The UEFI Forum today announced the release of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) 2.11 specification and the Platform Initialization (PI) 1.9 specification. The goal of these specification updates is to streamline user implementation by providing increased compatibility across hardware architectures, including security updates, algorithm support and improving alignment implementation guidance.

"We have created a vibrant firmware community, and these specification updates provide maintenance and enhancement of fundamental capabilities in order to help increase the momentum of the UEFI specifications and add value to the ecosystem," said Mark Doran, UEFI Forum President. "The latest specifications continue the UEFI Forum's commitment to developing standards for all significant CPU architectures as underscored by additions such as the new LoongArch support in the PI 1.9 specification."

AMD has introduced Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF 2), an upgraded version of its frame generation technology designed to improve gameplay smoothness and frame rates. This new iteration brings several enhancements and expanded compatibility across Radeon RX 6000 and 7000 series graphics cards. AMD debuted Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) in September 2023 introducing frame generation capabilities across a broad spectrum of GPUs, including those from NVIDIA, and Intel. This technology was compatible with all DirectX 12 and DirectX 11 games, potentially doubling performance when frame generation was activated.

Following its initial release, AMD addressed major concerns such as stuttering and frame-pacing through substantial driver improvements. The refined version of AFMF was officially incorporated into AMD's driver package in January of this year. Now, AMD is offering Fluid Motion Frames 2 as a technical preview using a special driver to convince gamers that they can have an even faster and smoother gaming experience.

Broadcom Inc. today unveiled the latest updates to VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), the company's flagship private cloud platform. The latest advancements in VCF support customers' digital innovation with faster infrastructure modernization, improved developer productivity, and better cyber resiliency and security with low total cost of ownership.

"VMware Cloud Foundation is the industry's first private-cloud platform to offer the combined power of public and private clouds with unmatched operational simplicity and proven total cost of ownership value," said Paul Turner, Vice President of Products, VMware Cloud Foundation Division, Broadcom. "With our latest release, VCF is delivering on key requirements driven by customer input. The new VCF Import functionality will be a game changer in accelerating VCF adoption and improving time to value. We are also delivering a set of new capabilities that helps IT more quickly meet the needs of developers without increasing business risk. This latest release of VCF puts us squarely on the path to delivering on the full promise of VCF for our customers."

Today (on March 26), wanderers can conquer the horrors of Hell with a suite of new graphical enhancements available to them with patch 1.3.5. Arriving alongside our next content update, Sanctuary will be further imbued with the luscious shadows and enhanced reflections of ray tracing, plus other visual enhancements.

BASK IN THE GLOW OF NVIDIA GeForce
Players using GeForce RTX 40 Series can max out their ray tracing settings and frame rates with NVIDIA DLSS 3 Frame Generation, while other GeForce RTX users can accelerate performance with DLSS 2's Super Resolution technology. With a GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU, you can multiply performance by up to 3X thanks to DLSS 3. NVIDIA Reflex is a game-changer, reducing system latency on GeForce graphics cards and laptops. Pinpoint accuracy and timing are key to overcoming Diablo IV's most difficult fights; NVIDIA Reflex reduces system latency, making gameplay smooth and more responsive, delivering the reaction time needed in critical moments. The newest GeForce Game Ready Driver delivers the optimum experience with ray tracing, available now for download.

Update on March 13, 2024: the PS5 system software update is rolling out globally today. Additionally, later this month a PlayStation App update will enable users to enjoy Share Screen interactions on the app as well. As the new year kicks into high gear with an amazing slate of PS5 game releases like The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Tekken 8 and Helldivers 2, along with FINAL FANTASY VII Rebirth, we're pleased to roll out another PS5 system software beta today with a number of quality-of-life enhancements and new features.

While beta access is limited to invited participants in select countries, we plan to release the update globally in the coming months. If you're selected to participate in the beta, you'll receive an email invitation today when it's available to download. Some features available during the beta phase may not make it into the final version or may see significant changes. Let's jump in to the newly added features below.

Technology is creating amazing opportunities for our industry and the world, and Windows 11 is at the center of innovation with new experiences that transform how we interact with the Windows PC and each other. With Windows 11, we're seeing record engagement, our highest customer satisfaction over any previous version of Windows in the U.S., and accelerated growth in commercial deployments. In fact, we recently shared as part of our latest earnings report that over 90% of Fortune 500 companies are currently trialing or have already deployed Windows 11.

In February, we brought the new AI-powered Bing to the taskbar and other features to improve the way people get things done on their PCs. Today, we are providing a look at new features and enhancements for Windows 11 that will start to become available tomorrow, May 24, that focus on business needs, such as security and IT management, and new benefits that enhance professional and personal usability. For developers building on Windows, this week we are announcing new innovation at Microsoft Build.

