P WER MAGAZINE
Magazine Highlights December 2015
A New Start
pg 24
Windows is great again
With Windows 10, the Windows you love is back.
The New BYOD
pg 16
Build your own device It’s easy, fun and fast
Tech On Your Wrist
pg 34
Smartwatch wars
We rate tech’s best smartwatches
High Speed Technology
pg 8
Go-Kart tech
See the tech behind real racing
Video Game Development pg 42
Bethesda+AMD
Find out how the best games are made
Only the Best Teams
Petronas From the road to the race track, Petronas out performs in any condition.
in Formula 1 Use
Oil
Mercedes AMG Petronas only uses
Petronas Oil
Power Magazine
12
2015 Top Smartphones
14
Top New Games of 2015
22
iPad Pro vs. Surface Pro 4
32 40
Battle of the Browsers The Inside of an F1 Car
Magazine at a glance
Welcome! How can I help you today
Power Magazine
Letter from the Editors
6
34 Contributors
Smart Watches
7
Comparing old and new models
Custom Computers
Things to consider before buying a pre-built computer
Technology in Racing The parts of an F1 car and how they work
8
Game Development How Game Development Works
16
Windows 10 The Complete Review
42 24 POWER MAGAZINE 05
W
Letter from the Editor
e live in a day and age when everything is ruled by technology. Think about it. What did you do when you woke up today? You probably rolled out of bed (woken up by an alarm clock), put on some clothes and brushed your teeth. Did you use a rechargeable toothbrush? Then, you probably picked up your phone to check your email and messages, a hugely capable device thanks to technology. At work, you primarily use your laptop along with services like Gmail and Dropbox, made possible by the internet, servers, ethernet, you name it! Technology surrounds us, and it’s an essential part of our daily lives. So if we live and breathe technology, shouldn’t we get to know it a little better? Here at Power Magazine, that’s what we’re all about: rating the best phones, discovering the new features, going in depth with the new software, and all the way to technology that powers our favorite activities. In fact, this magazine itself wouldn’t be possible without the Macs we designed it on, or the Adobe software we used. And who would’ve thought that 5-inch rectangles in our pockets would be the key to global communication? Technology allows us to do things that we couldn’t even imagine. It’s the very stuff that makes dreams possible.
Dream on,
Cameron Kleiman Design Editor in Chief
Noah Gershoff Management Editor in Chief
POWER MAGAZINE 06 POWER MAGAZINE
Contributors Noah Gershoff Noah Gershoff has interest in everything that is related to cars. He keeps up with all events taking place at professional levels in racing. He often participates in kart racing and aspires to become professional Formula 1 racer himself.
Josh Nutson Josh Nutson started building computers in the summer of 2015, and was interested in them ever since. He is preparing to build another computer, and he wants to inform others about the process and tell what it is like.
Cameron Kleiman Cameron Kleiman is a computer fanatic. He loves computers and the software that makes them work. He mainly prefers Windows and Android operating systems. He is a Windows Insider which gives him early access to new Windows operating systems.
Aaron Wheatley Aaron Wheatley is an avid gamer. He spends a lot of time gaming and watching gameplay from all of the new games. He follows all major conventions and announcements, and also watches a lot of professional level gaming.
Taka Koutsomitopoulos Taka Koutsomitopoulos is interested in the recent advances in portable technologies, as well as their practicality. He enjoys learning about the smartwatches, particularly those that are compatible with Android devices. He also is interested in computers and PC gaming.
POWER MAGAZINE 07
The Technology of Rac
technology of racing and how it applys to the ----------------------------------------
A driver is someone who The racer drives their car for fun on a sunny day. A driver is
someone who says they “know� how to drive fast. But when it comes down to it, they know very little about the reality of racing. A driver is nothing compared to a racer. A racer is someone who can put the power down and hammer out a fast lap in the nick of time.
By: Noah Gershoff
cing
e sport
Photo By: Mercedes AMG Petronas
A
Photo: Broch Evans
A racer is someone who has been committing to hours of work into figuring out the perfect line through a corner, or finding the shift point on the rev limiter, or how to control a slide. All this training is great for a racing mindset, but what is a racer without a ride, a rider without his steed. A racer needs the top tier of car: half power, half body. A car so powerful if you don’t use it well, it will tear you to shreds. The car must be top tier, but in order for a car to be the best of the best, it must have the top tier of technology to assist it. We asked experts Broch Evans, 2nd place champion of the Texas Prokart Challenge, and Chris Kudla, member of the University of Texas Formula SAE club, for information on the technology in the sport. Evans races in the prokart challenge and is testing for Formula Mazda and is very experienced with the technology in a kart such as the But how do you stop this 140+ mph machine from tearing you to shreds? With technology. Evans is a racer, with honed instincts and a yearn for the win. Evans drives his S2 class kart in the Texas Prokart Challenge. He uses basic technology to control his kart such as a built-in GPS on his kart, which maps the track he is racing around. He
Broch Evans drives his Intrepid Kart around the Hill Country Kart Club also uses a built-in monitoring system that Evans uses an AIM MyChron 4 to map monitors his gear changes, acceleration the track while he races using the GPS and braking to find optimal points of shiftsoftware installed in the MyChron ing and 4. Along with being able to map the acceleration. track, the MyChron is able to record Recently Evans the RPM of the car throughout a lap, competed in the Texas prokart challenge record the shift times in relation to the under the S2 class of karts. He finished RPM, and the acceleration and braksecond in the standings in his class. Evans ing times. At the end of the day, all of has been racing for 11 years since he was the recorded data can be uploaded to three and a half when he learned to race a computer to be viewed in a software at the Driveway, Austin, a privately owned that renders a map of the track and and operated race track on the east side shows acceleration and deceleraof Austin . He is very experienced with the tion points through different corners. sport and has advanced to Formula Mazda From that data, the driver cap find out testing this year. Even though he is a state whether his shifts were as efficient as renowned racing driver, he can’t win withthey could have been, if the driver was out a car to take him there. Evans drives an accelerating enough out of any given Intrepid Raptor with 10 HP and can go 140+ corner, or braking at the proper brakmph. Using the technology on the kart, he ing points through a corner. The softhas been able to be very successful with ware also records top speed, corner his racing series. The technology he uses speed and G-forces from start to finish is a monitoring software, GPS, and a corner in a lap of the track. mapping software to keep himself on track The top speed of the kart will to the podium. tell the engineer how to edit the gear
“The average S2 can pull up to a g-force of four times normal gravity, go to 0-60 in under or at three seconds, and top out at 140+ miles per hour.” - Broch Evans
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“Other drivers and myself included utilize gps [MyChron 4] and active engine monitoring technology while on and off track. While on track, we can see our speed, engine rpm, engine temperature, and our lap times. Once we finish our race or practice we can upload the data to a computer to see what we were doing while on track as a whole lap.”
- Broch Evans
tuning to best suit the tracks speed while the driver can tell how many Gs were being pulled and how to adjust the load of the kart to better suit certain corners. The monitoring program is a very useful tool the drivers can use. The cornering speed can be very helpful to see how the kart handles different types of corners such as chi-
“They help show you the most efficient way to get around a track in the least amount of time,” - Broch Evans
Photo: Longhorn Racing
canes, hairpins, long sweepers and sharp lefts and rights. Another category of racing is Formula SAE, which is an international university racing league.
