PIXELATED A TECHNOLOGY AND TELEVISION MAGAZINE
INSIDE PIXELATED /Spring Issue
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TECHNOLOGY
VIDEO GAMES
4 Oculus Rift
17 Overwatch
by James Berg
by Henry Wildermuth
6 GPU’s
18 The Order: 1886
by William He
by Stephen Angelakos
8 Chess Computers
FEATURED
by Orion Lehoczky-Escobar
9 Asus VivoStick PC
19 Uncovering the Mysteries Behind the Deep Web
by Grant Kaufman
by Cara Hernandez
10 Mechanical Keyboards
20 Arrow
by Daniel Mindich
by Armand Dang
14 CES 2016
22 Podcasts
by Daniel Mindich
by Orion Lehoczky-Escobar
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to Pixelated’s Spring 2016 issue! It’s been a while since we last published, but our team of talented writers and editors has put together a wonderful collection of articles for this edition of Pixelated. From us to you, here’s the latest in television, video games and technology. This issue includes a recap of the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in which Daniel Mindich shares his thoughts on BMW’s mirrorless car, Ehang’s autonomous drone and other powerful pieces of technology that were unveiled at the show. For TV enthusiasts, Armand Dang reviews season three of the hit drama “Arrow.” For gamers, there’s Stephen Angelakos’ take on “The Order: 1886” and James Berg’s analysis of the new Oculus Rift. In addition, our writers look at hot new trends in tech, such as mechanical keyboards and external GPUs (graphics processing units). Of course, this is only a fraction of what this issue has to offer. All the articles can be found in the table of contents. I’m very proud of our staff for putting in the effort it took to produce this issue. I’d like to thank all the writers and editors who contributed, as well as our faculty advisor, Mr. Renner. This issue would not have been possible if it weren’t for their hard work. For a number of reasons, we weren’t able to publish as often as I would have liked this year, and as editor-in-chief, I take responsibility for that. Nevertheless, we’re glad to bring the Horace Mann community the tech news it needs, and we hope to continue to do so in the future. Until next time, Danny Jin Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief Daniel Jin Managing Editor Daniel Mindich Content Editors Eric Schwartz Zachary Troyanovsky Michael Dimitrov Design Editors Benjamin Ades John Abreu Faculty Advisor Mr. Keith Renner
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STAFF
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TECHNOLOGY
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OCULUS RIFT
SAMSUNG GEAR VR
by James Berg
Since its first kickstarter campaign, Oculus has been nothing more than a whisper from the shadows, a silenced desire in the hearts of mainstream gamers, but now it is on the verge of releasing its first consumer-intended system, the Oculus Rift, in early 2016. Regardless of the company’s promise, as the contemporary pioneer of Virtual Reality, Oculus threatens to repeat the debilitating mistakes of Nintendo’s 1995 Virtual Boy. In what was perhaps the most over-hyped and ultimately disappointing gaming system release of the 90’s (Assassin’s Creed Unity wins that title among post-millennial games), Nintendo introduced the hatred-inspiring, bowel-wrenching, and utterly…mediocre Virtual Boy console. By making use of a technique called “parallax” (which you may recall from 6th grade Astronomy), Nintendo sought to create the first straight out of the box 3D video game platform, meant to lead the push toward the next generation of entertainment – immersive gaming. Regardless of whether it was the lack of committed big-name game developers or the paralyzing fear of the impending doom of Skynet’s robotic revolt (predicted for August 29, 1997), the VB has become a figure of legendary infamy in the gaming community due to its cripplingly low sales. Although this may seem like an aspect of video game history better left untouched, a single question continues to plague me: could Oculus be making the same mistakes with contemporary VR technology as Nintendo did with their Virtual Boy? The most prominent mistake of the Virtual Boy was its cost. Not only did the console have a hefty $180 price tag on it (which was virtually unheard of in 1995), but the incredibly limited battery life and over-
NINTENDO VIRTUALBOY
priced games forced consumers to constantly pour more and more money into their 3D experience. This is an error that I am sure many of us can see Oculus repeating. The price for gaming platforms is constantly growing as new technology is being developed, and Oculus is in a position to develop the epitome of modern gaming tech. The retail price of the Gear VR (one of Oculus’ more available products) is currently hovering at around $200, not particularly hefty on its own (considering the $300-400 price of most Next Gen consoles), but in order to make use of the Gear, one must also own a Samsung Galaxy (Note 4/S6). This alone would be enough to make any prospective customer cringe, and when coupled with the fact that the Gear serves little purpose other than establishing a commercial relationship between Samsung and Oculus, it is a product that I, for one, would not be interested in buying. However, although the Gear VR seems little more than a money-grab, in releasing it Oculus is avoid-
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ing another fatal flaw of the VB: alienating big-name developers and potential partners. When the Virtual Boy was released, it only had 14 games (22 in Japan), none of which were developed by type of studio necessary to pump out consistently reliable games (regardless of the massive amount of respect I have for indie studios, I cannot deny the fact that the quality of their games is inconsistent at best). In allying themselves with a corporation as massive as Samsung, they have established a lifeline that may serve to save the company in the future. Virtual Boy was also an attempt to revolutionize previously untouched 3D technology; this may have been what ultimately doomed the console, the way the asymmetric gaming style doomed Wii U. The Oculus Rift is, at its core, an attempt to pioneer a new form of immersive entertainment, a fact that leaves a massive amount of room to rush or otherwise poorly deal with the technology that the company strives to make available. As with any form of advancement, be it technological, intellectual, or something in between, the Q1 2016 release risks belly flopping from an awe-inspiring potential for entertainment to a best-forgotten failure to impress. But considering the sheer brilliance behind Oculus, that is a chance I would certainly risk taking.