System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition was created with the goal of reverse engineering the original code to port SS2 (1999) to the KEX Engine and made available on next-generation consoles for the first time. Nightdive Studios has also partnered with the systemshock.org community to integrate all the best mods and updates. All cinematics, textures, characters and weapon models have been updated, and the Co-Op Multiplayer has been overhauled to create a seamless experience.

"Remember, it is my will that guided you here. It is my will that gave you your cybernetic implants, the only beauty in that meat you call a body. If you value that meat... you will do as I tell you." The cult classic sci-fi horror FPS-RPG has returned...

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the new IBM Power E1080 server, the first in a new family of servers based on the new IBM Power10 processor, designed specifically for hybrid cloud environments. The IBM Power10-equipped E1080 server is engineered to be one of the most secured server platforms and is designed to help clients operate a secured, frictionless hybrid cloud experience across their entire IT infrastructure.

The IBM Power E1080 server is launching at a critical time for IT. As organizations around the world continue to adapt to unpredictable changes in consumer behaviors and needs, they need a platform that can deliver their applications and insights securely where and when they need them. The IBM Institute of Business Value's 2021 CEO Study found that, of the 3,000 CEOs surveyed, 56% emphasized the need to enhance operational agility and flexibility when asked what they'll most aggressively pursue over the next two to three years.

Most gamers probably have only 2 out of 4 DDR4 DIMM slots populated in their rigs, with the vacant memory slots presenting an eyesore for some. Just so you don't have to spend an additional $170+ on a second Vengeance RGB Pro 2-module dual-channel kit to make your memory area look "complete," Corsair has come up with a $40 quick-fix, the Vengeance RGB Pro Light Enhancement Kit (model: CMWLEKIT2W/B). These are dummy modules that look exactly like real Vengeance RGB Pro, and fill up the vacant memory slots on your motherboard.

These "modules" add a grand total of 0 bits to your system memory and are clocked lower than a tuning fork, but draw power from the DIMM slots to drive the RGB LED lighting that can run in sync with your real Vengeance RGB Pro modules. Corsair is using an addressable RGB setup, so motherboard-based software can control or synchronize them with the rest of your lighting. Corsair is offering these 2-pack Light Enhancement Kits in two flavors - black and white. Both variants are priced at $39.99. If you're buying pre-built desktops with Vengeance RGB Pro, insist on finding out if they've used one of these to make a single-channel setup look like dual-channel.

Intel is no longer going to disclose all-core Turbo Boost speeds, starting with their 8th Gen Coffee Lake processors that have just been released. The information comes straight from the blue giant. Answering a query from ExtremeTech on the matter, the company said that "[W]e're no longer disclosing this level of detail as its proprietary to Intel. Intel only specifies processor frequencies for base and single-core Turbo in our processor marketing and technical collateral, such as ARK, and not the multi-core Turbo frequencies. We're aligning communications to be consistent. All Turbo frequencies are opportunistic given their dependency on system configuration and workloads."

This decision is a rollback that does little more than rob users of another data point that has really always been there. The practical effect of this change isn't anything to write home about: Intel's Turbo Boost capabilities were never guaranteed performance levels (the fact that the advertised Turbo speeds were called "Max Turbo" implied Turbo levels could be lower.) However, there's also not much that can be said to explain this change in stance from the blue giant. If anything, this decision only opens up debate and speculation regarding the reasons why Intel is making this change: and the skeptics among us will always default to foul play or dark linings.To our Forum dwellers: this piece is marked as an Editorial

Do you remember those times where your privacy wasn't such a concern? Where you could freely navigate through the world, and not have to worry if your apps, browsers, extensions, or operating systems weren't collecting way more data than you wanted them to? It seems eons behind us, now, but it's the world we've been living in - and the world we've been building up to with our choices as consumers. Now, consumers have to fight for almost every last scrap of privacy dignity we can expect to achieve.

Microsoft, through a blog post, has stated that they are continuing to assess and address privacy concerns users might have regarding how and when the operating system which is being hailed as the last major Microsoft OS release collects user information. Specifically, Microsoft states that "Continuing with our commitment to privacy and data control, today we're announcing privacy enhancements coming to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update for consumers and commercial customers that further increase your access to information and provides you more control over what information is collected."

