Casio ClassPad 300

The Casio ClassPad 300, ClassPad 330 and fx-CP400 are stylus based touch-screen graphing calculators. The ClassPad comes with a collection of applications that support self-study, like 3D Graph, Geometry, eActivity, Spreadsheet, etc. A large 160x240 pixel LCD touch screen enables stylus-based operation. The ClassPad resembles Casio's earlier Pocket Viewer line. HP and Texas Instruments attempted to release similar pen based calculators (the HP Xpander and PET Project (see TI PLT SHH1), but both were cancelled before release to the market.
The ClassPad 300 allows input of expressions, and displays them as they appear in a textbook. Factorization of expressions, calculation of limit values of functions, and other operations can be performed while viewing the results on a large LCD screen. The ClassPad 300 comes with graphing tools for 3D graphing and drawing of geometric figures.
The user interface of the ClassPad 300 uses a pull-down menu format. Solutions, expressions, and other items can be selected with the tap of the stylus. The ClassPad 300 also supports drag and drop, copy and paste, and other pen-based operations. An eActivity application allows the creation of eActivities that can include figures, expressions, and explanations.
In the United States the ClassPad series is banned from standardized tests including the SAT, the ACT, and the AP Calculus test, due to its virtual QWERTY keyboard and stylus usage.
In 2017, the fx-CG500 was released, targeted towards the North American market. While almost entirely identical to the fx-CP400, its removal of the QWERTY keyboards means it is included in the list of allowed calculators on American standardized exams, including AP and SAT.
History.
During 1996, CASIO worked on the CAS (Computer Algebra System) and studying Geometry. The CAS was first used in the Casio CFX-9970G then the Casio Algebra FX 2.0, and later formed the core math system for the ClassPad.
In 1999, with the help of many teachers and friends, the idea of the eActivity emerged. It would allow all applications to interact from within one application, and display information in a textbook style.
In 2000 CASIO opened a new office, the CASIO Education Technology M.R.D. Center in Portland, Oregon, USA. They hired engineers familiar with programming PCs and specialists from the education field. Ideas from around the world were now being implemented into the ClassPad by Tokyo R&D and Portland MRD Team.
In 2002 CASIO completed a prototype for the ClassPad. Before the prototype was complete, an emulator was used for testing. The emulator was so good that CASIO decided to include the emulator in the software that was being developed for data transfer. The data transfer and emulator software merged into one product called the ClassPad Manager.
In 2003 CASIO released their first product: the ClassPad 300, with 4.5 MB of flash memory.
In 2005 CASIO released the ClassPad 300 Plus featuring 5.4 MB of flash memory, a higher-contrast display and standardized Mini-USB port.
ClassPad OS 3.0.
In 2006 CASIO released OS 3.0 for the ClassPad. OS 3.0 featured Laplace and Fourier transform, differential equation graphs, financial functions, AP statistics and parameterized 3D graphs. Subsequent releases were only available for users with OS 3.0 or later.
Later in 2006 & 2007 CASIO released OS 3.01 and 3.02, concentrating solely on bug fixing. The 2007 ClassPad was called the 330 series, but was distinguished from the 300 plus only by its having OS 3.02 pre-installed.
In 2008 CASIO released OS 3.03 for the ClassPad. OS 3.03 featured new probability distribution functions, an extended numeric solver and several user interface improvements. The corresponding hardware with this OS installed was the 330-A series
In 2009 CASIO released OS 3.04 for the ClassPad. OS 3.04 featured an updated spreadsheet application, stat function enhancements and several user interface improvements. Also, there were two hotfix releases for OS 3.04.3000 - namely: OS 3.04.4000 and OS 3.04.5000
In 2010 CASIO released OS 3.05 for the ClassPad. OS 3.05 featured new financial functions and an 'on data' option for quartile calculation.
In 2011 CASIO released OS 3.06 for the ClassPad. OS 3.06 featured new imaginary calculation functions and an improved numeric solver. So far, one hotfix release followed: OS 3.06.1000
In 2012 CASIO released the ClassPad 330 Plus featuring a faster CPU (SuperH 4) and the calculator is now treated as a regular USB mass storage device.
In December 2018 Casio released 3.10.7000 for the ClassPad 330 Plus. Improvements in calculation precision.
fx-CP400.
The fx-CP400, released in 2013, is a color version, which can switch the screen between portrait and landscape views. It has a larger screen resolution, at 320 × 528 pixels.
It has a SuperH 4 CPU, specifically the SH-7305 model. It contains a 2MB RAM chip, but only 512KB are available to the user. It includes 24 MB of flash storage, and 5.5 MB for eActivity.
On this calculator, integers can be stored exactly up to approximately 22032, which is 611 digits long. After that, scientific notation is used to represent numbers up to 101000.
fx-CG500.
The Casio fx-CG500 was introduced in 2017, and is almost identical to the fx-CP400. The most significant, and perhaps only, difference is that its virtual keyboard is stuck in alphabetical (ABC) layout, as opposed to the fx-CP400's option to switch between QWERTY, German QWERTZ and alphabetical layout. Due to this, it is now included in the list of authorised models in American SAT and AP exams.
It has a grey-colored appearance, as opposed to the fx-CP400's black on white design.
Programming.
The calculators can be programmed in two ways. The Classpad comes with Casio BASIC, a built-in BASIC-like interpreted language, allowing the user to create programs using built-in functionality.
The other method is to create an add-in. Add-ins are binary programs, executing directly on the calculator's CPU. Casio/Saltire has released an SDK, allowing users to create their own add-ins, though no support is provided for this by Casio. The SDK is available for registered users at Casio's website. Currently there is no SDK version compatible with the new Classpad 330 Plus or the fx-CP400.
After the release of the SDK, a Lua interpreter plugin (CPlua) was created. This add-in allows users to develop programs and games in Lua.