by William He
NVIDIA GTX 980
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GPU’S At CES 2016, Razer unveiled their newest Ultrabook, the Razer Stealth a gaming computer that is surprisingly slim. The catch: the Stealth itself doesn’t have an internal dedicated GPU; instead, it has an external GPU. The Stealth isn’t the first attempt to do this, but external GPUs are still largely unknown to the American public. What is an external GPU and what are its advantages and disadvantages? Before we get into external GPUs, I’ll talk about GPUs in general, and their one major caveat: power consumption. As a general rule, it’s safe to say that in both desktop and laptops, a more powerful GPU is going to require more power, as in electricity, to work. This of course leads into a few problems, such as the wide range of laptop GPUs, not to mention the also huge amount of desktop GPUs. Specifically with laptops, this is the reason why it’s really hard to get a slim, portable computer with GTX 980M, and instead you usually get 960M’s. Not to mention that Nvidia has successfully managed to put the whole processing power of the desktop GTX 980 into a laptop chip, and is now fielding the GTX 980 in some laptops instead. Onto external GPUs. The basic concept is that you’ll plug a wire into a laptop, and all of a sudden, using the power of a GPU inside a tower, you’ll be able to game better than you ever could with a just the laptop. The tower doesn’t have a processor in it, so you can’t replace your computer with it, but the GPU inside is a desktop GPU, which are usually more powerful than laptop counterparts, not to mention also having their own fans for cooling. That’s the first benefit; you get a desktop GPU to power a gaming laptop. The other benefit is that this card is removable/upgradeable/downgradeable, meaning that if you want a more powerful video card for gaming, you don’t need to upgrade an entire laptop (though it might be worth it sometimes) just for a better GPU, but you can now instead buy a new graphics card like you would for a desktop computer upgrade. On top of that, the other benefit is this; considering that most people who game play at home, and the tower stays at home, you can now get yourself that really slim laptop, such as the Razer Blade, which has a powerful processor but no internal GPU, which is really helpful if you’re a person like me who both needs a powerful gaming laptop, but also wants it to be portable, and only plays extremely graphically demanding stuff while plugged into a charger at home, the external GPU solves the problem of having both of those at the same time, while also giving you a more easily upgradeable computer. The tower doesn’t come without its disadvantages, however. The notable first problem is the price, which is extremely high, and can run over $1,000 in most cases. This cost can include the GPU itself, which as expected is very expensive. The other problem is data transfer; it’s pretty obvious that sending all your video data through to another system outside of the computer is going to be really demanding. The good news is that Thunderbolt and USB-C exist, and do the job of fast and large data transfers that USB 3.0 could never do; the bad news is that they still aren’t fully mainstream. For those of us, such as me, who have laptops that are equipped to do this, this is great, as an external GPU is just a matter of finding and spending money. For others, this is a problem, as you’re down to getting a new, probably expensive laptop to do this, not to mention coupling that in with the cost of the new laptop itself. The GPU’s themselves are also expensive; upgrading whenever a new one is needed isn’t always a cheap or affordable option. It’s also relatively unknown is you can use both an internal
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EXTERNAL GPU SETUP
whole idea of having a constant laptop and slowly upgrading the desktop grade GPU every now and then, while also giving your laptop a huge boatload of power, is great, and should probably be considered by every single gamer and graphical designer out there. However, be warned; this technology is expensive, and if you don’t already have a laptop that is equipped, this is going to be even more expensive. All in all, if you’re a home laptop gamer; likes thin, portable laptop for everyday use such as school; and got the money to spend, the desktop GPU is the perfect solution to all your problems.
