-6200U (base 2.3 GHz, turbo up to 2.7 GHz), a 256GB PCIe SSD with expandable SATA SSD slot, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, two USB 3.0 ports, a Nvidia GeForce 940MX GPU, and a 40Wh battery that’s said to last 9.5 hours.

As you can tell by the name, Xiaomi is looking to take on the MacBook Air with this device; at 14.8mm thick and weighing 1.28kg, it’s both thinner and lighter than Apple’s popular machine. The Mi also comes at a much more wallet-friendly price: 4,999 yuan or about $750 for the 13.3-inch model.

The 12.5-inch Mi Notebook Air’s components may not match those of its big brother, but the payoff is that it’s cheaper, slimmer, and lighter. Thaks to the Intel Core M3 CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB SATA SSD (expandable with the spare PCIe slot), lack of dedicated GPU, and single USB 3.0 port, this model is just 12.9mm thick, weighs 1.07kg, and costs 3,499 yuan or about $525. Additionally, the battery life will last 2 hours longer in this smaller version.

Both laptops come with 1080p displays, backlit keyboards, 1MP webcams, USB Type-C charging ports, and have no visible external logos. They’ll be available in both gold and silver metallic finishes.

The Mi Notebook Air will launch in China on August 2. Xaiomi hasn’t said when or if it will be available globally, but the company is known to have its eye on the US market.

Uber China merges with local rival Didi Chuxing in $35 billion deal

Uber China merges with local rival Didi Chuxing in $35 billion deal

Less than one week after it was announced that ride-hailing services would be legalized in China, it seems Uber has given up trying to compete with local rival Didi Chuxing. Reports from Bloomberg and Recode state that Didi will swallow up Uber’s China operations in a merger deal that will create a combined business worth $35 billion.

The move looks like a good one for Uber; the company and investors in its China business will receive a 20 percent stake in the new entity, which was valued at $28 billion before the merger. Uber China had been valued at $7 billion, and the US firm was losing $1 billion a year in the country as it struggled against the local transportation giant.

Another part of the complex deal will see Didi invest $1 billion in Uber at a $68 billion valuation. The Chinese firm recently closed a $7.3 billion financing round that included a $1 billion investment from Apple, giving it plenty of cash on hand.

"As an entrepreneur, I've learned that being successful is about listening to your head as well as following your heart," wrote Uber CEO Travis Kalanick in an as yet unpublished blog post obtained by Bloomberg. "Uber and Didi Chuxing are investing billions of dollars in China and both companies have yet to turn a profit there. Getting to profitability is the only way to build a sustainable business that can best serve Chinese riders, drivers and cities over the long term."

As noted by TechCrunch, the move means Didi now has a stake in every large ride-sharing company on the planet, including Lyft, India’s Ola and Grab in Southeast Asia.

Didi Chuxing has a 99 percent market share of taxis in China and an 87 percent share when it comes to hailing private cars. It operates in 400 Chinese cities, whereas Uber is found in 60.

Delete the Windows.old Folder and Save Space (Again)

Delete the Windows.old Folder and Save Space (Again)

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update brings a number of new features to Microsoft’s latest operating system – some more significant than others -- but expect some annoyances as well. Windows 10 is a solid operating system that is receiving a good slew of bug fixes and feature enhancements free of charge, on a potentially free OS upgrade (if you came from a Windows 7 or 8 PC).

After the update you may notice some icons and shortcuts you had probably deleted, like the Windows Store or the Edge browser icon on the taskbar, have been added back. That's just old Microsoft keeping to old ways, but that's easily fixed. Deeper Cortana integration has also been a controversial subject ahead of the Anniversary Update release, but for the most part this can also be tweaked, disabled or ignored completely.

Now, something that may not be as obvious is that the big update is treated almost like a Windows upgrade. To keep on the safe side, Microsoft's install setup saves a full copy of your current Windows installation (that's the Windows.old directory right there), and while this will come handy in case something goes wrong or you need to revert back, it will also occupy several gigabytes of precious storage.

This is not new to Windows 10, but it is somewhat surprising to see a full backup performed after a mere update which in Microsoft's eyes may be more akin to Service Packs of yesteryear.