“I would say that Formula SAE is generally a smaller and lower budgeted version of F1. In both we are trying to have the best times for different aspects of building a racecar, but the difference in this is that it is to learn how to build cars, not solely to race them.” - Chris Kudla
Even though there are lots of different types of technology in karting, another type of racing is Formula SAE where drivers are in custom built F1-like cars with custom technology to power them. Kudla is a member of the UT Formula SAE club where he works on the car with the club every saturday from 9 to 9 or later. In formula SAE, teams from schools across the nation that compete in a scaled down version of F1 at historic race tracks. such as the Michigan International Speedway. Even though this is a seemingly downscaled version of F1, the cars are built on a much lower budget resulting in lower technology options such as a manual shifter, custom wiring and a custom electronics. .The custom wiring of the car allows for the wire type and length to be modified for better performance throughout the car. The custom electronics allow for higher communication between car and computer and team to driver allowing for potentially faster lap times
The 2015 Longhorn Racing Formula SAE Car races at the 2015 Formula SAE Championships
POWER MAGAZINE 11
power magazine smartphone awards
POWER MAGAZINE
2015’s Top Smartphones
Nexus 5X
by Cameron Kleiman
Quick Specs: 12 MP SD 808 2 GB 379
6.0 5.2”
1080p LCD
2700 Front
C
The Google Nexus 5X is the successor to the incredibly popular Nexus 5, also manufactured by LG. This version packs some high end specs for a small price, like the original Nexus 5. Plus, the fingerprint sensor is lightning fast, and the new USB-C is included. If you liked the Nexus 5 or small phones, this one’s your best bet.
$
Oneplus 2
comes with top of the line specs that you might expect Oneplus is a Chinese company out of a phone with small beginnings known much cheaper. for making premium phones at However, just until a not-so-premium price. Now recently, it was they’re very difficult to buy back at it and it lacks some with the features like NFC Oneplus that some Android 2. This fans like. Still, it’s a phone’s good buy. build Quick Specs: certainly 389 feels like it’s worth 13 MP hundreds SD 810 more than 4 GB it is. It
5.5” 1080p LCD 5.1 Bottom 3300 m C
12 POWER MAGAZINE
2
Moto X 2015 STYLE / PURE EDITION
The 2015 Moto X is definitely the most customizable and userfriendly phone on this list. The latest version updates it with new specs and a crazy 21 megapixel camera. However, it does lack a fingerprint sensor, but Stock Android and the included ‘Moto’
tools make its software exceptional. The curved back feels nice in the hand and upon purchase, buyers can use multiple colors and accents to make their own unique design at only $399. Quick Specs: 399 21 MP SD 808 3GB 5.7” QuadHD LCD 5.1 Front 3000 m M
about this comparison
Android
is the smartphone OS of choice for many tech enthusiasts, for a number of reasons, one of which is customizability. Developed by Google, Android is open source, and there are a wide variety of phones and apps for the OS. Many of today’s best popular phones run Android, and as a tech enthusiast magazine, this comparison is exclusive to the best Android phones of 2015.
The Google Nexus 6P, manufactured by Huawei, uses the same top-ofthe-line camera from the Nexus 5X, lightning-fast fingerprint sensor and comes with Android straight from Google, same as the 5X. Its metal body feels great in the hand and looks professional. Plus, it comes with a Snapdragon 810 processor and 3 GB of RAM for buttery smooth performance, and the 5.7” Quad HD AMOLED screen looks great. And it’s only $499. You just simply can’t go wrong with this phone.
SAMSUNG GALAXY
Note 5
Didn’t think you’d be impressed with a phone design from Samsung? Neither did we, until the Note 5 was brought in line with Samsung’s new design guidelines. Naturally, this phone is feature packed, with Samsung’s tweaks called TouchWiz, and it’s also expensive. It’s built with premium materials, has an amazing camera (naturally), and a great fingerprint sensor. This phone is
C
honorable mentions
HTC One A9
The HTC One A9 is commonly referred to as the ‘Android iPhone,’ which isn’t incorrect. It’s designed exactly like an iPhone, with a fingerprint sensor and all. It comes with Android Marshmallow 6.0 out of the box, but unfortunately, the processor isn’t quite as high-end and it comes with HTC pre-installed software.
Sources: The Verge Reviews and GSM Arena
Nexus 6P
Quick Specs: 499 12 MP SD 810 3 GB 5.7” AMOLED QuadHD 6.0 Front 3450 m
Blackberry Priv crazy fast with Samsung’s Exynos 7420 processor and its AMOLED QuadHD screen is gorgeous, but it’s just too expensive. If you’ve got the cash, however, it’s worth a buy. Quick Specs: 740 16 MP SE 7420 4 GB 5.7” QuadHD AMOLED
5.1 Bottom 3000 m M
Not often does a company like BlackBerry get so much hype over one of it’s phones but that hasn’t $$$ stopped people from saying “BlackBerry...made an Android phone...with a physical keyboard!” While it does come with some neat software and some high end specs, it’s expensive and buggy. However, it’s still BlackBerry’s best phone in years so it’s worth getting hyped about.
REVIEW SUMMARY For tech, 2015 has been somewhat along the lines of “The Year of Great Phones.” We’ve seen so many new phones that instead of asking “What’s right with this phone?” we ask “what’s wrong?” In fact, picking any of the phones on this page would leave you perfectly happy and even pleased! However, this review is about finding the best of the best, and you simply can’t get better than the Nexus 6P.
Icon Key:
2
Dual SIM
OS Version
Battery Size
Fingerprint
Speaker
Camera
RAM
Processor
MicroSD
Fast Charging
Screen
C
M
Port Type
Wireless Charging
POWER MAGAZINE 13
Top Games to play Now! By Aaron Wheatley
Call of Duty: Black OPS 3
Call of duty has been around for a long time. It has been one of the best multiplayer first person shooters in the history of gaming. The newest installment felt like it was a little rushed, but there was good reason for it. The Xbox one and Playstation 4 were recently released and there were not any good multiplayer first person shooters. This brought the franchise to the Next Gen consoles. The gameplay is smooth and the graphics are great. The story, however, like the last games, was not very good. It feels more like run and gun the bad guys down. Overall, the gameplay is still great and the multiplayer is a very fun experience.
Photo by Flickr
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth The binding of Isaac Afterbirth is a game worth mentioning. It is a DLC that added a great amount of content to the game The Binding of Isaac rebirth. The gameplay was improved and it added hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Photo by Flickr
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Star Wars Battlefront Star Wars Battlefront is a remake of a game from 2004. Dice, who made Battlefield, decided to take on the challenge of creating a remake of a very well respected game. Using a variation of the Battlefield engine, they created a beautiful mix of Battlefield and Star Wars. The graphics are some of the best that have been released. They look very lifelike and the animations are smooth and controlled. The shooting if good, but it is a little unbalanced. Some game modes are hard to win at, but overall it is very good.
Photo by Flickr
The fallout franchise is famous for being free and open world. You can choose how you form your character, and if they are a noble guardian of the wasteland or an evil villain that destroys everything and kills anything that moves. The gameplay in Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas was good, except the running mechanics and the gunplay. This appealed mainly to people that like role playing and not people so like shooters. Fallout 4 made the game more appealing to both kinds of players. They made the gunplay feel like the game is a first person shooter. They also added many of new features that let you lead a civilization and scrap everything to make new things. The graphics are a little out of date but they are still good. It has a good story and tons of side quests. You can replay of many times and have an entirely different experience each time.
Fallout 4
Photo by Flickr
Just Cause 3
Just cause 3 has been expected for a long time. The game is very free and has mechanics that make you feel like batman with grappling hooks, parachutes, and powerful explosives. You play as the heroic Rico Rodriguez on the island of Medici. He is a rebel trying to overthrow the corrupt regime of General Di Ravello. The mechanics are good and it is very fun and silly. It is a great casual game, but there are still quite a few glitches.