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GPU and an external GPU at the same time, something which would give you a lot of video power, but which is most likely impossible. Asus unveiled a similar product at CES; an external GPU unit for their Republic of Gaming (ROG) line of gaming laptops, MSI has had one on the market since last year. The good news here is that it’s not just Razer trying to reach out to consumers to do this, which is also great for people like me, who have an Asus laptop, with a USB-C, and a powerful processor. For a final verdict: no matter who you ask, nobody is going to tell you the idea is a bad one. The
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TECHNOLOGY
CHESS COMPUTERS by Orion Lehoczky-Escobar Chess computers are stronger than the strongest humans. This is a fact, not a value judgement. The Elo rating system, named for Hungarian mathematician Arpad Elo, scores all chess players who play in serious games. This system gives the strongest human, World Champion Magnus Carlsen, a rating of 2850.0. The strongest computer, Komodo, has a rating of 3353. Komodo’s chances against the best human player in the world: ~94.8%. Carlsen has said, “I can’t beat the best computers. They have complete information, so how could we expect anything else? I don’t look at computers as opponents. For me it is much more interesting to beat humans.” So how do chess computers do it? First of all, they are incredibly powerful. A computer can look ahead 24 moves in one minute in a chosen line even on an only moderately powerful desktop. It plays millions of games with randomly selected moves many moves deep and evaluates the resulting positions. The games that are better for the player on the move are selected, and the most common move from those lines is moved to the top, to be examined further. How does the computer evaluate the resulting positions? Each computer has its own algorithm for determining which positions are best. Turochamp, programmed by Alan Turing with pencil and paper, was the first chess computer, built before computers had the processing power to execute Turing’s algorithm. Alan Turing stated, “We were particularly keen on the idea that whereas certain moves would be scorned as pointless and pursued no further others would be followed quite a long way down certain paths.” This was the beginning of a quick identification of the best lines of play, followed by looking extremely deep to confirm this. Turing’s evaluation system included a simple material count, combined with more subtle factors such as king safety: “Deduct x points for a vulnerable King, with x being the number of moves that a Queen could move if it were on the same square as the one occupied by the King.” Nowadays, computer programmers work with stronger chess players than the (admittedly quite strong) amateur Turing to refine their algorithms and improve the strength of their programs. Computers have one last edge over humans: Their ability to store incredible numbers of games and pre-analyzed positions. This, in the opening, when all games start from the same position, is invaluable. Additionally, in the endgame, when few pieces remain, computers can play perfectly. The Nalimov tablebases, a freely available set of analyses for any possible position with less than seven pieces on the board, has a predetermined result ready: win, loss, or draw. Computers store vast amounts of data, and most come with the perfect lines of play available in the Nalimov tablebases pre-downloaded, adding to their strength. The danger to chess posed from computers is the idea that one day the two ends of the game will meet, ‘solving’ chess like checkers. However, several extremely strong chess players, thankfully for the game, are confident that the game cannot be solved. Former World Champion Garry Kasparov has said, “Chess is far too complex to be definitively solved with any technology we can conceive of today.” Which is the best chess computer for a chess player? The strongest chess computer for beginners and intermediates is Stockfish. The obvious reason? It’s free, and works well. If your engine needs only bare-bones features, and ease of use isn’t very important, I recommend it. It, however, does not have an easy-to-use graphical user interface. For this reason, Hiarcs is a computer I recommend if it’s going to be used a lot. It costs between $59 and $99 for a Mac depending on the desired engine strength. It has several features that are useful, such as a pre-packaged database. Computers are strong, and can be (if used properly) useful tools for humans in the game of chess.
FORMER WORLD CHESS CHAMPION GARY KASPAROV PLAYING AGAINST A COMPUTER
ASUS VIVOSTICK PC by Grant Kaufman
ASUS VIVOSTICK PC
tity of RAM, but there are many functional laptops on the market with only two gigabytes of RAM, additionally for the type of usage this computer would likely see, two gigabytes would be plenty as long as the user does not have too many webpages opened. The storage, like many smartphones currently is 32 gigabytes, enough to hold important school or work documents. As for side ports 1 Micro USB, 2 USB 2.0’s, 1 HDMI and 1 standard audio jack is included. The Micro USB’s intended use is to supply the device with power, for it doesn’t have a battery and cannot hold a charge as mentioned earlier. The HDMI slot can be used to connect it to a TV or computer monitor so you can display images. The release date for the Asus VivoStick PC is uncertain, but is said to cost around $129, note that this is including the copy of Windows 10 preinstalled which could cost up to $100. Three different variants of this device will be available, including a white, black or a blue one. This concept of a USB thumb drive-sized computer will fit the cheapest of budgets, but just remember that it won’t necessarily replace a traditional home desktop. It still lacks many features including a CD drive, a strong processor, and a larger disk space for storage. Think of it as a basic shortcut to turning your school monitor into a fully functional computer.
TECHNOLOGY
Does carrying your heavy laptop around put a large burden on your life? Does your back suffer severe pain due to lugging it around? If this is you, the Asus VivoStick PC may be the solution for you! Measuring at 5.43 in. long, 1.34 in. wide and 0.59 in. tall, the Asus VivoStick PC TS10 one of the smallest PCs to date. The general structure resembles that of a typical thumb drive. This compact device weighs 0.15 pounds, therefore will only add a minimal amount of weight to your bag. At first glance it may seem convenient, but a monitor of some sort will be needed to display images from the VivoStick. In other words you either need to bring a monitor wherever you go or just be certain that one will be available for use. In addition, this does not include a built-in keyboard or mouse, so one must take all of this into consideration as well. On the bright side, battery life won’t be an issue because the TV or monitor will simply supply the power through the micro USB power cord. Although the Asus VivoStick PC is an abnormally small computer, it still includes a sufficient amount of specifications. Since this model has yet to be released, the exact model of the graphics processor isn’t specified, but we do know that an Intel HD Graphics card will be included in the VivoStick. Two gigabytes of DDR3L RAM is included in this device as well. Some may be turned off by this low quan-