If you have plenty of free space and don't mind the untidiness, you can simply ignore the folder and it should be deleted automatically 30 days after the update. If you think you may want to revert back changes, deleting this folder will take away that option from your hands as well.

But if you are strapped for storage space, you can use Windows' own tools to remove it.

If you try to delete the Windows.old directory using File Explorer, the OS will prevent you from doing so as they are considered system files. You could bypass these after meddling with permissions settings, but there's no need to do that. Here's how you do it:

Removal in 5 Steps

Step 1. Go to Start and type 'Disk Cleanup'.

Step 2. Open Disk Cleanup and select your main system drive.

The tool will scan your drive for unnecessary files and old cached data. However the Windows.old directory won't be accounted for.

Step 3. Select the option "Clean up system files" near the bottom of the window. Select your main drive again and the scan process will be repeated.

Step 4. The result of the scan will display different types of data, from Recycle Bin files to temporary internet cache. This time around, "Temporary Windows installation files" will be there, accounting from as little as 9GB to as much as 25GB, or more.

Step 5. Select all the files you want to remove, including the Windows installation files. Click OK. Then confirm the subsequent prompts.

If you are using a modestly sized SSD, I'm sure you'll appreciate gaining the extra space back.

In case you're wondering, it's completely safe to clean up any of the files listed by this tool -- just don't delete the Recycle Bin contents if you want to recover something later (!). Other third party cleaning tools like CCleaner can also be used although in this case, it's not necessary.

Still haven't got the Windows 10 Anniversary Update?

If you haven’t already received the update, it will download and install automatically in the coming days and weeks provided you’ve chosen the auto download/install settings. You can also prompt it manually by going into Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates.

China's amazing straddling bus successfully completes its first road test

China's amazing straddling bus successfully completes its first road test

China’s straddling bus design has been floating around for a some time, and while it looks amazing, there’s always been the caveat that it’s only a concept, far from becoming a reality – but not anymore.

The China Xinhua News reports that the transit elevated bus TEB-1 has just completed its first road test in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, where the brakes and power consumption were put through their paces on a track measuring almost 1000 feet.

The bus runs on rails laid alongside ordinary roads. It’s able to carry up to 300 passengers 15 feet above the ground inside the 72-foot long by 25-foot wide body. Its high legs allow any vehicles under 6.5 feet in height to travel underneath it, even when it is stationary.

Not only does the sheer size of the TEB mean it could replace 40 conventional buses, but it’s also environmentally friendly. Being powered by electricity reduces fuel consumption by some 800 tons and carbon emissions by nearly 2,500 tons every year, chief engineer Song Youzhou told Xinhua.

The straddling bus can travel at up to 40 mph, which would enable commuters to get around a lot faster than if they were driving through China’s notoriously busy city roads. Future versions of the TEB could be a lot larger and carry over 1000 passengers, easing congestion on a massive scale. Best of all, they can be built for about 16 percent of what constructing a subway would cost.

The TEB still has some way to go before it’s ready for everyday use, but other countries such as France, Brazil, India, and Indonesia have expressed an interest in the technology.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is here

After what seems like endless months of waiting, Microsoft began rolling outthe Windows 10 Anniversary Update to all users yesterday. It arrived four days after the one-year anniversary of the launch of Windows 10, which is now found on more than 350 million devices.

The anniversary update brings a number of new features to Microsoft’s latest operating system – some more significant than others. One the best improvements see extensions finally arrive for Edge; fans of the browser will be able to use the likes of AdBlock, AdBlock Plus, LastPass, and EverNote. Moreover, as the update makes Edge more power-efficient, those using it on a mobile device should find their batteries lasting longer.

Another big improvement that will be welcomed by anyone who uses a device that supports a stylus - such as the Surface Pro 4 - is the new Windows Ink feature. The dedicated ink workspace is like a Start menu for all your stylus-supported tools and apps. You can even write down a reminder on a virtual sticky note and transform it into an instruction for Cortana.

Other update changes include the arrival of the Linux command line and Bash shell, a smarter Cortana, an overhaul of the Start menu, the Xbox play anywhere initiative, new security features, over 52,000 new emoji, and many more.

We are committed to delivering continuous innovation to you: including features that bring Windows Ink and Cortana to the mainstream; a faster, more accessible and more power-efficient Microsoft Edge browser; advanced security features for consumers and enterprises; new gaming experiences and new tools for the modern classroom,” said Microsoft. “Everyone running Windows 10 will get these new features for free.”

