An anonymous reader writes: Powerful virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive require powerful PCs with beefy graphics cards to operate. That means you'll usually be tethered to a PC tower in your home. Well, HP and MSI have announced portable 'backpack PCs' designed to be used with high-end virtual reality headsets. These PC internals are built in a backpack enclosure powered by a large battery pack. The HP Omen X weighs less than 10 pounds and has a battery that's big enough to last for up to one hour of gameplay, but you do have the option of swapping out the batteries for uninterrupted VR. Specs include either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and at least an Nvidia GTX 970 or AMD R9 290 or higher. The MSI Backpack PC features an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GTX 980 graphics, according to the company. The last of the backpack PC trio is the Zotac Mobile VR. The company hasn't released any specs of the product but the company did state in a blog post, "This mobile solution not only removes the bulk of connecting to the large traditional computer towers of old, but also allows the user to roam freely in VR with their undivided attention. This innovative solution includes a system powerful enough to drive VR, and a portable battery pack to keep you going." There is no pricing or availability information as of yet.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Jordan Novet, writing for VentureBeat: Amazon today announced the availability of Echosim.io, a website that simulates the capabilities of the Amazon Echo speaker, which employs Amazon's Alexa voice assistant technology. The thing about Alexa is that many people who don't own the Echo -- or its smaller siblings, the Tap and the Echo Dot -- haven't been able to see what Alexa is capable of. The new tool -- which was inspired by the Alexa in the Browser application that Nexmo developer advocate Sam Machin came up with during a hackathon last year -- solves that problem. All you have to do is head to the website, sign in with your Amazon credentials, and start holding your mouse down over the microphone button to see what Alexa can do. It's nifty for anyone to use, but it's also potentially useful to developers. "Developers worldwide can use Echosim to experience Alexa," Amazon Alexa developer marketing manager Glenn Cameron wrote in a blog post.Interesting move, especially for people who either do not want to -- or can't -- purchase the device (unavailability being one reason). You will need to login with your Amazon account in order to test Echosim.

Human Interface Guidelines

davewiner

When the Mac came out Apple did something new for personal computers, they published a human interface guidelines document, a thick book, written in easy to understand English, but it was also technical. It was a guide for developers showing how to make Macintosh software that was as usable as possible for everyone. And while it made it more difficult for developers at first, over time it made it easier, because many of the design questions were answered. It was good for business too, because people could use more software if there was a consistency to its design.

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Omidyar sides with the users

davewiner

I'm glad that Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay and tech billionaire has stepped up on Gawker's side. It's both opportunistic and correct. He's siding with the users. I wonder if anyone else in the Valley considered doing that?

In most industries and politics, the smart money tries to get aligned with the users, or at least appear to. Look at Slack's recent marketing. They talk about the amazing projects smart people do with Slack. Now think of what Thiel's funding of the Gawker lawsuit says -- "We really don't care what you know, as long as we don't get hurt." Assuming that Gawker has really hurt Thiel. If they did, why didn't he sue on his own behalf?

You'll know that tech has gained some maturity and has a vision when they compete to get on the side of tech users. As long as it's adversarial, their business built on a hollow foundation.

Footage of special forces wearing YPG patches on their uniforms angered Ankara, which called US 'two-faced".

Arrest warrants issued after men rape teenage girl in Rio de Janeiro and put footage online.

Reporter Jason Koebler shares: Someone in North Korea appears to have created a Facebook clone, according to an internet analytics company that traced the site's DNS to the notoriously isolated country. The social network is an off-the-shelf Facebook clone called dolphinPHP. Dyn Analytics researcher Doug Madory said that "very few websites resolve to the North Korean address space, and this one does."From the screenshots in the article, the user interface, and other elements do look similar to that of Facebook.