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MECHANICAL KEYBOARDS by Daniel Mindich
If you have ever written anything on a computer, then you must know what a keyboard is. A keyboard, in it’s most basic form, is a tool used to input information into a computer, and it’s usually not a very interesting topic of conversation. Most people do not think of a keyboard as anything more than a tool and do not consider other ways of having a more pleasant typing experience. A mechanical keyboard, to some people, is a better and more pleasant way of typing or interacting with a computer. About 98% of all keyboards that people will usually encounter are not mechanical, so what makes these keyboards different than those that come attached to my laptop or with my desktop? In order to answer this question, one must first know how the keyboards that mostly everyone uses work. These keyboards are called “Rubber Dome,” or “Membrane Keyboards,” and they work with the key or a plunger depressing a rubber dome to the bottom of the stroke. Once at the bottom of the stroke it completes the circuit and sends the information to the computer. Laptop keyboards do the same, except they do it in smaller space with very little key travel distance. Mechanical keyboards operate with a similar mechanic, except these keyboards depress springs and send the information to the computer when the key is depressed half of the way by allowing the conductive cross points to touch and completing the circuit. Both the ability to only depress the switch halfway and the use of the spring are advantages over the rubber dome keyboards. The spring allows for a smoother typing experience, while the earlier point of actuation allows for less key movement and faster typing. While there are two main types of Rubber Dome keyboards that are in most laptops and desktops (these have more travel distance and feel “mushier” than those found in laptops), there are many different kinds of switches that are found in mechanical keyboards. Some of these are copies made by companies trying to emulate or copy those made by the largest producer of these key switches, Cherry. Others are made very differently with completely different mechanics, like Topre and Buckling Springs boards. Cherry MX switches are by far the most common ones that are found in mechanical keyboards today. And even within companies, they have drastically different feelings. The most common types of switches from Cherry are their black, red, blue and brown switches, and there are also some less common but still very popular switches, like clears and greens. Lastly there are some that are rarely found or desired because of their inconsistencies and extreme weights, these are the grey and the white. Cherry switches can be found in keyboards companies like vortex (producer of the Vortex Pok3r) and the Corsair (producer of the Corsair K70), Ducky (producer of the Ducky Shine 5), Coolermaster (producer of the Quickfire Rapid) and many other mechanical keyboard manufacturers. The red switches are one of the two lightest key switches Cherry makes, only needing 45 grams of force to depress the switch to the point where it registers, the “actuation point.” These switches are completely linear and give no indication at all of when the key is registered. The actuation point and reset points are very close to each other, which is why keyboards marketed
for gaming usually have these. They are lightweight and can be used to double tap a key very quickly. The other linear switch by Cherry is the black switch, with the only difference being the heavier actuation weight of 60 grams. The brown switch is the other lightweight switch made by Cherry and needs only 45 grams of force to actuate. What makes these switches different from the reds is the tactile response that they have. The browns have a slight bump that is noticeable when the key switch is slowly depressed. Once this bump is completed, the actuation point is reached. The clear key switch is in the same category of tactile but silent keys. They are heavier, with about 65 grams needed to actuate, and the tactile bump is much more pronounced and can be felt easier during high speed typing sessions. Then there are the clicky switches. These are the blue and green switches. Along with a tactile bump, they produce an auditory click to announce that the key has been actuated. The blue is the lighter variant of these, measuring in with 55 grams of force needed to actuate them, while the green needs 80 grams for actuation. Cherry, in accordance with Corsair, produced a Cherry MX RGB switch, which popularized the fancy RGB LEDs in keyboards from Corsair (specifically the K65, K70 and K95 RGB keyboards). These switches are made only in brown, red, black and blue (with blue being very limited). Corsair makes only two sizes of their RGB keyboards: full sized with a number pad and tenkeyless without a number pad. We can expect to find other sizes like a small and portable 60 percent keyboard from other companies like a rumored RGB Pok3r. Other companies that produce or want to produce similarly flashy keyboards, like Razer and Logitech, have used their own switches with a similar design to Cherry’s to allow for RGB function on their keyboards. There are only a few switch types that are put into these clear housings with a RGB LED. The end user can modify the keyboard by replacing the slider or the spring to make the it have a different kind of switch; this has been done with clears. There is also a Cherry MX Silent switch which uses dampeners on the MX Red switch to reduce travel distance by a little bit and greatly quiet the switch down. So far these are only found in Corsair Strafe keyboards. Many companies try to clone Cherry switches usually for one of two reasons – to make them cheaper and not have to pay Cherry. Greetech switches found in certain DAS keyboards and Kailh switches found in Razer keyboards make their own switches as to not have to pay for the use of Cherry’s. Many people swear by Cherry for their years of quality control and would prefer not to use a clone of a switch. But Gateron is a company that tries to improve on Cherry’s design to make a smoother switch with higher-quality plastic. Most keyboards do not come with Gateron switches built in, but they are usually found in loose switches, which the end user must solder into his or her keyboard. Also, people can work with Gateron to make specific specialized switches, like a new switch called a Zealios that has a purple stem to match the Cherry MX clear one but with smoother plastic and lighter springs.