Microsoft had intended to release the update simultaneously across all devices, but it will now be staggered. It’s set to arrive on Windows 10 phones in the “coming weeks.”

If you haven’t already received the update, which will download and install automatically (after a restart) providing you’ve chosen the auto download/install settings, you can manually prompt it by going to the settings menu> Update & Security>Windows Update> check for updates.

Best Keyboard for Work

1.Das Keyboard 4 Professional

IN NUMBERS

Price:

$179

Great | Differentiating Features

Sturdy, well-built, clicky tactile feedback makes it a pleasure to type on. Available with Cherry MX Blue, Brown switches.

Good | Most Have It

Integrated hub supports USB 3.0, dedicated media keys.

Average | Competitors May Be Better

No backlighting at this price feels like an unfair omission.

Das Keyboard has built a loyal following among mechanical keyboard enthusiasts since 2005. Their latest entry, the Das Keyboard 4 Professional has been around since 2014 and despite a number of new features and additions, the board stays true to its roots in terms of aesthetics and its 104-key layout. The shape of the Das Keyboard 4 Professional is similar to its predecessor, but there’s a media hub located on the top right corner, with an oversized volume knob and dedicated play, next track, previous track, sleep and mute buttons.

Das also upgraded the built-in USB hub to USB 3.0, with two ports sitting on the back right edge just above the logo. That’s about it as far as extras are concerned. As usual, Das' minimal approach to providing a first rate typing experience means this board doesn't have the bells and whistles you'll find in many similarly priced units. There are no macro keys, no way to change the keystroke speed, no support for profiles and no backlighting.

The keyboard dispenses with much of the glossy plastic that defined the line's looks in the past and instead uses an aluminum top panel less prone to finger smudges. It's sturdier, too. It can be purchased with either blue or brown Cherry MX switches. The blue switches are clickier, louder and have an actuation force rating of 50 grams. The brown switches offer a softer feel and require an actuation force of just 45 grams.

This is the sort of board you'd be proud to use at work -- it delivers a pleasurable typing experience in a professional looking package. The lack of features will likely alienate some at its current price of $170, especially with the increasingly stiff competition (see below), but then again while the Das Keyboard 4 may be competent for gaming it’s not designed with that demographic in mind.

Honorable mentions in this category include the Code Keyboard which is arguably Das' most direct competitor, and if you are looking for a more affordable alternative, the Cooler Master's QuickFire XT and Rosewill RK-9000V2 are two great options under $100.

2.Corsair Gaming K70 RGB RapidFire

Great | Differentiating Features

Cherry MX Speed switches; customizable multi-color LED per-key backlighting looks fantastic; large, detachable, textured wrist rest.

Good | Most Have It

Great build quality, discreet media keys.

Average | Competitors May Be Better

Non-standard keycap sizes on certain keys.

The K70 RGB series quickly became a favorite when we first tried it out a few months ago. The Rapidfire version in particular is all about speed thanks to the use of new MX Speed switches that reduce travel distance to 1.2mm for a lighting fast 4ms actuation speed. Coming from a keyboard with the full 2mm travel to actuation, the shorter Rapidfire switches takes a little bit of getting used to, but it can make a difference for gamers to whom split seconds really do matter.

Although the bulk of the keyboard has been constructed from plastic, the face of the keyboard features a thick brushed aluminum plate which provides the feel of a premium product that won't flex. The K70 RGB Rapidfire features a clean, straightforward design and looks quite imposing overall. This is complemented by multi-color LED per-key backlighting, which is extremely configurable to create various lighting effects (or download pre-designed ones) through the Corsair Utility Engine, where you can also play with reprogramming keys, making macros, and linking games and applications with different keyboard profiles.

Aside from the standard 104-key US layout there are physical buttons for light dimming, a Windows button lock, media buttons, and a volume scroll wheel which has been crafted from aluminum and feels great to the touch. There’s also a large, detachable, textured wrist rest which is really appreciated.

At 436mm long, 16mm deep and 38mm thick Corsair delivers a board that fits in nicely with a work desk but is meant for gamers, with fast actuation times, customizable lightning that looks stunning, and the fantastic tactile feel of a mechanical keyboard.