Nikon D3500

The Nikon D3500 is an entry-level 24.2-megapixel DX format DSLR Nikon F-mount camera announced by Nikon on August 30, 2018. The D3500 is available with two kits: with an 18-55mm lens for $499.95 and a two lens kit (18-55mm and 70-300mm lenses) for $849.95. It succeeds the Nikon D3400. In 2019, the D3500 won the TIPA Best DSLR Camera award.
Features.
The D3500 has the following features:
Predecessor comparison.
The Nikon D3500 is the successor to the Nikon D3400 that was introduced on August 17, 2016 with the following improvements.


Yes (Unix)

codice_1 is a command on Unix and Unix-like operating systems, which outputs an affirmative response, or a user-defined string of text, continuously until killed.
Overview.
By itself, the codice_1 command outputs 'y' or whatever is specified as an argument, followed by a newline repeatedly until stopped by the user or otherwise killed; when piped into a command, it will continue until the pipe breaks (i.e., the program completes its execution). However, if the user enters a string after 'yes,' yes will output the string the same as it would 'y,' similar to echo.
The version of codice_1 bundled in GNU coreutils was written by David MacKenzie.
The command is available as a separate package for Microsoft Windows as part of the GnuWin32 project and the UnxUtils collection of native Win32 ports of common GNU Unix-like utilities.
Uses.
codice_1 can be used to send an affirmative (or negative; e.g. codice_5) response to any command that would otherwise request one, thereby causing the command to run non-interactively.
Piping yes to a command with many user-confirmation prompts will automatically answer all of those prompts with "yes" (typing 'y' and pressing return).
The following commands
$ yes | sudo apt install foobar
will answer the prompts for confirmation with y, effectively installing "foobar" with sudo apt without any prompts.
This usage may be obsolete today, as most commands that would request response from the user have either a 'force' option (e.g., codice_6) or an 'assume-yes' option (for example,codice_7).
As an example, the following:
$ rm -f *.txt
is functionally equivalent to
$ yes | rm *.txt
The codice_1 command in conjunction with the head command can be used to generate large volume files for means of testing. For example, executing
$ yes 1234567 | head -1000 > file
results in a file consisting of 1000 lines each consisting of eight characters (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and newline).
codice_1 can be used as an easy way of generating CPU load. In 2006, for example, the codice_1 command received publicity for being a means to test whether or not a user's MacBook is affected by the "Intermittent Shutdown Syndrome" bug, where a MacBook would randomly shut off without any user input. By running the codice_1 command indefinitely twice via Terminal under Mac OS X, users were able to max out their computer's CPU, and thus see if the failure was heat related.
Implementation and performance.
codice_1 has been implemented with small differences between operating systems and different OS implementations perform different ranging from some MiB/s to dozens of GiB/s.