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Hobbyists can actually build their own, either from a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or hand wire it themselves, in order to get the ultimate custom keyboard, of any shape or size. A popular custom keyboard with a PCB is the Ergodox. It has two separate sides of the keyboard and has vertically staggered keys, rather than horizontally staggered keys found on most keyboards. Its popularity led to many group buys on Massdrop, a prebuilt version on ergodox-ez.com and an infinity version where all the electronic components are already soldered into place, and you only have to solder your switches on. They leave the switches off so you can add any switch you want, that is an Alps key switch (assuming the PCB has alps cutouts as well), Cherry key switch or a clone of either. Once this happens you can add any LEDs that you want (assuming the PCB Supports LEDs or RGB LEDs), as well as custom keycaps for design purposes (usually with using Cherry MX Compatible switches, but they are still found in Topre and Alps versions). With any keyboard that has Cherry MX compatible sliders and a standard layout (this just limits it to a few), there is always the possibility to switch keycaps to be something prettier or with a better quality plastic. Companies that make replacement keycaps or keycap sets are GMK (using the same molds as mechanical keyboards used in the early days of keyboards), Signature Plastics and a few other smaller companies. Needless to say the Mechanical Keyboard community is very large and complex community that is off-putting to newcomers because of all of the switch types and everything you have to know to get a nice and well-built keyboard. Hopefully this article says most of the things people need to know when first getting into the hobby. The most important part of these keyboards are how they feel to you, so there is no one “best” switch type, there is only the one that feels best to the user. For some people the tactile feedback given from Cherry Brown switches are not enough for everyone, so they will get a keyboard with clears, or Matias Quiet clicks, and some people won’t like a noticeable click, while some people feel that it rewards the user with every keystroke. While I did my best to describe the feeling of every switch, it is recommended to buy a switch tester if you want to buy a mechanical keyboard, so you don’t wind up buying a keyboard and making a mistake just to find out, the click from the blue switch is too loud, or the green switch is far too heavy, as it is for most people. These switch testers can be found from Max Keyboards or WASD and have either 6 or 8 switches (sometimes more). All of these switches are from Cherry and they usually have red, black, clear, brown, blue and green, with some that have whites, and some of the grey family. Finding these keyboards in the wild can prove to be difficult. Stores like Best Buy carry some of the more popular switches from popular brands like Cherry MX reds and browns that are found in Corsair Keyboards, as well as Razer orange and greens (similar to the MX brown and blue switches by Cherry) found in their BlackWidow keyboards. There are also some other similar linear switches (like Cherry MX reds) by companies like Logitech in their Orion Spark. Other switches are much harder to find and test before purchasing, therefore I would suggest getting the switch tester from Max or Coolermaster. Hopefully this article wet your appetite for a nice keyboard that can make the long hours modern people usually spend in front of a keyboard, a lot more enjoyable.
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Lots of older keyboards use Cherry switches, but many also use Alps switches, which are very similar in feeling but have a different stem design. Currently, Alps switches are found only in old keyboards, but a company called Matias is making these switches with slight variations. The quietclick has the tactile bump of a clear and the weight of the clear, but the noise is dampened, making it easier to use near people. On the other hand, the click Matias switches are like blues with the weight of clears but louder than blues. Another old switch-type is called buckling springs. These were first made in early IBM keyboards, mostly model M or model F, and today Unicomp manufactures these with the original materials and machinery of the Model M keyboards. These boards have a slightly deeper sound than the Cherry blues but are around the same noise level. These switches have a very different mechanism than those used in Cherry boards. The key is depressed on top of a spring until the spring hits the side of the switch to actuate the stroke. Finding buckling springs keyboards can be difficult. You can get them off of Unicomp from their website, but you can also find some for a bit cheaper off eBay. The ones off eBay are not guaranteed to work, but you can find cool old ones or ones that aren’t produced by Unicomp (for example, Model F keyboards with their capacitive buckling springs). Lastly there are Topre switches. These are relatively new switches that come out of Japan. An iconic board that one can find them in is the Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional 2 and Realforce Keyboards. These are made a lot less than most other switches that are made today. They also use a very different mechanism than most other mechanical boards found today. That is because it isn’t very mechanical. They use a rubber dome, expertly called by manufacturers like Cooler Master, an “electrostatic layer” and a cone shaped spring. These switches have a slight tactile feeling at the beginning of the keystroke, that does not announce the point of actuation feel very responsive and smoother than Cherry switches. The Happy Hacking Keyboard comes in two varieties of topre switches, one that is silenced and needs about 45 grams for actuation and another that is unsilenced with the same actuation weight. The Realforce boards have three different options for weights, 35 grams, which people are not that fond of, 45 grams, the standard in these boards and 55 grams, which people like because of their increased responsiveness. Many people who use them think that they are the best keyboards available, but because of their niche market and their limited availability, they are a lot less common and not many people really use or know about them, even in the very small market for mechanical keyboards. While mechanical keyboards are marketed as being an advantage in gaming, there is not much of a noticeable difference, and they will not help immediately. They will not make you MLG Pro, but mechanical keyboards are usually built better than those with rubber domes and can have nice gimmicks like RGB lighting or customizable keycaps (mostly with Cherry MX switches, or those with compatible plungers). Some also have macro buttons, which can help with organization in gaming or can be just showboating. While the gaming aspects of these switches are oversold, the typing aspect is mostly undersold. The only reason why I have not gone crazy while typing papers is from using a mechanical keyboard. My almost thirty year old IBM Model F PC AT is an amazing keyboard that makes me feel like I can type really fast, and the clicks made from pressing the keys down help me to concentrate on my writing. Plus I like to joke that when I am writing a history paper on it, I am writing on a piece of History. During my History Final last year, when I was catching up on some of the writing, my joke was made into fact when I found on one of the last pages of the Of The People a picture of a slightly older variant of the keyboard I was using then.
by Daniel Mindich
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CES 2016 The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an amazing three days in the life of a techie. Following the news everyday is an absolute joy as innovative new concepts and futuristic new products are announced daily. Marques Brownlee, a YouTube Tech reviewer, visited CES and put into words the true feeling of CES, “You don’t really go to CES to see the gadget you’re going to buy in the store tomorrow, you go to CES to catch a glimpse of the future and sometimes you spot some dope tech on the way.”
BMW MOTORCYCLE HELMET BMW showed off a motorcycle helmet with a heads up display, or HUD. This could display important information that you could get only by taking your eyes off the road. It would show information for speed, temperature, gear, fuel level and more. While this seems like it will be available in a few years and only work with other BMW vehicles, HUDs will hopefully work to keep our roads safe.