3.Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800

Great | Differentiating Features

Slim profile, space-saving design, solid build quality, clever battery saver features, comfortable typing at minimum noise.

Good | Most Have It

Replaceable batteries, charging via micro-USB, media keys, great backlighting implementation.

Average | Competitors May Be Better

Feels a bit fragile, allows for a significant amount of flex.

There’s truly no one size fits all when it comes to keyboards but if you want more freedom and less cable clutter on your desk, the Logitech K800 Wireless Illuminated Keyboard is a top contender that strikes a nice balance of comfort, size and features. The board itself has a sleek, streamlined design that’s thin on the front and tapered towards the rear, giving it a wedge shape that allows it stand upright whenever it’s not in use to save space -- not exactly a quality you’d look for in a keyboard but can come in handy for those with limited real estate on their desks. The portion immediately outside the keys features a glossy black plastic finish and there’s an ergonomic palm rest to help you type comfortably.

As the name suggests this is a backlight illuminated keyboard but Logitech added a couple of features to make it stand out. The first are sensors that control the level of brightness in response to ambient light -- you can still manually adjust it to whatever you like, of course. The other is a motion sensor that trigger backlighting whenever your hands come in close proximity, and slowly fade it out once your hands leave the sensory zone in order to preserve battery life.

The K800 has your typical keyboard layout with a full number pad and set of function keys. Typing on the keyboard’s sculpted keys is an overall comfortable experience and shows no sign of lag over its 2.4 GHz RF connection. The keystrokes strike a good balance between rigidity and softness, and compared with other keyboards, the K800 is significantly less clacky.

The keyboard will stay charged for about 10 days with the included AA NiMh batteries, which can recharge via micro-USB cable or you can swap them out for your own. The K800 also can be turned on and off with a switch located on the keyboard to conserve battery life and lengthen the time between charges.

Ultimately the feel of a keyboard is subject to personal preference but the the Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800 checks all the important boxes when it comes to wireless keyboards for desktop use.

4.Logitech Illuminated Living Room Keyboard K830

Great | Differentiating Features

Sleek design, excellent touchpad. Backlit keys automatically dim after five seconds of inactivity to avoid distractions. Long lasting internal USB-rechargable battery.

Good | Most Have It

Good wireless range, built in media keys.

Average | Competitors May Be Better

A little pricey.

If you are looking for a wireless keyboard built specifically for the couch then you’re going to need an integrated pointing device in a living room friendly size, and ideally something that’s still useful after you’ve turned down the lights. The Logitech K830 Illuminated Living Room Keyboard checks all the boxes with a sleek and compact design and keys that only light up when needed.

This is a full-sized keyboard with a built in touchpad that’s ample enough for the form factor, along with left and right mouse buttons as well as three hot keys for volume control (mute, volume decrease, and volume increase).

Although its low profile keys offer a decent typing experience, the Logitech K830 is designed to be a home entertainment companion first and foremost. Its standout feature is a backlighting system that automatically adapts to ambient light and slowly fades out when you are mot actively using it. This not only saves battery, but also lets you completely focus on your movie without bright keys shining in your face.

The upper row of keys feature secondary functions for helpful tasks like closing windows, showing the desktop, searching, and playing/pausing media. These are all reprogrammable using Logitech’s companion software.

At around $85, our only complaint about the K830 is that it's a little pricey for a living room keyboard. Especially when there's a great alternative like Logitech's own Wireless Touch K400 Plus. It may not have many bells and whistles but it's an excellent alternative for just $35. It drops backlighting and USB charging -- using two AA batteries instead -- but it's light and mobile enough to comfortably use on the lap while kicked back on the couch.

5.

Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard

Great | Differentiating Features

Excellent battery life, portable, comfortable to type on. Cheap.

Good | Most Have It

Can switch between up to three Bluetooth-enabled devices and plays well with pretty much any platform.

Average | Competitors May Be Better

No backlighting.

If you juggle different devices on an average day and would like to have a consistent typing experience across all of them the Logitech K380 is not only a terrific keyboard, but also quite inexpensive. This comfortable, compact keyboard can switch between up to three Bluetooth-enabled devices and plays well with iOS, Android, Windows, OS X and Chrome OS.