Photo by Flickr
Developers Bethesda: Fallout 4
Avalanche: Just Cause 3
Nicalis: Binding Of Isaac Afterbirth
Activision: Call of Duty Black OPS 3
Dice Studios: Star Wars Batlefront
POWER MAGAZINE 15
RASPBERRY PI
Build it!
By Josh Nutson
16 POWER MAGAZINE
Photo by Lucasbosch
P
icking the perfect computer for you requires patience and some research. The computer should mold to the basic needs of the user, not confuse them. A computer should be a tool for productivity or an outlet from stress. Whether you’re starting your own business or trying to get the best performance for gaming, there is a computer for you. But what if there isn’t a computer that fits just right? Well, with a little extra research and some dedication, you can build your own. A computer that does everything you want it to do and nothing else. Computers have become a common household object in the modern day. Most people don’t even consider building their own computer or paying someone else to build a computer with custom parts. Most people just go to the nearest technology store and buy whatever the employees tell them
POWER MAGAZINE 17
Photo by Colin Media
to buy. There are a few baseline reasons why you may want to consider building your own computer, and most of them have something to do with. Kevin Stich, an experienced computer builder and Computer Industry employee, started out by playing with an old desktop that wasn’t running as well as he is liked. “I opened it up to see about replacing some fans and cleaning it out.” He eventually took the whole thing apart and started swapping older parts with newer, and putting the desktop back together. Stich built his first machine during his freshman year of college (2005), and has basically been building ever since. “As long as you have a strong sense of wanting to learn something new you can build a computer.” Some say building a computer is about patience and commitment, but Kevin Stich gave one simple quality: Curiosity. “If you’re curious enough about anything you’ll find a way to make it work.” Youtube is a great source of information, and other forums like Newegg provide specifics like part compatibility. Stich said only basic knowledge of computer parts and their functions are necessary to build your first machine. “If you really want to learn how computers work, and want to design the components get a degree in computer engineering.” The biggest advantages to building your
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own computer can be categorized into two main parts: price and customization options. Custom computers give you the ability to choose which parts you put your money into instead of buying the best parts on the market that may not be necessary to your build. For example, you don’t need to pay fifty dollars for an optical drive (disk drive), and you probably won’t need to buy a $250 graphics card if you are using creating powerpoints and documents. You can prioritize where you want to spend your money in your computer based on what you want your computer to be used for. Charlie Doyle, a student at Anderson High School, has a different take on custom computers. Instead of building and rebuilding new computers, Doyle decided to build a single computer with parts that are compatible, add on to that build instead of building a new machine after a certain period of time. He, like many others in the custom PC community built his computer over two years ago, but has kept it at optimal speed by adding new parts. Doyle said “adding on to a current computer is better than buying (or building) a new one because it’s cheaper and more versatile to change in the future.” Doyle says all of his parts are up to date because he has only bought new parts if he needed them rather than buying the
“As long as you have a strong sense of wanting to learn something new you can build a computer.” -Kevin Stich best model for every part in the computer. Building your own computer takes patience, and some trial and error. But of course, before you put your parts together, you need to do your research. According to Charlie Doyle, picking parts and making sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck is the most important, and time consuming part of building a computer. When picking parts you need to ensure that you are picking parts that will not only be compatible with each other, but make your computer faster. For example, power sources are pretty easygoing as far as compatibility, but if you buy a CPU that does not mesh well with your power source, you will be using more power than you need. The machine will still work, but your electricity bill may spike. Whitson Gordon is the Editor-Chief of LifeHacker, a weblog whose posts cover a wide range of topics relating to technology. Gordon said “once you the basics down, building a computer only takes a couple hours.” Along with Doyle, Gordon also said “for beginners, researching and picking parts is absolutely the most time consuming part of building a computer.” He said even your first time building a computer shouldn’t take more than an after, but your research can take a lot longer. Gordon emphasizes how much longer it will take when you are building your first machine. When you are doing your research Gordon said “you’ll be learning a lot about what each part does, the different parts available, and how to pick the ones that fit your needs best.” Gordon has written many helpful articles that provide the basic steps of the process of building a computer. He goes over hardware basics, choosing your parts, and the step-by-step
procedure of building the actual computer. Since Gordon gives alternate websites that provide parts to get or other tips, he does not have to update his article for it to stay updated. Gordon’s go-to resources for building a PC consisted of guides and forums that dealt with issues during the process, or gave tips on what parts to use that fit your budget. Now the question may be asked: “What if I want a custom computer, but don’t have the time or feel like building it myself.” There are many websites that allow you to pick your parts and view a digital prototype of what you computer will look like before you order it. This allows the customer to have their own computer without putting any Photo by Cmccarthy8
This is one of AVADirect’s gaming computers. It is a Custom X99 Intel Core i7 Gaming Computer. POWER MAGAZINE 19
Photo by LifeHacker.com
Whitson Gordon, Editor in chief at LifeHacker, was interviewed for this Story. He has build over 20 computers with his own two hands, and is extremely experienced in the custom computer industry.
effort into building the actual computer. The only drawback to getting a computer through a website or company is price. The computer you build could cost even more than a branded computer of equal strength because your computer must be built by hand. Sacrificing the price drop of building your own computer is often what causes people not to go through a website that builds it
for you. It comes down to which you value more: time or money. If you don’t mind the extra fee, routing your parts through a company that builds it for you is well worth it, but it doesn’t permit you to have the satisfaction of building your own computer.
Photo by mountaincustomcomputer.com
“It’s really something else when you punch the power button on the PC you built and something actually pops up on the screen.” -Charlie Doyle This is one of Mountain Custom Computer’s latest models. It exhibits green LED backlighting. 20 POWER MAGAZINE
Custom PC - Orange Liquid Cooling
Photo by Dave Monk
This custom computer features an orange and blue color scheme. The motherboard and fan have blue LED lighting, and the wiring of the PC is a combination of blue and orange. The case is orange and blue, and tubing is orange as well.
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21
The iPad Pro
In the past year, two tremendously important devices were released, one from Apple and one from Microsoft. Each has amazing specs and design, but which is better?
Basic Information The iPad Pro is a tablet that is designed to be light, portable, fast, and familiar to iOS lovers throughout the world. Although it has the capabilties to do work, the tablet-like operating systems and limitations, as well as expensive keyboard and stylus make it hard to do work(theVerge).
OS: iOS 9
Prices
The iPad Pro comes in a few options with different capabilites, like storage and cellular connectivity. The 32 GB Wifi Model costs $799(Apple). The 128 GB Wifi Model costs $949(Apple). The 128 GB Wifi + Cellular Model costs $1079(Apple). In addition, the apple pencil costs $99.00, and the keyboard costs $169.00(Apple).
Features
Complete with a powerful processor, giant screen, keyboard/Apple Pencil compatibility, and long battery life, the iPad Pro is ideal for working, playing, and relaxing. Although the operating system, iOS 9, makes it hard to run useful work programs, the sleek design and UI makes buyers want it.
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Camera
Screen
The iPad Pro has a 12.9 inch display (2732 x 2048 res) with 264 ppi (Gizmodo). Although larger than the Surface Pro, it is hard to determine if the space is needed
The front facing camera on the new iPad Pro has 1.2 MP with 720p HD video recording(30 fps). The back camera has 8 MP with 1080p HD video(30 fps), as well as slow motion(120 fps) (Gizmodo).