BMW I8 MIRRORLESS CONCEPT CAR The BMW i8 is getting an update (once it is street legal). No, it is not a fancy automatic car that drives for you, nor is it electric like a Tesla, but you will notice that there isn’t a single mirror on the entire thing. The side mirrors are replaced by cameras that connect to the overhead mirror. Except this is no mirror – this is a very low latency screen that displays what the side and back cameras show to give a wider view of the scene around you.
ROLLABLE OLED LG
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MODULAR TVS OF THE FUTURE (LTT VIDEO) Samsung showed off many concept TVs at CES. The highlight was a modular TV with eight different cube shaped displays connected to a wall that would allow the screens to split apart and move around. This seems like a futuristic and perhaps just silly concept, but it holds interesting possibilities. Another example of the technology that Samsung displayed was the ability to switch aspect ratios on the fly.
RAZER’S COMPLETE ULTRABOOK GAMING SOLUTION Razer showed off a pretty cool Ultrabook gaming solution at their CES booth this year. While it is nothing new, it is one of the best implemented versions of this technology that I have seen. Because of the lack of a graphics card, their “Razer Blade Stealth” is more of an ultrabook than a gaming machine. It has a high resolution (either 1440p or 4k) panel with fast high capacity SSD options, and a fairly nice dual core Intel I7 processor. But this is one of those “home base” gaming machines where you use the ultrabook in your normal life and in order to get computing horsepower, you attach the ultrabook to a graphics card housing (the counterpart to the “Razer Blade Stealth,” “Razer Core”). But this one connects via Thunderbolt 3 with USB type C. I think that this is an attractive technology, but there are the flaws with it; mainly, it would likely cost more and perform worse than getting a cheap ultrabook and a powerful desktop, and it loses the appeal of a gaming laptop because you would still only be able to use the full power of the desktop graphics card (which you need to buy in addition to the laptop and the base) when you are at the graphics card housing.
TECHNOLOGY
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LG showed a prototype OLED (Organic LED) display that can be rolled up into a cylinder. Thanks to the popularization of OLED technology displays like this will now become possible. OLED works without using a backlight, like normal displays would. Without the need for a uniform backlight, display makers are able to make crazy concepts like this one. This technology could hold some serious repercussions for the future of consumer technology. What about a flexible smartphone that could be worn around your wrist?
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PIXELATED /Spring Issue
TECHNOLOGY
HTC VIVE/OCULUS RIFT
HTC’s Vive, a VR headset worked on in conjunction with Valve, revealed some changes and more information during CES this year. The Vive was supposed to launch Q1 2016, but it has been delayed due to technological advancements in the space. Oculus, the arguably better known of the two competing VR experiences, announced their controller, price and package a few days before the convention. The price came as a shock to those who were following the Rift as it has been hinted that it would cost around half of what it does. At $599, Oculus offers the headset, sensors, remotes, cables, an Xbox one controller, and two VR enabled games. While Oculus demonstrated their Oculus touch, HTC showed off the Vive’s controller, which looks like long sticks with a touchpad on them, and a loop on the top. They are both made to feel comfortable in the hand, but most sources that I read claim that the Oculus controller is more comfortable. HTC’s Vive package was announced on February 21st, for $799, which includes the headset, all the necessary sensors, cables, and two of their proprietary controllers. Preorders go up on February 29th. Neither company announced anything major during the convention but their presence was felt.
EHANG 184 AUTONOMOUS AERIAL VEHICLE
While drones aren’t a new fad, they still had a major presence at CES 2016. The drone that I thought was unique and stood out the most was the Ehang 184 autonomous aerial vehicle. This is a drone big enough to carry a person. There is a single seat with a tablet with a “take-off” button on, which allows the drone to take off and then autonomously fly to their destination. The drone weighs a massive 440lb, can keep a passenger airborne for 23 minutes, and has a maximum speed of 62mph. With specifications like these, the drone will not be a normal consumer product. It will be available for purchase later this year but will cost between $200,000 and $300,000.
OVERWATCH
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OVERWATCH TRACER CHARACTER
OVERWATCH CYBORG-NINJA CHARACTER
VIDEO GAMES
Overwatch is the new child of Blizzard, the creators of World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Diablo, and StarCraft. The game is a team shooter, with a comic-like graphic design. There are characters, named “heroes,” who can be played as and switched mid-match. Drawing ideas from MOBAs, each character has three four special attacks and an ultimate attack as well as their standard fire and melee. These can include making shields, planting land mines, healing teammates or using a grappling hook. There are currently eighteen heroes, all of whom are unique and with their own lore. The lore of game seems to be mostly revealed in biographies of the heroes, and no campaign has been hinted at. However, there is a cinematic trailer which tells the story of a war with a protective organization Overwatch and a terrorist cell Talon. This is further hinted at in the bios of each hero. There is also emphasis on an attempted AI takeover called the Omnic Crisis. The game takes place in first person mode. There are two announced modes: Point Capture, where each team tries to control the points on the map, and Payload, pushing a cart past checkpoints while encountering resistance. The game draws many similarities with Team Fortress 2 of Valve, including the graphic style and also the concept or multiple “heroes” to switch between during the match. The special abilities of each character are what makes this game different than all other shooters. Like a MOBA, each special ability has a cooldown and is unique to that character. Each hero’s abilities also have a theme, such as time control or Green lantern-esque creation. Each character also has a suggested role in the team, although it does not have to be followed. There is Offense, Defense, Support and Tank. Each role characteristically shares stats; for example, all Tanks have high health. Overall, Overwatch is a worthwhile game for fans of shooters.