The Logitech K380 is comfortable and responsive enough for most people’s typing needs with a good amount of travel and a gratifying audible feedback -- but it’s not loud enough to disturb other people in the same room. It has round keys, which might feel unusual at first but doesn’t take much time getting used to, and there’s good spacing between them to keep mistypes down to a minimum.

The layout is a little tricky at first -- given its size Logitech basically ditched the home and end buttons while insert is a function and delete is a small key above the backspace. We wouldn’t recommend the Logitech K380 as your primary PC keyboard -- unless typing on multiple mobile devices makes up a significant share of your everyday typing -- but it’s good enough to keep on your desk as a secondary unit or in the living room. It’s also light and compact enough to fit into a bag and take on the go.

Pairing with a new device is as simple as holding down one of the three yellow buttons on the keyboard until its light starts blinking. Once you have paired three devices you can switch between them with one key press.

There’s a full row of keys for Android including home, recent apps, menu, and back as well as media controls. The K380 will map keys accordingly depending on which device it’s paired to. For example, home opens a new Chrome window in Chrome OS, recent apps is basically alt+tab, and the menu key opens the right-click menu on Windows.

One area where the K380 really shines is battery life. The K380 runs on two included AAA batteries and Logitech claims it will last for as much as two years of heavy use. It doesn’t have backlit keys but that’s the tradeoff you make for such exceptional battery life.

Some alternatives include Logitech’s own K480 which features a docking slot for your devices, but most reviewers found that the K380 is more comfortable to type on, while the K810/K811 adds backlighting, superior build quality and a rechargeable built in battery -- but costs three times as much.

6.Microsoft Wired Desktop 600

Great | Differentiating Features
Solid build quality, spill resistant, no frills reliable keyboard.

Good | Most Have It
Dedicated media keys.

Average | Competitors May Be Better
We'd rather be able to buy it for less without the bundled mouse.

If you're just looking for a basic keyboard you’ll be hard pressed to find something as solid as Microsoft's Wired Desktop 600. It has been around a long time, and we've seen it bundled with many PC systems over the years, though far from being a bad thing it just means it’s a proven design that has been able to withstand the test of time.

The keyboard itself is concave shaped with the spacebar and number keys higher than the letter rows. Keys press easily without much force for an overall comfortable, quiet typing experience. There are dedicated media buttons for play/pause, volume up, volume down, and mute, a full row of function keys and a calculator hot key.

This wired keyboard is designed to withstand an accidental spill and is ready to work out of the box -- just plug-and-play, no software to install.

The Microsoft Wired Desktop can be found for around $23 online and ships with a basic ambidextrous optical mouse too. If you’re looking for a cheap but solid and reliable full size keyboard, don’t mind lower-profile keys and don't like to change batteries in wireless devices, this is your keyboard.

Watermelon as Phone Charger

use watermelon as phone charger

Microsoft is still offering free Windows 10 upgrades

Microsoft officially ended their free Windows 10 upgrade program on July 29th last week, approximately a year after the operating system was released. Most people, including us, assumed that after this date users who wanted to upgrade would have to fork out at least $120 for a Windows 10 license, however this isn't actually the case.

As it turns out, Microsoft is continuing to offer free Windows 10 upgrades to those who use assistive technologies, such as a screen narrator or magnifier. The best part? Microsoft isn't checking to see whether you are actually using these assistive tools, so basically anyone can still get a free upgrade.

The process for upgrading in this way is simple. Head to Microsoft's accessibility website, download the program that's listed on their upgrade page, and then install your free Windows 10 update. Like with the previous upgrade program, you'll need to be running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1; older versions of Windows are ineligible.

Currently there is no end date to the free Windows 10 upgrade program for assistive tool users, but Microsoft will make "a public announcement prior to ending the offer."

One of the main reasons behind this upgrade offer is the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which launches tomorrow and includes new accessibility features. Microsoft wants to ensure that Windows users who require assistive technologies get the best experience, and the ideal way to do this is to run the latest version of Windows 10.

Meizu m3 Note Review

Meizu is one of many Chinese smartphone manufacturers that have seen strong success in their home country, but have struggled to break into Western markets in the highly crowded budget smartphone space. Their devices are known for packing in a great array of hardware at an extremely low price, rivalling well-known Chinese giant Xiaomi in this regard.