The Surface Pro 4 Screen
12.3 inch display(2736 x 1824 res) with 267 ppi(Gizmodo)
Prices & Models
The Surface Pro 4 has up to 10 options, each varying in price in capabilities. The cheapest option, with 4 GB of Memory, a Intel Core M3 processor, and 128 GB SSD, costs $899(Microsoft). If you customize your Surface Pro 4 with the most memory(16 GB), the best available processor(Intel Core i7), and more storage(1 TB SSD) the price increases to $2699(Microsoft).
OS: Windows 10
Camera
The front facing camera on the new Surface Pro 4 has 5.0 MP, while the back camera has 8.0 MP, as well as 1080p HD Video Recording(Microsoft)
Basic Information
The Surface Pro 4 is the latest generation in the Surface Pro series, a group of small, portable, tablet-like laptops which are designed to replace the standard computer(CNET).
Features
The Surface Pro 4 is best with its keyboard(purchased separately) and its stylus. However, the fact that this “laptop“ runs Windows 10 makes the keyboard absolutely vital(CNET).
POWER MAGAZINE 23
CHANGE
is in the air by Cameron Kleiman
With version 10,
the Windows you love is back and better than ever. Photo Credit: Microsoft
W
indows 8 began with an idea and an assumption: People use their phones more than any other device; so, PCs should work like phones. On this concept, Windows 8 was born. Microsoft presented the OS’s new Start screen
as a bold reimagination of the start menu: touch friendly and always showing you the most important information. The new multitasking method was designed to be innovative as well, with gestures allowing for switching apps and snapping windows.
Finally, there was the Charms bar: a little panel on the side of the screen, activated by a swipe and holding the most important settings and useful features. In building Windows 8, Microsoft apparently forgot that PCs were
primarily, and still are, mouse and keyboard devices. In their assumption, Microsoft was left with something inherently wrong. In fact, PCs shouldn’t work like phones because people don’t use PCs like phones. Speaking personally, Patrick Griffin, a PC industry employee who works marketing Windows, thinks that “[Windows 8] had a new interface...and different types of applications...[so] it wasn’t very well received... and there were some usability issues.” With the new interface,
“
Windows 8 had a new interface and some usability issues
”
Calling all Windows Fans! The Start menu is back with Windows 10!
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Photo Credit: Microsoft
using Windows 8 with a mouse and keyboard was downright awful. Menus, designed to be accessible with a simple swipe in, were impossible to use without a touch screen. The desktop interface that PC fans knew and loved was reduced to a single tile on the Start screen, and simple tasks, like shutting down the computer, were buried in new menus and features that users didn’t understand. In short, Windows 8 was an interface disaster. With Windows 8, Microsoft ended up alienating many of its most avid PC fans. Instead of upgrading to Windows 8, some PC users and businesses decided instead to opt with the older Windows 7, an operating system very well received by customers and by far more popular. Windows 8 was full of design issues and failed to get app developers and users excited about the new interface. What attempted to be a forward thinking interface instead was a confusing new system of interaction with design errors all over the place. PC sales began declining, as users switched to Macs to spare them from the restraining interface of Windows 8. It seemed PCs were becoming ever increasingly unpopular. For Microsoft, however, all hope was not lost. PC users wanted their streamlined interface and powerful features of Windows 7, and Microsoft wanted to keep the forward thinking aspect of Windows 8. There was a compromise hiding somewhere, a win-win situation that could make Windows the most popular and most loved operating system again. It would return the glory days of
Photo Credit: Microsoft
optimistic about Windows 10, “The usability of it is much easier and it’s a much more stable operating system and it’s pretty well received.” The reason this version of Windows is such a big deal is anyone can get it. That’s right: If you’re running a computer with Win-
dows 7, 8, or 8.1, then you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free and take advantage of the new software. Furthermore, because Windows 10 is “the last version of Windows,” you’ll continue to receive all of the new updates and features straight from Microsoft. Currently, Windows 10 has been installed on more than 110 million devices, and many more will take advantage of the upgrade in the upcoming year, and Cortana has already answered more than a billion questions from users. Windows 10 has already proven to be promising. The real question is: can it become a success?
WHAT
First, it might help to have some background on Windows 10 to understand why it is such a big deal. Put simply, Windows 10 is the next iteration, or version, of the popular
Windows operating system. Microsoft released it on July 29th, and like any other operating system launch, it included new features to entice customers to upgrade their computers and buy new ones with the software pre-installed. However, unlike other versions of Windows,
“
The last version of Windows ”
Windows 10 will be offered as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8 users and Microsoft has no plans to release any new
Credit: Microsoft
“ It’s a much more stable operating system ”
The Surface Pro 4 is one of the best Windows Devices devices right now, and it runs out of the box with Windows 10.
Background: Microsoft Ninjacat
Windows when people bought a PC to get things done. The compromise worked like this: Microsoft would keep its Windows universal apps, its tiled start system, and even the awkwardat-first tablet interface, and PC users could have the awesome powerful interface they know and enjoy. For Microsoft, this new hope was Windows 10, and it just might be the smashing success Microsoft needs. Put simply, Windows 10 packs an innovative new Start menu that retains its usefulness, a new voice assistant that can perform tasks and lookup information, and all of the power features PC users enjoy plus some new ones. It’s a unique blend of the best features from Windows 7 and 8 that makes it extremely easy to use from first click, and its new features aren’t drastic changes but rather useful additions. “It was done right,” Patrick says,
POWER MAGAZINE 27
Cortana
Microsoft Edge
Windows Hello
Cortana’s voice search is placed conveniently right next to start button. It’s paired with a search feature and context aware hints.
Microsoft Edge is the new browser packaged with Windows 10 and it’s packed full of useful features and Cortana integration.
Windows Hello is the new way to log onto your computer without even typing in your password. Use your face or finger instead of a password.
versions; essentially, this means if your computer has Windows 10, your operating system will continue to receive support and updates from Microsoft. In fact, Microsoft even says they plan to deploy new features and tools over time instead of working on a new release of Windows. This concept is called “Windows as a Service,” based off the acronym “Software as a Service” or SaaS because Windows is no longer being provided to consumers as a product but instead a service receiving continual updates and fixes from Microsoft. Patrick thinks Windows as a Service (WaaS) allows for features to have a quicker time to market as opposed to old versions of Windows, when customers would have no idea what to expect from the next version of the software. “Now WaaS allows a much faster deployment of the features over a shorter period of time.” As for the new features of Windows, the headliners are likely to be Cortana, Windows Hello, Microsoft Edge, and the Start menu. The Start menu, most likely to be the headline feature, is
more useful than ever, combining the live tiles from Windows 8 and useful Search and All Programs list from Windows 7. The reason? Patrick thinks the start menu is back because there were some “usability problems with Windows 8.” He says, “[They] basically returned some old roots and old design features of…Windows 7. Things like the start button are much easier to access.”