PIXELATED / Spring Issue
by Henry Wildermuth
THE ORDER: 1886 GAMEPLAY STILL
PIXELATED /Spring Issue
VIDEO GAMES
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THE ORDER: 1886 by Stephen Angelakos
The Order: 1886 is a single-player third-person shooter. The game was published by Sony Computer Entertainment, and developed by Ready at Dawn. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Sony Computer Entertainment, they are a Japanese multinational video game company. They have developed many best sellers in the gaming world, such as The Last of Us, the Uncharted series, and inFamous Second Son. The Order: 1886 is unfortunately a PlayStation exclusive. I prefer games to be for multi-platforms so every console and/ or handheld can enjoy the game. The game released on February 20, 2015 internationally. The Order: 1886 takes place in 19th century Victorian-Era London, where a secret group called The Order protects the city from half-breeds, who are half animal and half man. The half-breeds originated around the 17th or 18th centuries when normal humans took upon themselves animal like traits. From there war broke out, and the humans were losing against these beasts. Out of luck, The Order discovered a liquid called Blackwater, which extends human lifetime and gives healing powers. This was a great advantage to the humans, but what really helped them was the Industrial Revolution. Engineers developed advanced technological items for the time period to defeat the half-breeds. In my opinion, the story line could’ve been much longer than it actually was, and since it was so short, this is what really lowered the lasting appeal of the game. Once you finished the campaign, there was not much else to do afterward. You navigate throughout London as Sir Galahad, an elite member of the Knights. Galahad battles the half-breeds in order to secure peace and order throughout London. Some of the advanced technological weapons that came out the Industrial Revolution include the Arc Gun, Thermite Rifle, and the Monocular. My favorite weapon in the game is the Thermite Rifle. The weapon works in a very strange way, and is very unique compared to the other weapon in the game. The first shot releases a cloud of magnesium that surrounds the enemy, and then the second shot is an explosive that ignites the cloud of dust and damages anyone in the radius of the blast. Overall, this was a great and enjoyable game. I would have very much enjoyed a multiplayer feature for the game, because I always enjoy interacting and playing with other players online. Other than that, this game turned out a success.
UNCOVERING THE MYSTERIES BEHIND THE DEEP WEB
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sites and news sources have been hoping to take the mystery out of the deep web in order to prevent nosy and unsuspecting people from accessing information they had no business trying to access in the first place. Trying to access the deep web is extremely dangerous and risky and it should not be attempted by anyone for any reason. There is a reason why the information on the deep web is purposely buried so deep in the Internet, and it should not be accessed by anyone in any way, shape or form.
FEATURED
The “deep web” is a fittingly ominous nickname used to describe content inaccessible by standard search engines and websites, while the “surface web” is the web content we all have had access to since we first started using computers. The most common way of accessing the deep web is through the Tor browser, a network designed to keep systems involved in the hotbed of illegal activity in the deep web anonymous and intractable. It is estimated that the deep web is 400 times larger than the surface web. The terms deep web and dark web are often times used interchangeably, albeit incorrectly. While both terms are related to the information impossible to access with standard search engines, the term “dark web” describes the Tor network used between servers on the deep web and their clients. The deep web, however, is the actual content of what exists besides the standard World Wide Web. The deep web is home to both criminal and noncriminal activity, with noncriminal activity including people anonymously broadcasting to the world events unfolding in their home countries who don’t want to have to worry about government surveillance. While the deep web can be and has been used harmlessly by radio stations, religious groups and whistleblowers alike, its reputation mainly comes from the immense hotbed of illegal activity and extremely disturbing content located on webpages, chat rooms, forums and more. Information on spyware, malware, fake passports, illicit substances, hitmen-for-hire and everything in between is easily accessible once on the deep web. One of the most notorious deep web sites was “Silk Road,” a website dedicated to the selling and distribution of a whole array of illegal drugs, and the materials and supplies needed make them. The website was eventually shut down by the FBI and the mastermind behind the site is serving a life prison sentence. With standard browsers like Tor making it easy (and free) for the average person to access parts of the deep web, all it takes is one wrong click on your part to send the FBI knocking at your door. Now that the deep web has become less of an urban legend and more of a reality, standardized web-
PIXELATED / Spring Issue
By Cara Hernandez
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PIXELATED /Spring Issue
FEATURED
STEPHEN AMELL IN ARROW
ARROW by Armand Dang After a good first season, and a spectacular second season, “Arrow” struggled to continue its momentum in season three. There were some high points in the season, as new heroes and villains were introduced, but what resulted in the utter failure of this season was the show’s inability to effectively wrap up in the Oliver Queen/Ra’s al Ghul conflict in a satisfying way. Season three starts off on a very high note with the first episode, “The Calm”. This episode lays out a status quo for Team Arrow post-Slade uprising, which occurred in season two. In this episode we see that Oliver is having trouble finding meaning in his existence outside of fighting criminals. This struggle becomes complicated when Ray Palmer, a clever businessman,
manages to steal Oliver’s company and the affection of Felicity Smoak, Oliver’s assistant. This episode sets a very high bar, one that the rest of the season is unfortunately not able to meet. The season had a very start-and-stop feeling, as when one episode would have a cool twist and seem to indicate a new direction, the next few episodes would slow down, and it would seem to drag. It took a while for Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins to emerge as the clear villains of the season and it took a while for the viewers to even learn how they posed a threat to Starling City. The first half of the season was focused on subplots like Laurel’s boxing training and Oliver’s search for his sister; therefore, there is not much momentum until the middle of the season. In the two epi-
WILLA HOLLAND IN ARROW
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FEATURED
Although this season was overall disappointing, there were a few good things to take away from this season. The fighting scenes were excellent and are much improved from the first two seasons. This can be attributed to the addition of Roy and Laurel to Team Arrow and the appearance of the Flash, which allowed for a lot of options when making these fight scenes. Also, in this season the supporting cast had a much larger role, which was partially due to the addition of Ray Palmer. There was a lot riding on the season three finale, “My Name is Oliver Queen”, and it wasn’t much of a surprise that it landed with a thud. It focused too much on incorporating elements from the past season finales. Viewers can only hope that season four will be radically different, as the cast and crew have promised. The six episodes that have been released have been sensational. The flashbacks have improved, and the show is now a lot more engaging, viewers hope that this can continue throughout the rest of the season.