The phone I have with me today is the Meizu m3 Note, a 5.5-inch budget device with an attractive price tag of just $170. This places it in direct competition with one of my favorite budget devices, the 3rd-generation Motorola Moto G, along with the mediocre Umi Touch I reviewed a couple of weeks ago.

The m3 Note could fall into the trap of offering good hardware but failing to use it properly; it’s a common thread among budget Chinese OEMs. However, with Meizu having produced smartphones since the early days of Android, the company has had years to refine their offerings. The m3 Note in particular is the third device in Meizu’s large screen series, which began in late 2014 with the launch of the original m1 Note.

I’ll be looking at the hardware in greater detail later, but there’s a lot of quality in this device at its price. There’s a 1080p IPS LCD on the front, an octa-core Helio P10 SoC on the inside, a huge 4,100 mAh battery, a fingerprint sensor, and a 13-megapixel rear camera. This sounds like a pretty decent collection of hardware for a sub-$200 handset.

I’m not mincing words when I say this: the Meizu m3 Note has the best build quality of any budget device I’ve used. The m3 Note could easily sit among flagship smartphone, such is the quality of this metal body. It’s not the most visually impressive handset – Meizu’s design team has clearly used the iPhone 6s Plus as inspiration for this build – but there is no shortage of premium materials or attention to detail here.

Most of the m3 Note’s back is a single piece of 6000-series aluminium, which comfortably curves around each of the long edges to create a near-unibody design. It’s rare for a budget device to use such nice metal, and it both looks and feels superb here. I especially like the clean, sleek look that Meizu has implemented, allowing you to enjoy the materials without intrusive branding or clutter.

Above and below this metal slab are two plastic sections designed to imitate the rest of the metal body. As these sections are separated by a neat, polished strip of metal, I don’t think they look too bad. The plastic sections certainly don’t have the same textural qualities of the metal, however in normal use you don’t have to touch these areas, and visually they fit in acceptably with the overall design of the m3 Note.

One of the things I really appreciate about the m3 Note’s design is the attention to detail. The build is near-perfectly symmetrical, which shows Meizu has really thought about the placement of some elements, like the camera and sensors above the display. The lack of noticeable seams speaks volumes about the solidness of this build, which translates to a great feel in your hands. These are the sort of things you typically see from high-end devices, not budget devices.

The solid volume rocker and power button are found in a comfortable location along the right-hand edge. In general, this phone is very ergonomic, thanks to comfortable curves around each of the edges and corners. I was also pleased with the thickness (8.2mm) and weight (163 grams), which is nothing groundbreaking but respectable considering there’s a huge 4,100 mAh battery inside.

Interestingly, the m3 Note is smaller and lighter than the iPhone 6s Plus in every way bar depth (the 6s Plus is 1mm thinner). Both phones have 5.5-inch displays, yet smaller bezels on the m3 Note make it slightly easier to use in one hand. Neither device is particularly friendly to those with small hands, though, as the display size is still above average.

The m3 Note is loaded with two speakers along the bottom edge, which as you might expect aren’t great quality. Between the speakers is a micro-USB port, the standard port used for charging and data transfers in budget devices. I don’t expect USB-C to filter down to these devices for a while now, so I have no complaints there. Along the top is a 3.5mm headphone jack, and on the left edge is a tray for housing either two nano-SIMs, or a nano-SIM and microSD card.

The other notable feature to this phone’s design is the fingerprint sensor found below the display. The sensor is surprisingly fast and accurate for a cheap smartphone, and I had no trouble using it to secure the device. This technology has come a long way since early iterations, and it’s great to see it now being cheap enough to include in budget devices.

Interestingly, there are no physical capacitive or on-screen navigation buttons on the m3 Note, aside from the fingerprint sensor which doubles as both a home and back button. Pressing in the sensor like a button returns to the home screen, while just tapping it like a touchscreen acts as a ‘back’ command. It’s a unique way to navigate, and something I haven’t seen outside of Meizu devices. Personally I prefer standard navigation buttons, but this single-button solution is fine when you get used to it.

How Old School Floppy Drives Worked

By the time I got into computing, 3.5-inch floppy disks were still around but their use was on the decline. I admittedly knew very little about how they worked but this 15-minute video from The 8-Bit Guy certainly changed that.