from the Windows Store, now act as standalone desktop programs. In an effort to preserve the modern tablet interface of Windows 8, there is a new tablet mode that essentially does the opposite of desktop mode. Windowed desktop apps, like Word or Chrome, even work full screen as tablet apps in this mode, and the Start menu becomes full screen. The interface looks similar to a common Android tablet or iPad. For users with 2-in-1 computers that can easily switch between a touchscreen tablet and laptop computer, there is even a notification that pops up prompting the user to switch modes if they put the laptop in a tablet position or remove the keyboard. This can be especially useful if you’re on the go and need to switch from laptop to tablet but don’t want to lose what you’re working on. However, Microsoft didn’t pass up the opportunity to add a few new features with Windows 10, and some of these you might actually find quite useful. First, with Cortana, Microsoft combined the useful search feature from Windows 7 and added a number
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“ Windows as a service allows a much faster deployment of the features over a shorter period of time ” The Start menu isn’t the only thing back from Windows 7; in fact, the cohesive desktop interface returns, and Windows “universal apps”, or apps installed
of improvements, a contextaware personal assistant, and a voice activated search. Microsoft added natural language detection to search, so you can type “documents I worked on last week” to pull up exactly that. The new personal assistant is Cortana and she is deeply integrated across Windows 10. She keeps track of what you’re interested in and pulls information from your calendar to give you an agenda view along with interesting news articles and weather based on when it’s important to you. Just click the search bar on your desktop to be greeted with a page full of information. Cortana’s voice search allows you to train Cortana to your voice so it will launch whenever you say “Hey Cortana.” Best of all, it works with any microphone. It’s especially useful if you want to launch a program or send a text without digging through menus or opening programs. “It’s kind of like the Microsoft version of Siri to some extent.” Patrick says. His favorite part is when he gets alerts on
“ It’s kind of like the Microsoft version of Siri to some extent ”
Chrome and Firefox, and there’s even a start page that presents you with articles that you might want to read. Cortana integration is everywhere, so if you’re not sure what a word means or you want to look something up, just right click and press ‘Ask Cortana,’ and she’ll give you some quick information right in the browser. However, as good as Edge is, it’s lacking in some key features like extension support and useful menu options. It’s obvious Microsoft wants people to start using Microsoft Edge because it’s set as the default browser and changing that in Windows 10 is about twice as difficult. Finally, the last major improvement in Windows 10 is probably Windows Hello. This feature allows devices with fingerprint sensors and Infrared cameras to tap into a biometric framework built into Windows 10. Basically, this means when you want to unlock your computer, you no longer have to use a password if you have the right hardware. Right now, it supports fingerprint readers and IR cameras but more security technologies are sure to come. Patrick explained to me that Windows Hello isn’t only for logging you into your computer; it can log you into websites and programs on your computer too.
“[I]f you’re doing online banking or online whatever, you can actually log in with your face[, s] o you no longer have to remember passwords because your face is unique,” he says.
“ You no longer have to remember passwords because your face is unique ”
WHY
Now, it’s easy to pass off Windows 10 as “just another version of Windows,” but there’s a lot here that’s different. From the way it’s built, we can see that Windows 10 is meant to be “futureproof.” Background updates in the OS run automatically, constantly improving it with new updates and security. There’s a new way to log onto your computer using your body and feedback boxes all over the place. If there’s one thing
When your computer is ready to update to Windows 10, you’ll probably get a pop up looking something like this.
his phone telling him useful information like “Hey, it’s 13 miles to get home. It’s 20 minutes based on tonight’s traffic.” The new browser in Windows 10 is Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft is making a big push to get people to use it. Basically, it’s a replacement for Internet Explorer that doesn’t suck. It looks similar to common browsers like All photos Credit: Microsoft
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Microsoft’s pushing in Windows 10, it’s feedback and getting its operating system to users so they can test it. First, there’s the Windows Insider Program, which works like this: You sign up for the program and you get free copies of beta versions Windows 10 to test. Insiders then report back to Microsoft using the feedback boxes sprinkled all over the OS to provide them with suggestions. Windows Insiders are essential to Microsoft’s strategy because they thoroughly test the OS before the majority of users receive it. Patrick thinks that negative pushback against Windows 8 combined with positive feedback about Windows 7 helped to make Windows 10 a good combination and “much more…aligned with what customers expected.” The interesting part about Windows 10 is that it’s
“ Cortana and Hello are new and unique ways customers will interact with PCs ” in a unique position to become the most updated and popular operating system. For example, it’s not maintained by separate companies, leading to feature disparity and insecurity, as is the case with Android, nor does it run on a specific set of hardware and devices, like OS X and iOS. Windows is everywhere. It’s on the vast majority of computers, it’s trusted around the globe by users and companies everywhere, and people love Windows. Imagine never having to worry about updates, upgrading software, or compatibility. This is the dream of Windows 10. For users, Windows 10
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will definitely change the way they interact with technology. First, Cortana and Windows Hello speed up many frequent actions people do every day: accessing quick information, unlocking the PC and applications, and opening programs and files. Second, the free upgrade to Windows 10 brings Windows 7 and Windows 8 users feature parity and access to new Microsoft services, something Microsoft wasn’t able to do before Windows 10. Finally, multiple versions of Windows 10 for phones and tablets and especially, free Cortana and Office apps for iOS and Android are all part of Microsoft’s strategy to get users to use Microsoft software, and it’s working. According to Patrick, “features like Cortana and Windows Hello and the IR camera … are also new and unique ways customers will interact with PCs.” For businesses, Windows 10 also bears good news. The return to the desktop interface of Windows 7 definitely will please companies, and Windows 10 contains a more powerful feature set than ever before. As for when they’ll start using it, businesses are usually slower to adopt new versions of Windows than customers because rolling out software to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of users can be quite complicated and complex. However, Patrick thinks this shouldn’t be a problem: “[B]ecause of the features and the stability of Windows 10, they’re much more likely to transition over to Windows 10 sooner rather than the traditional transition timeline that they normally do.”
NEXT
Finally, the last question to answer about Windows 10 is what’s next? Well, right now, all we can assume is that Microsoft will keep pushing updates out to its group of Insiders, and after those updates have been vetted by the PC pros, they’ll get pushed out as quarterly or biannual updates to Windows. Windows 7 and Windows 8 users will
continue updating to Windows 10, until the deadline on July 29, 2015, and PC manufacturers will sell more computers with Windows 10 preinstalled. Based on some of the trends shown from Windows 10, we can presume that IR cameras and fingerprint sensors will become increasingly common, as they already are. Cortana will likely become ever more useful over time as she receives updates and feature enhancements. Also, we can expect to see the trend of “mobile computing” to continue, so 2-in-1s and tablet PCs aren’t going away anytime soon. According to Patrick, this trend can be attributed to smaller hardware leading to increased mobility. “[T] hese emerging technologies … allow for smaller and smaller products,” he says, “this phenomenon of the 2-in1… [is] part of that hardware trend as well.” From Microsoft’s perspective, the big challenge is keeping users excited about Windows and informing them about new features and updates. It wouldn’t be surprising if people are wondering where Windows 11 is in five years. The proverb “You can bring a horse to the water, but
“ these emerging technologies allow for smaller and smaller products ” you can’t make him drink” definitely applies here. Microsoft’s challenge is to get the die-hard PC fans and common users to take advantage of the new features in Windows 10 and change our PC habits as such. Without any new big Windows launches in the future, this might prove challenging. Another key
component to Microsoft’s strategy is locking in users to its apps. This has proven successful with free Office apps on iOS and Android, which millions of people enjoy today. As for Windows 10, that still remains to be seen. Windows 10 marks a turning point for Windows as a whole. If you’ve paid attention to all the buzz around Windows 10, you’ll notice a certain phrase pop up: “the next billion users.” These people are the
millennials who are owning a PC for the first time. These people are the ones who will start using the Office apps on their phone for the first time to write their documents. These are the ones who will sign up for Outlook.com as their first email. Microsoft’s challenge is to capitalize on these new users and make them loyal users of its software. Currently, 110 million people are using Windows 10; Microsoft’s goal is to bring that number up to 1
Real Windows 10 Users
billion by 2018. With the right mix of marketing, user feedback, and excitement, Windows 10 is already well ahead.