Audion (software)

Audion was a media player developed by Panic. It was originally a commercial (shareware) program, but with the dominance of Apple's iTunes, development was halted and it was released as freeware. It was retired on 11 November 2004.
Design.
One of the features of Audion that set it apart from its rivals, particularly SoundJam, was its user interface, which featured transparency through a process that mimicked the functionality of alpha channels on Mac OS 9's QuickDraw, a graphics system that did not support them.
History.
Cabel Sasser has written that he and Steven Frank had one goal with Audion: "we wanted to listen to our music CDs on our computers while we worked, and we wanted it to be stylish." During Audion's development, MP3 files became a popular means of listening to music on a computer, and Panic licensed an MP3 decoder for incorporation into Audion.
Audion was originally conceived as one piece in a set of small applications to be called PanicPack, but time constraints led to the release of Audion 1.0 as standalone application on August 16, 1999.
Audion became known for its MP3 decoder, which is reputed to produce sound with superior fidelity. Sasser said this was an accident, and that he and Frank have no idea how they achieved this.
Apple tried to meet with Cabel and Steven to hire them to create the original version of iTunes based on their work on Audion. The meeting never took place, and Apple instead acquired Audion rival SoundJam MP as the basis for iTunes.
Audion was retired on November 11, 2004.


Your Computer (British magazine)

Your Computer was a British computer magazine published monthly from 1981 to 1988, and aimed at the burgeoning home computer market. At one stage it was, in its own words, "Britain's biggest selling home computer magazine". It offered support across a wide range of computer formats, and included news, type-in programs, and reviews of both software and hardware. Hardware reviews were notable for including coverage of the large number of home microcomputers released during the early 1980s.


Timex Computer 2048

The TC-2048 or Timex Computer 2048 is a 1984 computer developed by Timex Portugal, the Portuguese branch of Timex Corporation.
It was based on the Timex Sinclair 2048 prototype, a 16k version of the TS-2068, with a similar redesign case, Kempston joystick interface and additional video modes.
It was highly compatible with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer, although differences in the ROM prevented 100% compatibility.
Timex Portugal sold the TC 2048 in Portugal and Poland, where it was very successful, selling more than 10000 units.
Also, a NTSC version was sold in Chile.
This computer forms the basis of an improved Spectrum-compatible machine, the Spectrum SE.
Two modifications of the TC2048 exist: the TC2128 (by STAVI) and the TC2144 (by Jarek Adamski).
Both extend the RAM to 128K and upgrade the ULA to use four screen areas.
Technical specifications.
CPU
ROM
RAM
Display
Sound
I/O
Storage