If you’re interested in taking a further stroll down memory lane, I’d also recommend checking out their video on cassette tape drives. The channel has plenty of other cool videos as well, like this one on modding a battery backup unit or this one about using a heatsink to cool a microwave dinner.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Review: Fighting for the mid-range crown

This generation's GPU battle is heating up. Beginning in May with the uber fastGeForce GTX 1080 aimed 4K gamers, Nvidia's 16nm Pascal assault continued a few weeks later with the GTX 1070 delivering performance akin to a GTX 980 Ti for a heavily discounted price.

With the covers off Nvidia's latest cards, attention then turned to AMD's more affordable offering, the Radeon RX 480. Naturally, at $200 to $240 the RX 480 wasn't taking on the $380 (currently $450) GTX 1070 and it certainly wasn't tangling with the $700 GTX 1080.

So leading up to the RX 480's release it seemed like consumers would have an easy choice between AMD and Nvidia for the months to come: if you wanted an affordable sub-$300 graphics card, AMD would be the obvious pick while folks spending more than that would surely go for one of Nvidia's Pascal graphics cards.

However, as I was midway through writing the RX 480's review, Nvidia emailed us to confirm that a GTX 1060 was inbound and we'd be notified of the release date at a later time.

Nvidia soft-launched the GTX 1060 on July 7, at which time it provided most of the GPU's specifications, showed off its Founders Edition graphics card and surprisingly even divulged pricing information.

This was no doubt a move to steal some of the RX 480's thunder, in addition to preliminary PCIe power woes, timing couldn't have been worse for AMD. Thankfully the company swiftly addressed the RX 480's PCIe power concerns and for that we commend them. AMD has also enjoyed some positive press thanks to its release of the Vulkan API for Doom which we'll look at in this review.

You could say that the battle between this generation's GPUs is just beginning. What we have is a $250 GTX 1060 ($300 for the Founders Edition) facing off against a $240 RX 480 8GB ($200 for the 4GB model) and this fight over the mid-range market should be great news for consumers.

The prices quoted above are in US dollars and based on MSRPs set by AMD and Nvidia. Sadly, there are issues with those prices on both sides of the fence.

Availability appears to finally be picking up for Nvidia but we have yet to see cards anywhere near its MSRP; meanwhile AMD's lack of availability and partner cards is an issue despite pricing aligning with its MSRP. Hopefully this will improve shortly but we almost expected this would happen after such a long time on the 28nm process.

GP106 Up Close & Personal

The GeForce GTX 1080 and 1070 were built around the GP104 core, a 314mm2 die boasting an insane 7.2 billion transistor count. The GTX 1070 is of course a simplified version of the GTX 1080 despite featuring the same die -- Nvidia simply disabled five of the SM units, effectively cutting the CUDA core count by 25%.

The new GTX 1060 is targeting a considerably lower price point and therefore Nvidia has created what is a physically smaller GPU. At the heart of the GTX 1060 lies the newest Pascal GPU (codenamed GP106) which has a die measurement of just 200mm2, 36% smaller than the GP104.

Despite being much smaller, the GP106 supports all of the key Pascal architectural features, chief among them being Simultaneous Multi-Projection (SMP).

All Pascal GPUs will have the SMP Engine, which is located within the PolyMorph Engine at the end of the geometry pipeline and right in front of the Raster Unit. With this feature, the GPU can simultaneously map a single primitive on up to sixteen different projections from the same viewpoint.

Each projection can be either mono or stereo. This features allows Pascal GPUs to accurately match the curved projection required for VR displays, the multiple projection angles required for surround display setups, and other emerging display use cases. Nvidia says that in extreme cases, the SMP Engine can reduce the amount of required geometry work by up to 32x!

Unfortunately, this isn't something we are currently in a position to test but we do plan to carry out some in-depth VR benchmarking in the near future.

SLI? Not a chance.

Both AMD and Nvidia have worked hard to reduce the bandwidth demands on the GPU for their latest generation Polaris and Pascal parts. For Nvidia this means implementing new 4:1 and 8:1 delta color compression modes that provide more options for compressing data to the GPU which the company claims can provide roughly 20% additional effective bandwidth to the GPU (the actual amount will vary by game and scene) compared to their previous Maxwell based GPUs.