Action Center in Windows 10 provides a home for all your alerts
Ben Brutocao
When Windows 10 came out, Ben Brutocao was among the pumped Windows fans. He currently attends Liberal Arts and Science Academy High School and he uses Windows 10 on a daily basis. He says that after upgrading, it took a little bit of getting used to before he liked it, but he really enjoys some of the new features.
• First Impressions: “After using Windows 10 for a while, I have come to enjoy the easy to use interface and powerful operating system.” • Favorite Feature: New Start Menu • Uses Microsoft Edge “all the time.” • “Hands Down” More productive with Windows 10
Steve Caiola
Steve Caiola is much older than your average millennial but don’t let his appearance fool you. He’s an avid tech user and the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy S IV. He’s got a number of computers running Windows 10 and he uses it on a daily basis.
• First Impressions:
“not different from Windows 8, but a good bit different than Windows 7”
• Favorite Feature: Cortana • Uses Cortana often
“[I p]robably will learn to use it more as I substitute it for a mouse click on an app in the quickstart bar.”
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Battle of the Browsers 1
Google Chrome Google is a reliable browser with a simple user-friendly layout. The major feature that sets Chrome apart from other browsers is the massive array of addons and applications that you can download within Chrome. For example, Chrome has thousands of public themes that you can apply to your window for looks. From peaceful landscapes to current event themes, someone has thought of it and shared it with the Chrome Store. Chrome Store also allows you to create private, custom themes for your own window. Since Chrome is managed by Google, this browser gives you the opportunity to log in with your Google Account, giving you access to all of your files without having to login multiple times to view your own files. If you are a Google Account user Chrome is an essential browser to have on your device.
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Firefox Among most websites Firefox is the favorite browser over Chrome because of its slightly faster speed and ability to cater to advanced user’s needs while still being functionable for basic users. Firefox is the browser to use for advanced users who don’t have a Google Account, without competition. It is the fastest of all browsers, and exhibits a smooth look in contrast to Chrome’s more structured look.
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Comparison of the top browsers for your computer By Joshis Nutson Which Browser Best?
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Microsoft Edge
Edge is the baby of the browsers. It was originally created in 2014 as an exclusive browser to Windows 10. Edge is a branch from Microsoft’s browser Internet Explorer and was made to capture the full experience of Windows 10 in browsing. Since it is brand new, it has a few kinks that need to be sorted out, but it has the potential to surpass other browsers. From a visual standpoint, Edge showcases a clean, and simple look, which was a major appeal to users during the release of the browser. The piece that sets Edge apart from other browsers is the Web Note function. Web Note allows the user to highlight and draw on text or objects in the window. It essentially transforms your screen into your very own white board.
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Internet Explorer 11
If you are an advanced user in computers, or you’ve spoken to one about Internet Explorer, they will say it is the worst browser out of any others. Internet Explorer got this reputation because they kept a slow, and old version of their browser as their current browser and never updated it. Internet Explorer realized they needed an update, and came out with Windows 11, but it was too late. Most people are hesitant to even download 11, but ratings and reviews have said it is a huge step up from the older versions of IE, and that it is starting to rival browsers like Chrome and Firefox again. Internet Explorer may not be the best, but its recent leaps of progress show that it has the potential to be the top browser that it used to be.
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Photo Credit: Karlis Dambrans
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The Smartwatch By Taka Koutsomitopoulos
New Tech is Here. Now It’s On Your Wrist. See What People Think Of It
T
aking your shiny, new device out of the charger, you hit a couple of buttons on the brightly colored screen and start on your morning run. As the stopwatch and the pedometer tick on, you see the device map your usual route. Twenty minutes later, as you come to a stop, heart racing, breath quickening, your weekly progress comes up. Surprisingly, this device is not your phone. It is your smartwatch, a device of the future. “It just makes life simpler,” says ninth grader Cameron Kleiman, a student at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas. Both tech-lovers and others all know some of the companies that make smartwatches. Large companies, like Apple and Samsung, have made very popular smartwatches that many people have bought. Few people know about some of the lesser known smartwatches that have been created, like Motorola’s Moto 360 or the Pebble Watch. These new companies all offer a multitude of original functions. As each of these smartwatches are distinct in both price and applications, it is almost impossible for a modern, tech-enthused adult to choose between them. Fitness apps, day-to-day-activity apps, map apps; companies have all done their best to load as many things as possible into their products. “[Almost] all the smartwatches now read texts, reply, all that good stuff” says a Samsung Employee who works closely with the smartwatches. Through comparing a few of the most popular smartwatches’ strengths, as well as their weaknesses, it will be simple and easy to identify which one is right for you, as well as whether or not it is even worth it to buy one.
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The Apple Watch
W
hether you are an avid Android fan, or a insatiable iOS fan, everyone has heard of the famous Apple Watch. Apple released their own Smartwatch after than some other companies’ versions, and yet they succeeded in attracting huge crowds of desperate buyers by including many previously-unseen features. Some of the features the Apple Watch promises are checking notifications from texts and other communication apps, remotely playing the phone’s music from the watch, fitness trackers, and limited Siri capabilities. Also, a wide array of other apps have been created, like calendar apps, weather apps, map apps, and more that have yet to be created. One of the Apple Watch’s most appealing features is the aforementioned fitness tracking app. All the users of the watch, both fit and fat, have access to the fitness app. This feature includes capabilities like running stopwatch, a heart rate sensor, a snapshot of daily activities, distance and time goals for jogging, progress updates on the progression of your periodic
Watch only when he or she has an iPhone, but if you decide to buy a new phone, you would have to choose Apple over Android. Most of the features of the watch depend on the mobile data the iPhone uses, so without the iPhone’s support, it would be useless. With a price tag of hundreds to thousands of dollars, its dependence on the iPhone make the Apple Watch an expensive paperweight to anyone who does not own Apple’s famous iPhone. Despite its faults, the Apple Watch, also known to many fans as the iWatch, was a huge success. When I asked how he thought of the watch, Kontoravdis answered, “It’s pretty impressive . . . it is incredibly useful and it helps me all throughout the day.” However, it is met with some pretty heavy competition, like the Pebble Watch and others.
Some of the Apple Watches that will be sold. (All Sports editions with different bands)
A close up of an Apple Watch
workouts, workout summaries, and other features that have yet to be discovered and utilized. However, popular and successful as this watch is, it is not without its faults. For example, the Apple Watch is hugely dependent on the user’s iPhone. In fact, Mateen Kontoravdis, a student at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas, who has owned the watch for months, says the Apple Watch would be “pretty much useless” if the buyer does not have an iPhone to back it up. It is obvious that any person would buy an Apple
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Pebble Watch
S
urprisingly, for the relatively low prices on their watches, Pebble offers a multitude of features, and are certainly “a bang for your buck.” For example, the Pebble Watch delivers a wide array of features, including compatibility with both Android and iOS, weather apps, calendar apps, a tremendously long battery life, notifications, basic fitness tracking, sleep tracking, apps which control basic functions on the phone, authenticator codes, and a low price tag. “I really like it. It’s pretty handy”
much as others which have more functions. Overall, the Pebble Watches are very well designed. Some of the newer models, like the Pebble Time, the Pebble Round, and others, have colored screens and increased functionality, but they have also keep a relatively long battery life, a feature Pebble uses to attract much of its customers. However, the Pebble Watches are completely different from the upcoming watch, the Samsung S2.
