Spyrus Reveals World's First 256 GB Windows to Go Flash Drives

If you want to be able to boot Windows from any computer, there's a really nifty asset in Windows 8 that lets you do it off removable storage devices. Removable media needs to be certified for it though, which is why Spyrus made sure to say loud and clear that its latest flash drives have this benefit.

Normally, for Windows, any operating system really, to launch, it has to be installed on the primary storage drive of a computer. That's not all that great when the OS fails somehow though.

Also, maybe you're the type of person that has to switch computers often, or travels a lot and would like to always have their own desktop settings and data wherever they go.

To allow that, Microsoft included the Windows to Go capability in Windows 8, which enables the OS to be installed on aflash drive, or USB HDD or SSD.

The removable media have to be specifically made with it in mind, though, to allow the BIOS to see them as boot drives and everything.

Sure, in theory, you could just fiddle with the BIOS and use Windows to make a bootable flash drive anyway, as long as there is enough space.

Nevertheless, when a flash drive is meant to be used as a Windows to Go device, companies usually mention it specifically. Like Spyrus did for the Portable Workplace, Secure Portable Workplace, WorkSafe, and WorkSafe Pro SSDs.

Which brings us to today's news: Spyrus has added the capacity of 256 GB to its collection. And don't let the “portable SSD” description fool you. These are flash drives, through and through. USB 3.0 sticks with superior security, layered hardware and software encryption.

How to use your Xbox or PlayStation controller on your PC

Using a mouse and keyboard is usually the most optimal solution for playing PC games, but sometimes a controller can make for an even more enjoyable experience. There are numerous controllers out there from a variety of different companies, but there is no need to purchase one if you already own one of the current game consoles. Here's how you can set up your Xbox 360, Xbox One, or PlayStation 4 controller to be used on your PC.

Xbox 360

Microsoft made it extremely easy to use the Xbox controllers for PC gaming. Head over to the company's website, select the operating system you are running, download the drivers, and install them. Then you can simply connect your controller to your PC and begin playing your favorite controller-friendly game.

The drivers officially support both 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, although the latter should also work for Windows 8.

To check which operating system you are running, open the Control Panel, select System and Security, and click on System. This information can also be viewed by right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Properties in the popup menu.

Xbox One

Microsoft's Larry Hryb, also known online as Major Nelson, last week released device drivers that make the Xbox One controller compatible with Windows 7 and Windows 8 computers. He noted that the drivers will come bundled with a future Windows software update, however they can be manually installed now.

To download the drivers, visit Major Nelson's website and choose the one that corresponds with your system -- x86 is for 32-bit systems, while x64 is for 64-bit systems. After you install the drivers and agree to Microsoft's Licensing Agreement, all you need to do is connect the controller using a microUSB cable and start gaming.

PlayStation 4

It's a little more difficult to use the PlayStation controllers with your PC. With the help of a program called DS4Tool, you are actually going to trick the computer into thinking that the PS4 controller is really one for an Xbox 360. The first thing you must do is download and install the Xbox 360 drivers from Microsoft. You will also need Microsoft .NET 4.0, Visual C 2010 Runtime, and the latest DirectX Runtime on your computer, in addition to having administrator rights.

Download the latest version of DS4Tool (at the time of writing that is version 1.2.2) and unzip it to your desktop. Open the folder titled "Virtual Bus Driver" and double-click the ScpDriver application to install it. If the program was installed properly, Bus Device and Bus Driver will be listed under the install summary.

Make sure to close any open games or software such as Steam before you connect the PS4 controller to your PC using a microUSB cable. Once the controller has been connected, open the ScpServer application located in the main DS4Tool folder. The program should automatically detect the controller, but if it doesn't there are two things you can do: click the Stop button, followed by the Start button to restart detection; or ensure the Xbox 360 drivers and ScpDrivers were installed properly.

The PS4 controller can also be used wirelessly if your computer has Bluetooth or if you purchased an adapter, which must be compatible with Bluetooth 2.1 or higher. The first thing you have to do is enable the controller's Bluetooth pairing mode. This can be done by holding both the Share and PlayStation buttons on the controller until the LED light begins flashing.

Open the Control Panel on your computer and, under Hardware and Sound, choose to add a new device. Select the game controller, and open the ScpServer application after pairing is complete. The software should automatically detect the controller.

BOOST YOUR SMARTWATCH KNOWLEDGE

Love smartwatches or at least you’re interested in them? Maybe you’d like to enhance your knowledge of this wearable category a little further and now you can by virtue of a new flashy infographic.

The Smartwatch Group has released the infographic in order to deliver some clear data and statistics related to the device, for those of you who are curious of this kind of thing (via Dream Chrono).

According to them, Samsung hold 34% of the smartwatch market, while Sony comes in at number 2 with 7% hold of the market. Completing the top 3 is Pebble with 6% marketshare.

Interestingly enough, I told you earlier today new research coming from the NPD group proclaimed Samsung as the champion of smartwatch sales in the US, followed by Pebble.

Anyway, going back to our infographic, it also reveals 3 million smartwatches were sold in 2013, which is a noticeable increase from the 0.3 million that shipped out in 2012. 

Puzzling enough, among the most popular smartwatch uses we find gaming. On such a tiny screen the gaming experience is greatly diminished, so it’s a little bizarre, to say the least. Other frequent uses include communication and fitness, which is basically what the devices are built for.

The infographic also points out Android Wear is expected to make a big splash, especially with the advent of Moto 360, which is one of the hottest upcoming products from the category.

Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 puts first 4K video capture in a compact camera

If you were on the fence between a digital SLR and a compact camera with a long zoom lens, Panasonic's Lumix FZ1000 might just turn out to be all the camera you need.

Digital SLRs deliver high-quality photos and HD video, but a dSLR might be too much camera for you in price, size, and weight -- and that's without adding a long zoom lens to the equation. You can get smaller, lighter, long-zoom compact cameras at lower prices, but they come with a loss in image quality.

The FZ1000 bridges the two using a 1-inch 20-megapixel MOS sensor (four times larger than the 1/2.3-inch sensors you find in most longzoom cameras like Panasonic's FZ200) and a 16x f2.8-4.0 25-400mm lens (and yes, it's branded Leica).

Larger sensors require larger lenses, so while its zoom range might not seem impressive compared with the whopping 50x or longer zooms on other bridge cameras, the FZ1000 will deliver better image quality. Also, a zoom lens with similar specs for a dSLR would be large and heavy, not to mention expensive.

Giving the lens a constant f2.8 aperture through the zoom range, like Sony's RX10, would have also made the lens bigger. That camera features a 1-inch sensor as well, but its telephoto end stops at 200mm.

The two cameras are roughly the same size and weight, too, so really it comes down to what you value more, the Sony's constant f2.8 aperture or more zoom range.

Or maybe it'll come down to features for you. The FZ1000 is the first compact camera to record video at resolutions up to 4K (3,840x2,160) in MP4 at 30fps, but it also does 1080p at 60fps or 120fps. You can do 1080p at 60fps in AVCHD, too.

To go with those high resolutions, you'll find a full manual video mode, a mic jack (but no headphonesjack), five-axis optical image stabilization, and a five-step speed control for the zoom for smooth movement while recording. Also, after recording video in 4K, you can grab a single 8-megapixel frame for a still photo.