Whereas the GP104 can boast as many as 20 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) seen in the GTX 1080 the GTX 1060 has been outfitted with half that amount. As many of you will be aware, a Pascal SM contain 128 CUDA cores, 256KB of register file capacity, a 96KB shared memory unit, 48KB of total L1 cache storage, and eight texture units. With 10 SMs, the GTX 1060 ships with a total of 1280 CUDA Cores and 80 Texture Units.

In short, the core configuration has been reduced by 33% compared to the GTX 1070 and 50% from the GTX 1080. Looking back to Maxwell, we see that the GTX 1060 features 25% more cores than the GTX 960 but 23% fewer than theGTX 970. What's interesting here is that Nvidia is claiming GTX 980-like performance despite offering 38% fewer cores.

This is made possible through the improved efficiency of Pascal. Nvidia says when developing the Pascal architecture, they were intensely focused on improving efficiency. Every unit within the GPU was scrubbed for power, and critical circuit paths were optimized to enable high clock speeds. The result was their most efficient architecture yet capable of operating at frequencies previous unheard of for a GPU.

Whereas the GTX 980 operates at a boost clock of 1216MHz and the most extreme air-cooled overclocks only reached 1.4 to 1.5GHz, the GTX 1060 features a base clock operating speed of 1506MHz with an official boost clock speed of 1708MHz. Nvidia is suggesting overclocks of at least 2GHz on the GTX 1060 as well so that will be something to look at later in our review.

Feeding the GTX 1060 GPU data are six 32-bit memory controllers (192-bit total). Tied to each 32-bit memory controller are eight ROP units and 256 KB of L2 cache. The full GP106 chip used in GTX 1060 ships with a total of 48 ROPs and 1536 KB of L2 cache. Coupled with 6GB of 8Gpbs GDDR5 memory there is 192GB/s of memory bandwidth available. When compared to the GTX 1070 that's a 25% reduction in memory bandwidth.

Finally, like the previous generation GTX 960, the new GTX 1060 is a 120w part and as such only requires a single 6-pin PCIe connector. This means the TDP rating is 20% slower than the RX 480 so Nvidia should avoid any PCIe power draw issues.

GTX 1060 Founders Edition

Available at release will be Nvidia's Founders Edition version of the GTX 1060, which of course comes at an incredible price premium, this time some 20% more than the board partner cards despite having what is almost certainly going to be an inferior cooler and board design.

Moving past that issue, the card measures 250mm long and the PCB is actually only 175mm long while the cooler overhangs by 75mm.

Although we don't agree with the price premium on the Founders Edition, we have to admit this is a nice reference card. I really liked the look of the GTX 1080 and 1070 FE cards and the GTX 1060 FE has the same visual appeal. It's a high quality product and although it lacks a backplate the entire cooler has been constructed from alloys -- no plastic here.

As always, we find a blower style cooler that vents hot air out the rear of the chassis. The aluminum heatsink has been given a black paint job and is clearly visible from the front. It is worth nothing that while the GTX 1060 should consume less power than the RX 480, Nvidia has included a much larger heatsink so we expect the operating volume to be low as well as the thermals.

Any interesting design choice of the GTX 1060 Founders Edition graphics card is the 6-pin PCIe power input placement. Ideally you want the power connector on top of the card toward the rear and that's exactly where you'll find it on this card. What's so odd then? Well, as mentioned earlier the cooler overhangs the PCB by 75mm so you would expect to find the PCIe power connector at least 75mm from the end of the graphics card, just as it is on the RX 480.

However, Nvidia has removed the connector from the PCB and using old fashion copper wires moved the connector off board to the rear of the card. It is an obvious solution for neat cable management but not one we expected Nvidia to make, perhaps they are making some effort to justify that big price premium.

That said, onboard we find a very basic 3+1 phase power design. Despite that, Nvidia says there is a tremendous amount of headroom for overclocking. Their internal testing showed all boards are able to hit speeds of 2GHz!

I really like the GTX 1060 Founders Edition's machine finished die cast aluminum body so it'll be interesting to see how board partner cards stack up. In fact, toward the end of this review I'll include a preview of the Gainward GTX 1060 GS card that we received just before the launch.