ASUSTOR Inc., a leading innovator and provider of network storage solutions, today announced the release of three new NAS Apps for its well-received AS 6 Series NAS devices. These new Apps consist of Symantec Backup Exec's RALUS, an acclaimed backup solution, Dropbox, a popular cloud storage and sync service and DVBLink TV Server, a digital television App. Additionally, two of ASUSTOR's existing Apps are being upgraded with advanced features and enhancements. Download Center now features the new and convenient Smart Download Folder function. Its mobile App, AiDownload, has added a push notification function and is now available for both iOS and Android. Not to be outdone, the Surveillance Center App now boasts added Daylight Saving Time adjustments along with full compatibility with Panasonic's BB and BL camera lines. Interested users may begin enjoying these new Apps and upgrades by downloading them through ASUSTOR's App Central.

Nearly two months after releasing Firmware Update 1.4RC for its Vertex 4 series solid state drives (SSDs), OCZ released yet another firmware update, which pushes sequential speeds further up. The new firmware update version 1.5 beta increases maximum read speed on the 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB variants of Vertex 4 to 560 MB/s (up from 550 MB/s), while maximum write speeds are increased by 6.5% on average. The 256 GB variant sees the highest write performance increase, by around 10%. The update can be applied using OCZ Toolbox.

Nanosys Inc. and the Optical Systems Division of 3M Company are joining technologies to provide wide color gamut technology for consumer electronic displays, allowing Liquid Crystal Displays ("LCDs") to display 50 percent more color.

3M and Nanosys will work together to commercialize Nanosys' Quantum Dot Enhancement Film ("QDEF") technology. QDEF is a drop-in film that LCD manufacturers can integrate with existing production processes. It utilizes the light emitting properties of quantum dots to create an ideal backlight for LCDs -- one of the most critical factors in the color and efficiency performance of LCDs.

EVGA made public its 25th release of the EVGA SLI Enhancement (version 02.25.10), a software patch that adds SLI profiles to NVIDIA's GeForce display drivers. SLI profiles are application-specific bits of software that optimise it to make use of multiple NVIDIA GPUs. The new release is based on NVIDIA GeForce 196.21 driver, and adds SLI optimisations for the following games:

• Supreme Commander 2 Demo
• Aliens vs. Predator, in all DirectX Modes
• Mass Effect 2
• Zombie Driver

Registered EVGA users (registration is free) can get the SLI Enhancement patch from here.

Staying ahead of NVIDIA and its own series of similar software, EVGA released the 18th edition of its SLI Enhancement Patch. The SLI Enhancement Patch is a piece of software that adds SLI profiles of usually new games to the NVIDIA GeForce driver. SLI profiles optimize help applications take advantage multiple NVIDIA GPUs installed in an SLI setup. Version 18 of the software is based on NVIDIA GeForce 191.07 drivers. It adds or enhances SLI support for the following games. Registered EVGA users (registration is free) can download the software from here.

• Enables SLI support for Borderlands
• Enables SLI support for Painkiller: Resurrection
• Enables SLI support for Wolfenstein Demo
• Enables SLI support for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
• Enables SLI support for G-Force
• Enables SLI support for FIFA Soccer 2010
• Enables SLI support for League of Legends: Clash of Fates
• Enables SLI support for NHL 2009
• Enables SLI support for Order of War
• Enables SLI support for Race On
• Enables SLI support for Star Trek: D-A-C

The internationally-renowned championship gaming team Fnatic.MSI has traversed the globe competing and winning competitions with a dominant weapon－MSI G Series notebooks. The newest fully-evolved G series extreme gaming notebook, the GT740, is the latest in the series to feature the newest Intel Calpella platform, the advanced Intel Core i7 quad core processor as well as Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 7. With a 17" cinema grade display, the nVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M 3D discrete graphics card (DDR3 1GB VRAM) and 5 Hi-Fi speakers with authentic SRS Premium Sound, gaming, watching video, and listening to music are all exciting and true-to-life experiences.

The GT740 runs on Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system and uses the latest-generation Intel Core i7 processor. The high grade nVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M 3D discrete graphics card (DDR3 1 GB VRAM), and the GT740's outstanding software specifications provide gamers with highly efficient operations and the world's strongest gaming notebook computer.
Through a complete hardware evolution, the GT740 offers Intel's advanced Intel Hyper-Threading technology, which gives its quad core processor the ultimate in processing power. When used in conjunction with Turbo Boost technology, flexible distribution of system resources in concert with the Windows 7 operating system deliver smooth execution and efficiency. With a simple user interface and the nVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M 3D discrete graphics card's high performance video processing capabilities, this notebook is the ultimate representative of high-speed performance and a specialized, must-have weapon for gamers!