Picture of the original Pebble Watches
says Cameron Kleiman, a student at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, TX, who has owned the Pebble Watch for almost a year. Kleiman also says “the Pebble has a geeky design matches [his] personality,” which definitely is an upside for tech enthusiasts around the world. However, like all technology, the Pebble Watch does have downsides. For example, its screen is not as strong and durable as most touchscreen devices currently. Kleiman has mentioned the watch’s screen has been scratched multiple times, despite its supposedly scratch-resistant exterior. Also, like many other smartwatches so far, the Pebble Watch has very little functionality when used without a phone. So far, Pebble smartwatches have not been as useful in everyday life as it would seem, so as a result, they are more like an accessory when the phone is not charged or in proximity. Until Pebble finds an inexpensive way to drop the phone, then their watches will not succeed as
A photo of the new Pebble Time
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Samsung S2
S
amsung has also joined in trying to create the smartwatch. The creators of the famous Galaxy S Smartphones have created a light, durable, and fast watch that not only comes with a colossal field of uses, but they have created a couple of versions, some of which provide 3g connectivity, a huge, albeit not entirely new, development in this field. The S2, as it is called, is an updated version of the Samsung Gear Series. This new S2 has many new features, like a new circular design, better access to notifications on an Android phone, wireless charging, and a customized fitness program called S Health, just to name a few. Despite all of the features Samsung has crammed into it, some buyers are staying away. For example, the durable, scratch-resisting watch has a hard, waterproof exterior, yet it cannot be taken into the pool with you, and only allows “submersion up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes” (Samsung). And, with a price tag so high, it is unlikely anybody would do so. Also, some negative reviews from the Samsung website agreed the S2 has actually gone backwards, since some capabilities have been
can last you through the day, but is completely exhausted at the end. Unfortunately, the beautiful screen and awesome capabilities suck up the limited battery life. While under strain from the immense amount of functions and the colorful, detailed screen, the battery can last a day at most. Overall, Samsung has succeeded in creating an overall functional and useful smartwatch. Despite its problems, the S2 Watch has accomplished many things. Comprised of a slick, thin body and a number of helpful features, the S2 has helped buyers from all around the world. Using this watch, it is likely you will be able to do things more quickly, easily, and efficiently than all your friends. “It is worth its money right now, especially with everything on it and how much it helps you” says the aforementioned Samsung Employee who I interviewed about this watch. However, the next watch, the Moto 360, is certainly a top contender for best smartwatch created.
The S2 Samsung smartwatch
Photo Credit: Samsung
taken away. Not only have some capabilities been taken away, but the S2 has very few apps, which is something many smartwatch users like. One last problem which many buyers emphatically speak of is the battery life, which
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Moto 360
T
he Moto 360 is definitely a watch worth talking about. From functionality to usefulness, the Moto has it all. The Moto, like many other smartwatches today, has a wide range of features, like viewing notifications from phones, pairing with both iOS and Android, a nice, colorful touch screen, and limited connectivity via Bluetooth or Wifi. Also, it packs a surprisingly strong processor for its size, which allows the watch’s OS to run smoothly. But, the Moto offers many features tech-lovers have wanted in a watch for so long. For example, the Moto has wireless
many have complained the watch just doesn’t have enough phone-independent capabilities. Some have also thought that although the battery can last through the entire day, it does not last long enough. But, these things are not because the watch is poor quality. It is instead because the technology we have disallows us from packing even more tech for a cheaper price. Despite some negative characteristics pointed out by some users, the Moto 360 remains a hugely successful watch. It is so successful because of many reasons, like the fact that it has so many features. Also, its all-around compatibility allows both Android and Apple users to use the Moto, which allows for flexibility when buying a new phone. Overall, the Moto 360 is determined by many to be the best watch of all, but it is tricky to decide which is best, since they are all very good.
W charging, a new technology few smartwatches has taken advantage of. The Moto also has a great UI that not is only appealing to anyone who sees it, but it is simple and easy to use. Like the other watches, the Moto 360 has a wide array of uses, spanning from notifications access to fitness, to Google services, and to basic phone-like applications. Any technophile would be lucky to have this fantastic watch, not just because it is a tool to use in day-to-day activities, but because it is a cool accessory everybody will love.
hen purchasing a smartwatch, it is imperative that you do the correct amount of research to make sure of which watch is the most fitting. For example, if you want a reliable, inexpensive watch that lasts for days on end, you may want to purchase a Pebble Watch. Or if you want a more functional, powerful, and impressive device for your Android Phone, you may want to purchase the Moto 360 or the Samsung Watch. Each of these watches brings a unique feature to the game, whether it be the Apple Watch with its slick, user-friendly UI, the Pebble with its incredibly customizability and battery life, the Samsung with its modern, amazingly functional capabilities, or the Moto with its awesome phone-like applications. Kontoravdis says, “Overall the watch has helped me throughout the day and now that I have it . . . I do not know what I would do without it” Clearly, the smartwatch is an insanely helpful tool, and no matter which one you get, you will definitely be satisfied.
However, the Moto 360 is not perfect. From researching technology websites, many people have thought it is not worth its price, which is anywhere from two to three hundred dollars, depending on the age of the watch. Also,
POWER MAGAZINE 39
The Inner Workings of a Formula 1 Car ______________
How different parts of a Formula 1 Car affect the car’s performance. By: Noah Gershoff A Formula 1 car’s performance is all up to how well the chassis interacts with the technology on board. The key features of a Formula 1 car are the driver, DRS wing and the telemetry which help the car turn, go faster and relay information.
Front Splitter: The front splitter is needed to keep downforce on the front of the car to keep the wheels on the ground through a high speed corner. The splitter can be adjusted for speed or downforce depending on the circuit.
Steering Wheel: The steering wheel is the main console of the car, allowing a driver to steer and adjust the car for certain circuits. From the steering wheel, a driver can adjust the fuel mix, car tire setup, activate the DRS and set up the car for different corners while going through different parts of the track.
FIA Timing and Telemetry: The FIA Timing allows for the teams and fans to track where the car is on the circuit. The timing also records lap times to show a team how fast the car is gaining on the position in front. The telemetry allows for a team to track the car throughout a lap and see what G-forces are acting on the car and how fast the car is going. The telemetry also tells a team how much fuel is left in the car, what the tire degradation is like, and what the gear shift timings are like to allow for more efficient shifting.
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TV Mount: The FIA Regulated TV Mount has been added into Formula 1 car designs over the past 15 years allowing a spectator at home see what it is like from the cockpit of the car. Mounted on top of the roll hoop, the TV mount can be adjusted to where the camera can see the road in front of the car.
DRS Wing:
The DRS wing on a Formula 1 car is a very key item in downforce and overtaking. The wing can be opened on designated DRS sections when within a 1 second gap of the car in front. This allows for the drag in the rear of the car to be reduced drastically, allowing for major speed increases. When closed, the wing gives the rear of the car downforce to keep the rear wheels on the ground, giving the driver good amounts of grip.
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GA M E
Photo by Flickr
ENT M P O L DEVE
Aaron Wheatley
Y
ou wait on games for months. The anticipation builds and you feel you may burst with excitement. Once it is finally out, you rush into your local game store and happily pay $60 for a brand new game. When you turn it on, you are thrust into a huge, new world with many new places to explore, new NPCs to interact with, and new challenges to face. But did you ever wonder how this game started, how it evolved and why it took so long to be released?