PIXELATED / Spring Issue
sodes, “The Brave and the Bold” and The Climb,” there is an extended crossover between Team Arrow and Team Flash, which pleased the fans of both shows. These episodes also contained an amazing fight between Oliver and Ra’s al Ghul in Nanda Parbat. Their cliff top duel was easily the best fighting scene the show has seen. These episodes made it seem like the show was going to pick up momentum; however, it returned to the slow pace that it had in the first half of the season. One aspect of this show that separates it from others is the flashbacks. But the flashbacks in this season were as disappointing as the season itself and contributed to the lack of momentum. Season one’s flashbacks showcased the hardships Oliver endured on the island and showed him turning from a carefree playboy into a warrior. Season two’s flashbacks continued this process while also building up and then tearing down the bond between Oliver and Slade. Despite the fact that Oliver was no longer on the island, and the surprising return of Oliver’s deceased best friend, Tommy Merlyn, the flashbacks in this season were dull and repetitive.
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PODCASTS by Orion Lehoczky-Escobar
PIXELATED /Spring Issue
FEATURED
THE CAST OF MEN IN BLAZERS
The podcast has enjoyed a period of stunning growth in recent years. An audio file that is recorded and subsequently downloaded onto a device for later playback, the podcast is an incredibly versatile medium, lending itself to many kinds of creative expression. A common way to explain a podcast to non-listeners is to describe it as a kind of radio show which may be listened to at any time. A sound or video is recorded and made available through the Internet. There are several ways of distributing podcasts, such as by website or through podcast apps on a mobile device such as a smartphone. Podcasts are generally free to the public. However, the usual way for a producer of a podcast (a “podcaster”) to obtain revenue from a podcast is to sell advertising clips scattered throughout the show. Common places for short advertisements are at the beginning, end, or halfway points of the show. Another way to make money podcasting (although not all podcasters do so) is to have tie-in products such as shirts or coffee mugs. How did this now-common phenomenon originate? The use of the word “podcast,” possibly first used in a Guardian article on February 12, 2004 (“But what to call it? Audioblogging? Podcasting? GuerillaMedia?”) has increased dramatically since its creation. When plugged into Google’s Ngram Viewer, a tool for measuring word frequency, its use more than doubled from 2004 to 2008. However, even in more recent years, podcasting has experienced a surge in popularity. One contributing factor has been the extreme success of a crime podcast named “Serial,” whose first season explored in great detail the 1999 strangling of Baltimore high school senior Hae Min Lee and her ex-boyfriend’s subsequent conviction and current life sentence. This
season made “Serial” the fastest podcast to ever reach five million downloads on the iTunes Store, and it introduced many now-listeners to podcasts. How can you listen to a podcast? Download a podcasting app, and then subscribe to a podcast. Apps can be downloaded from almost every app platform, and ‘subscribing’ to a podcast is signing up for that feed, which allows the user to download episodes from that feed. Either back-episodes or current ones! My favorite app is the ShiftyJelly-produced Pocket Casts ($5.99 iPhone/$3.99 Android,) which has an intuitive, clean interface. Although the iOS podcast app has recently been updated with the release of iOS 9, problems I have had in the past with it lead me to distrust it slightly. Another alternative to a generic podcast app (not that those are necessarily inferior) is Overcast, which has a less clean interface (scrolling required, in comparison to Pocket Casts) but is free and worth downloading to see if you prefer it.
ALEX BLUMBERG FROM PLANET MONEY
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FEATURED
chael Davies discuss the week’s soccer news. The Light Bulb from StoryWonk, which examines the stories and narratives prevalent in popular culture in a weekly show. The Journeyman Writer from StoryWonk, which gives writing advice and encouragement to would-be novelists, poets, or authors. Welcome to Night Vale from Commonplace Books, in which host Cecil Baldwin narrates a fiction story written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor approximately biweekly.
PIXELATED / Spring Issue
Once you have downloaded a podcast app, you need to subscribe to a podcast. Several podcasts which I enjoy are: Reply All from Gimlet Media, which has interesting weekly stories about the Internet, tangentially exploring related and adjacent topics. Startup, also from Gimlet Media, which conveys, in a season format, what it’s like to really found a business (two companies have been covered so far, including Gimlet itself). Planet Money, from NPR, which, weekly, presents eclectic, but relevant, economic topics. Men in Blazers from Embassy Row, in which the entertaining soccer pundits Roger Bennett and Mi-
COME WRITE FOR PIXELATED! Contact Danny Jin through the email below.
Danny_Jin@horacemann.org
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