EVGA released its 16th iteration of the SLI Enhancement Patch, a piece of software that adds SLI profiles of usually new games to the NVIDIA GeForce driver. SLI profiles are application-specific bits of software that let the application take advantage of two or more NVIDIA GPUs in SLI, or on dual-GPU cards. v16 (08.25.09) is based on GeForce 190.62 drivers, and enables SLI support for Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Demo, apart from the numerous new game titles the driver brings in support for, including Wolfenstein Multiplayer, Allods: Online, Battlefield 1943, BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams, Cities XL, Death to Spies: Moment of Truth, Empire: Time of Troubles, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Mini Ninjas, Risen, Saboteur, Star Wars Clone Wars: Republic Heroes, and Tales of Monkey Island. Registered EVGA users (registration is free) can download the software from here.

Despite NVIDIA now releasing their own SLI patches, EVGA have still continued to release theirs. Version 14 is based on NVIDIA's 190.38 Drivers.

New SLI profiles from EVGA SLI Enhancement Patch:

• Enables SLI support for Section 8
• Enables SLI support for Tales of Monkey Island: Launch of the Screaming Narwhal
• Enables SLI support for Rise of Flight
• Enables SLI support for FUEL
• Enables SLI support for Prototype digital version
• Enables SLI support for Merchants of Brooklyn

EVGA published the 13th release of its SLI Enhancement Patch. The patch works in conjunction with NVIDIA's drivers, and expands its SLI profiles for games. Based on GeForce drivers 186.18 WHQL, EVGA SLI Enhancement Patch v13 adds SLI support for the games ArmA 2 and Merchants of Brooklyn, along with the new SLI profiles GeForce 186.18 brings for the games Dark Sector, Trine, Prototype, Wallace and Gromit's Grand Adventures, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Free Realms, Wolfenstein, Order of War, Disciples 3, and Bigworld. Registered EVGA users (registration is free) can download the software from here.

EVGA released yet another version of its SLI Enhancement Patch, version 12 (05.21.09). This release comes barely a week after version 11, and continues to be based on NVIDIA GeForce 185.85 drivers. Apart from the list of new games the driver supported, namely Guitar Hero: World Tour, Earthrise, Digital Combat Simulator: Black Shark, Shadow Harvest, and Terminator: Salvation, the patch adds SLI support for SBK 09, Zeno Clash, and Merchants of Brooklyn.

The EVGA SLI Enhancement Patch works in with NVIDIA GeForce drivers, and helps expand the list of games that support NVIDIA SLI technology beyond what the drivers offer, by adding SLI profiles made by EVGA. Registered EVGA users can get the patch from here.

EVGA published the 11th version of its SLI Enhancement Patch. Version 11 (05.15.09) is based on NVIDIA GeForce drivers 185.85, and enables SLI support for Zeno Clash and Merchants of Brooklyn, beyond the new additions NVIDIA's general release brings along: Guitar Hero: World Tour, Earthrise, Digital Combat Simulator: Black Shark, Shadow Harvest, and Terminator: Salvation.

The software works in conjunction with NVIDIA GeForce drivers, and helps expand the list of games that support NVIDIA SLI technology beyond what the drivers offer. For a 3D application to take full-advantage of SLI technology, typically NVIDIA creates an SLI profile that is released along with a usually new driver release. Registered EVGA users can download the patch from here.

EVGA released the 10th version of its SLI Enhancement Patch since its initial release in mid-February. The patch expands upon the SLI profiles NVIDIA's official drivers come with. An SLI profile is an application-specific optimization to take advantage of two or more NVIDIA GPUs in an SLI setup. With this release (version 10, 04.24.09), EVGA adds SLI support for the games Zeno Clash and Merchants of Brooklyn. The patch is based on NVIDIA GeForce 185.68 driver, and is available for 32/64-bit versions of Windows XP and Vista. Registered EVGA users can download the software from here.

EVGA released another version of its SLI Enhancement Patch, version 8 (03.30.09), its third one for this month alone. The patch works in conjunction with the installed NVIDIA GeForce driver, in providing SLI support to games through SLI profiles. The support is game-specific, and each release of the patch expands the support-base. The new version is based on NVIDIA driver 182.46. The following games are added to the support list, apart from all the games already supported by the patch:

• Battlefield Heroes
• Stormrise
• Weapons of Fate
• Jumpgate Evolution
• Age of Booty
• Football Manager '05-'09

Registered EVGA users can download the patch from here.

EVGA piped out yet another version of its SLI Enhancement patch, that adds SLI profiles to the driver installation, profiles which let games take advantage of multiple NVIDIA GPUs in SLI. Version 03.18.09 (dated yesterday) is based on NVIDIA 182.08 drivers, and enhances the following games with SLI support:

• Merchants of Brooklyn
• The Hunter
• Watchmen
• MLB 2K9
• Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.
• The Last Remnant Demo and Benchmark

Exclusively available for registered EVGA users, the patch can be downloaded from here.