G
ame development is the process of creating a full game, until there no additional work is being done on it. Bethesda game developer states that they work heavily on game that have already been released. They fix the games as problems are found. By definition, this is still game development, because the game is still being worked on by the official developers. Most large game companies do this to release the game by a deadline. This saves time because it cuts out the beta testing and bug testing steps. The first few months of the game become a sort of beta stage. The game first starts as a rough idea. It mainly includes characters that will be featured and a starting idea for the main plot, maybe with some types of extra content such as side quests. The next step is refining the ideas. Teams of people work to make sure the story is easy to follow by the players, and that there are no major plot holes. The main story flows naturally and is better defined at this point. Once the main story is completely developed, this forms the overall backbone for the rest of the game. Non-player characters (NPCs) are created in most games
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“Game development is a very complex process that goes through many changes as is progresses” says a Bethesda game developer. because the story cannot be told by only having one main character. The developers must find all of the places where the story will take place and all of the characters and creatures that the player will interact with. After the backbone of the game is defined, the meat of the game is created. Bethesda Game Studios is known for creating games that have very well developed plots that are fun to play, but only make up a fraction of the game. They are famous for series like “The Elder Scrolls” and “Fallout”. These are known as open world games, which means total freedom is given to the players. These feature large worlds to
explore with an abundance unique people to meet and many new things to do. Most of these are contained in “side quests” which are defined tasks that are not essential to the main story of the games. Some game companies will focus most on main plot, while ones like Bethesda focus a large amount of the time on side quests and other extra content. By this point, the idea for the game is complete, but there is no way for the player to do it. At this point, character abilities and features are added to make it possible to explore the game. The average game will always have basic functions such as walking, running, jumping, climbing, fighting, and more along these lines. New features will be added that serve a unique purpose in the game. An example of this would be the VATS system in Fallout, which gives played assisted aim, so those who are not the best at aiming are still able to have a good time. Many other genres of games implement The basic coding for the game is known as a game engine. This is rarely created from nothing, because it is likely that there are similar games to the one being created. If the game is a
Photo by Flickr
sequel, it is likely that the previous game’s engine will be slightly modified to work better with the developing game. An example of this is Bohemia Interactive’s Arma series. There was a game made by them known as DayZ Standalone. The engine for this game was an optimized and updated version of the Arma 2 engine. It got the name Arma 2.5 engine because it was a slightly better version of a previous engine. The final step is the most labor intensive and requires the most time to complete. This is the coding of the game, animation, and creation of textures, objects, and character models. Every location should be unique, and they all have their own objects. Collision models must be made for every object so they will have mass, and it prevents the player from going through them. Sound pretty
simple, right? This has to be done for entire worlds. There are unique ways of interacting with objects in most games. There are mechanics that allow players to drag bodies, move objects, climb objects, and much more. All of this has certain physics required for it to work. This all has to be coded based on whatever action is happening and by other attributes of the surrounding area. This creates the opportunity to try all sorts of things that were not originally intended by the developers. Bethesda tries to keep player freedom as its number one priority. The point of the open world genre is to allow players to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and however they want. Bethesda is known for its open world games that players are able to modify on their own. This process is known as modding.
This is an independent process done solely by the players who want to implement new content. Mods can be small, like graphical changes, or can be very large, and add entirely new quests and game modes. This can be considered a form of game development, because even though the official developers are no longer working on it, there is still work being done to it. Modding is very important to Bethesda, so they make their games easy to modify. Bethesda tries to keep player freedom as its number one priority. The point of the open world genre is to allow players to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and however they want. Bethesda is known
Phato by Aaron Wheatley
Travis Wheatley worked at Multimedia games as a software developer. He worked as a soundcard tester when he was younger. He currently works as a software engineer at Emergent Space Technologies.
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for its open world games that players are able to modify on their own. This process is known as modding. This is an independent process done solely by the players who want to implement new content. Mods can be small, like graphical changes, or can be very large, and add entirely new quests and game modes. This can be considered a form of game development, because even though the official developers are no longer working on it, there is still work being done to it. Modding is very important to Bethesda, so they make their games easy to modify. Some popular Bethesda games to mod include Skyrim and the Fallout games. At E3, Bethesda announced they plan to implement a new, built in, modding system into the revitalized DOOM game. They call it SnapMap. This holds built in modding tools so players can easily create cool, new, game modes and experiences, the simplicity of it allows pretty much anybody to do it. Something that game developers must consider is the hardware needed for their game to run. Console games differ significantly from computer games in this aspect, because computers
can differ drastically in hardware. Games are made so they can be accessed by a large audience. This depends on the available hardware at the time. Most people do not have very high end machines to use for gaming, and this means that the game must not require the most advanced hardware to perform well. This results in a need for the optimization of hardware. Optimization is the process of making the hardware of the computer work better together, and this improves overall performance. Game development is mainly about the software, and usually takes thousands of hours for entire teams to complete. Hardware is still important, when creating a game, because the game needs to be able to work for a wide audience. Games start as rough ideas and change drastically into smooth, innovative, and striking works of art. Some game developers even make it easy for players to change the game themselves to their own likings, to create unique experiences, not created by developers. Game development take a long time and a lot of hard work. It changes, and sometime doesn’t resemble the starting idea in the slightest.
“It is mainly software for the game itself, but you also need to optimize the hardware that it will be using.� -Travis Wheatley.
This is a Razer gaming mouse. Razer specializes in making gaming accesories such ans mice, headsets, keyboards, and even full gaming laptops.This specific model is the Razer Imperator. They are able to be eaisily customized for comfort of use and the lights change for visual apeal.
The computer that you see on the left is overclocked. Overclocking is the process of pushing the graphics card and the processor past their factory states. It increaces the amount of pawer going to them and raises the performance signifacantly. This is a common thing that gamers will do to increase frame rate and the speed at which a game runs. It can be dangerous and you will need good cooling. Photo By Flickr
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Glossary
some useful technology terms to aid your magazine reading AI (gaming)
IR camera
AMOLED display
KERS
A term standing for "artificial intelligence" that can refer to bots or Non-Player Characters (NPCs) that emulate human players.
active matrix light emitting diode; superior display used on phones, smartwatches and some tvs. Unique because it can turn on and off pixels individually, which can save battery power.
Android Versions
You might not know, but Android versions are named after desserts with each one being one later in the alphabet than the next. Here's the latest ones: Android 6.0 (2015): Marshmallow Android 5.0-5.1 (2014): Lollipop Android 4.4 (2013): KitKat Android 4.1-4.3 (2011-2012): Jelly Bean
Bluetooth
A wireless technology that can communicate small packets of information across small distances
DPI (mouse)
The sensitivity of the mouse. Refers to the physical distance a mouse must travel compared to the digital distance on the screen.
DRS
The flap on the rear wing that opens when within one second of the car ahead. Only opens in DRS zones.
ERS
Two motors that use braking and motor energy to recharge the battery in the car.
Graphics card
A computer chip in most laptops and desktops that specializes in rendering graphical objects on screen
iOS
an operating system generally used for portable Apple products
A camera using infrared light to detect facial features. These cameras are compatible with Windows Hello in Windows 10
A boost of power a driver can use throughout the lap which uses energy recovered from the ERS.
OS
stands for 'operating system.' It refers to the software that powers the application framework for a device.
Pixels
One display unit on a screen
PPI
Stands for 'pixels per inch,' one factor in determining display quality
Qualcomm Snapdragon
a line of phone processors by Qualcomm that are widely used on Android phones. The 800 line is popular among premium smartphones
Resolution
a term referring to the number of pixels on a screen or how high quality the screen is.
Samsung Exynos
a name for processors that Samsung makes for its smartphones. The processors in the latest Samsung Galaxy phones are Exynos. Their performance is exceptional and comparable to a Snapdragon 810.
Siri
A speech interpretation program that is exclusive to iOS
Telemetry
The data that comes from the car for the pit crew to analyze.
Tire Compound
The different types of tires a team can choose in a race.
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