Microcomputer Printout


AMD mobile platform

The AMD mobile platform is an open platform for laptops from AMD. Though little marketing was done on this platform, it has been competing with the Centrino platform in the segment to gain more marketshare. Each platform has its own specification, catching up the latest technology developments. Since the acquisition of ATI, AMD began to include Mobility Radeon GPUs and AMD chipsets as part of the requirements of the mobile platform; the first of such platforms is the "Puma" platform.
Open platform approach.
On February 2007, AMD had announced the "Better by Design" initiative to continue the success of the open platform approach for desktop back in early 2003 after the launch of Athlon 64 processors with a lack of chipset being developed by AMD, and open the platform to chipset vendors such as VIA, SiS, NVIDIA and from AMD subsidiary ATI. The initiative also includes platforms succeeding the "Kite Refresh" mobile platform.
Under the "Better by Design" initiative, AMD introduced a three-cell arrow sticker to identify mobile platform products, which the top cell being the processor (as Turion 64 X2). The middle cell for graphics accelerators as NVIDIA or ATI (as a result of retaining the use of "ATI Radeon" branding for graphics ), including onboard graphics (IGP), while the last cell representing the wireless (Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11 standard) or LAN solutions, provided by one of the following companies: Airgo, Atheros, Broadcom, Marvell, Qualcomm, and Realtek.
The stickers to be used will be further classified by the system performance according to the processor performance, and into five classes, each having different colours as well as different logos for each component, listed as follows:
Market analysis.
According to AMD figures in December 2007, AMD mobile platform gained 19% unit share in the market and about 23% revenue share of the firm during Q3 2007 while competing with the Intel Centrino platform. Figures for Q1 and Q2 2007 are 15% and 17% unit share, accounting for 14% and 16% of the company's revenue respectively.
AMD's mobile platform, even as recent as the Turion 64 X2 platform, has been criticized as consistently performing worse than Intel's Centrino in all areas: system speed, heat dissipation, and battery life.
Implementations.
Initial platform (2003).
Launched in 2003, the initial platform for mobile AMD processors consists of:
Kite platform (2006).
Introduced in 2006, the "Kite" platform consists of:
Kite Refresh platform (2007).
AMD used Kite Refresh as the codenamed for the second-generation AMD mobile platform introduced in February 2007.
Puma platform (2008).
The "Puma" platform introduced in 2008 with June 2008 availability for the third-generation AMD mobile platform consists of:
Yukon platform (2009).
The "Yukon" platform was introduced on January 8, 2009 with expected April availability for the first AMD Ultrathin Platform targeting the ultra-portable notebook market.
Congo platform (2009).
The "Congo" platform was introduced on September 2009, as the second AMD Ultrathin Platform targeting the ultra-portable notebook market.
Tigris platform (2009).
The "Tigris" platform introduced in September 2009 for the AMD Mainstream Notebook Platform consists of:
Nile platform (2010).
The "Nile" platform introduced on May 12, 2010 for the third AMD Ultrathin Platform consists of:
Danube platform (2010).
The "Danube" platform introduced on May 12, 2010 for the AMD Mainstream Notebook Platform consists of:
Brazos (Fusion) platform (2011).
The AMD low-power platform introduced on January 4, 2011, is designed for HD netbooks and other emerging form factors. It features the 40 nm C-Series (formerly codenamed Ontario, a 9-watt APU for netbooks and small form factor desktops and devices) and E-Series (formerly codenamed Zacate, an 18-watt TDP APU for ultrathin, mainstream, and value notebooks as well as desktops and all-in-ones) APUs.
Both low-power APU versions feature two Bobcat x86 cores and fully support DirectX11, DirectCompute (Microsoft programming interface for GPU computing) and OpenCL (cross-platform programming interface standard for multi-core x86 and accelerated GPU computing). Both also include UVD 3 dedicated hardware acceleration for HD video including 1080p resolutions. This platform consists of:
Sabine (Fusion) platform (2011).
The "Sabine" platform introduced on June 30, 2011 for the AMD Mainstream Notebook Platform consists of:
Comal (Fusion) platform (2012).
The "Comal" platform introduced on May 15, 2012 for the AMD Mainstream Notebook Platform consists of:


Military Madness

Military Madness is a 1989 turn-based strategy video game originally developed and published by Hudson Soft in Japan and NEC in North America for the TurboGrafx-16. It is the first entry in the "Nectaris" series. Set in the year 2089, players take command of the Allied-Union forces in a desperate offense against the Axis-Xenon Empire army on the Moon before they launch the S.A.M. (Supreme Atomic Missile) weapon to obliterate Earth. Its gameplay consists of moving units into positions to confront enemies in turn-based encounters determined by multiple factors, capturing factories to produce resources and repair units in order to occupy the enemy prison camp or destroy all enemy forces.
"Military Madness" was later ported to other platforms, each one featuring several changes and additions compared to the original TurboGrafx-16 version, in addition of re-releases through download services for other systems, among other ways to play it. The game garnered positive reception from critics, some of which praised the audiovisual presentation and favourably compared its gameplay with other titles in the same genre such as "Desert Commander" and "Advance Wars" but others criticized several aspects, while other versions were also met with similarly positive reception from reviewers as well. It was also cited as a key influence on "Dune II". A sequel, "Neo Nectaris", was released in 1994 for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² add-on.
Gameplay.
"Military Madness" is a science fiction-themed turn-based strategy game where players assume command of the Allied-Union across sixteen increasingly difficult maps that take place at the Moon in 2089, each one giving a pre-determined set number of units to use, on a desperate offense against the Axis-Xenon Empire before they launch their doomsday weapon S.A.M. (Supreme Atomic Missile) to obliterate Earth. Available modes of play include the main single-player campaign that carries the main storyline, a tutorial mode dubbed "Manual" to learn about the game's overall rules and a two-player versus mode. A password system used to keep progress of the single-player campaign. After completing the first basic set of maps, the game starts again but at a more difficult advanced set of 16 maps once the last basic map is cleared.
The main gameplay objective is to either occupy the enemy prison camp to free prioners or destroy all opposing forces on the playfield and the player that does so first wins. Players command their units on a hex map, using a command box function, and each unit have different mobility range that varies according to their type except aircraft units in addition of possessing different shooting range. Terrain plays an important role during battle sequences, as it can affect the outcome of encounters in terms of terrestrial unit's mobility, attack and defense. Each unit also gains experience when involved in combat, becoming stronger with every encounter, while offensive and defensive capabilities are increased if friendly units are near to another friendly unit.
Units cannot be produced, but the Allied-Union forces can capture enemy units if they are in factories, or find unsecured factories and gain units from them. Units can also be repaired by returning them to factories under Allied-Union control, however a stored unit cannot be moved until the current turn ends. Transport units are also available to carry terrestrial units across the map. Selecting the "End" command results with players finishing their current turn. A unique gameplay feature is the "Zone of Control" system; players can surround an enemy unit by forming a circle that decreases both its offensive and defensive capabilities, however players can move to one hex position after a unit was surrounded by enemy units.
Synopsis.
In the twenty-first century, humans made a foray into the Moon but great powers were in fierce conflict over the scarce lunar resources and the Axis-Xenon Empire insisted on their occupation. On 6 April 2089, the Axis-Xenon Empire sent their army to the Moon to occupy almost the entire location and all lunar factories fell into the hands of the Axis-Xenon Empire, mass-producing weapons one after another. Those who disobeyed were captured and placed into prison camps around the Moon, while the Axis-Xenon Empire is preparing to launch the doomsday weapon S.A.M. (Supreme Atomic Missile) to attack Earth. Those who knew the plan, the Allied-Union forces, escaped from their captivity and headed towards the launch base of S.A.M. to thwart the ambitions of the Axis-Xenon Empire.
Release.
"Military Madness" was first released for the TurboGrafx-16 in Japan by Hudson Soft on 9 February 1989 under the name "Nectaris" and later in North America by NEC on 15 February 1990. The game was first re-released for Wii's Virtual Console in 2006 in North America on 18 December, then in Japan 20 December and in Europe 22 December, marking its first appearance in PAL regions. The title was also recently included as part of the TurboGrafx-16 Mini across every regional variant in 2020.
"Military Madness" was first ported under its Japanese name "Nectaris" by SystemSoft in Japan to the PC-9801 on 17 September 1993 and later to the X68000 on 25 September of the same year. In 1995, the game was ported to MS-DOS by Sunflowers and published by Hudson Soft in Europe under its original "Nectaris" name, featuring new units not found in the original TurboGrafx-16 release. The title later received a Windows 95 conversion as part of the CD-appendix included with the August–September 1997 issue of Japanese magazine "LOGiN" and was later distributed by Hudson at their official website as freeware, featuring a unit placement editor unique to this port. A Windows 98 version was released in 1999 as well.
An updated version for PlayStation was developed by Matrix Software and published by Hudson in Japan on 26 February 1998 and later in North America by Jaleco under the name "Nectaris: Military Madness" on 22 January 1999, featuring new maps and battle sequences rendered in 3D. The PlayStation version was later re-released by Konami for PlayStation Network in Japan on 14 May 2008. A mobile version for BREW was developed by Flying Tiger Development and published by Hudson on April 19, 2005. An Android version was also released on 12 May 2009, featuring a new interface for touch controls and redrawn graphics.
Reception.
"Military Madness" received positive reception from critics since its release on the TurboGrafx-16, selling 200,000 copies in Japan but did not sell well in North America due to the platform's failure to break into the market led by Nintendo and Sega. "Aktueller Software Markt"s Ottfried Schmidt praised the visuals and sound but criticized the music for being short in length. Michael Hengst of commended the game for its guidance to players, graphics and atmospheric music while criticizing the lack of additional maps to play but nevertheless recommended it to strategy enthusiasts. "Electronic Gaming Monthly"s four reviewers also commended the game positively for its moon setting and compared it favourably to "Desert Commander". Ray of noted its complexity with simplistic operation and understandable ruleset, recommending the title to strategy fanatics. Tetsuya Inamoto of Japanese website "Game Watch" stated the rules were easy to understand for players despite being a full-scale strategic simulation. "Military Madness" garnered a "Best War Game" award and "Video Games & Computer Entertainment"'s "1990 Best Military-Strategy Game" award. In 1997, "Electronic Gaming Monthly" editors ranked it as the 48th best console video game of all time, calling it "The most addicting strategy game ever". They described it as "both easy to learn and incredibly rich in gameplay complexity", noting how the opening tutorial effectively teaches players the basics and the later levels introduce new mechanics and challenges at a manageable pace.
Hiroaki Kageyama of reviewed the X68000 conversion titled "Nectaris", feeling disappointed for the visuals due to not making use of the X68000's graphic capabilities, while criticizing game's the overall strategies. However, the X68000 version proved popular among the X68000 userbase in Japan. The MS-DOS conversion, also titled "Nectaris", was met with positive reception from critics as well. Manfred Duy of criticized both visuals and sound for being a straightfoward conversion to DOS but commended the gameplay for being timeless. Likewise, "PC Games"s Lars Geiger criticized the graphics and sound, remarking that the maps were not complex as those in "Battle Isle 2" but noted the game being fun. "PC Player"s Jörg Langer remarked that the title was interesting from a "historical" and experience the "forefather of today's hex field tactical games up close", regarding it to be fun due to the multiple units, number of maps and the simple but playful concept but Langer noted it could not compete with more modern games in the same genre due to being outdated. "Power Play"s Ingo Horn also criticized the graphics and sound as well but stated that strategists would not find a game as deep as "Nectaris" for DOS.
The PlayStation iteration was also well received by critics. "AllGame"s Joe Ottoson praised the map and vehicle designs, faithful rendition of the original HuCard music, responsive controls and replay value, stating that ""Nectaris" holds up well despite the age of the game". "IGN" commended Hudson Soft for revamping the original TurboGrafx-16 game from a visual perspective, the addition of construction mode and two-player action, noting that the title's strength lies within its simplicity and complexity, regarding it to be one of the best strategy games on PlayStation. "GameSpot"s Peter Bartholow regarded it as a solid title, commending its two-player component and graphical improvement to the maps but remarked that the polygonal battles were dated for the system visual-wise, as well as the music. Likewise, the mobile BREW version also garnered positive attention from reviewers.
"Military Madness" was also met with equally positive reception from reviewers since its re-release on the Wii's Virtual Console. "Nintendo Life"s Damien McFerran remarked that although the gameplay is not for everyone, he regarded it as one of the premier games of its type alongside "Langrisser" and "Shining Force". "Eurogamer"s Kristan Reed noted similarities with "Advance Wars" titles but nevertheless regarded it as a solid effort that justifies its place on the Virtual Console for being playable and well designed. Likewise, "IGN"s Lucas M. Thomas also noted similarities with "Advance Wars" but stated that ""Military Madness" is a lot of fun and certainly worth a look if you're a fan of turn-based, grid-based, moon-based strategy". "GameSpot"s Frank Provo claimed the title was ahead of its time, as it presented similarly complex turn-based battles as "Advance Wars".
Legacy.
"Military Madness" was adapted to a manga titled "The Shape of Happiness", published in the Famitsu Comix collection from March 1989, drawn by Tamakichi Sakura. A game with similar gameplay mechanics titled "Earth Light" was released for the Super Famicom in 1992, coded by the same programmer who worked on "Military Madness". A sequel titled "Neo Nectaris" was released in 1994 for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² and later re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console, taking place ten years after the events of the first game. In 1998, a portable entry titled "Nectaris GB" was also released for the Game Boy and published by Hudson Soft in Japan. A remake, "", was released for WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2010. An iOS version, "Military Madness: Neo Nectaris", was also released in February 2010. The game was cited as one of the key influences on the seminal 1992 real-time strategy game "Dune II".


Pentax *ist D

Pentax *ist D is a digital SLR camera produced by Pentax, released in 2003. The *ist D produces a 6.1 megapixel resolution image, using same sensor as Nikon D100. It was the smallest and lightest dSLR at the time, but still well equipped. For example, it had a large and bright pentaprism viewfinder, compared to pentamirror in other similarly priced competition.


Snowball (single-board computer)

The Snowball is a Nano-ITX-form factor single-board computer using the NovaThor A9500.
The Linux-based mobile operating system Tizen was ported to Snowball in early 2012.
The Snowball had a public support site at igloocommunity.org, but since support for the board has been withdrawn, the tools are archived at GitHub:
One of the many builds released by Linaro is located here This is build: 13.05 (May 2013). At the link are the binaries that were built, the instructions for using the binaries and instructions for building everything from source.


Kawasaki Synthesizer

The Kawasaki Synthesizer is a musical software tool for the Commodore 64 created in 1983 by Japanese jazz musician, Ryo Kawasaki. The first of four music programs created by Kawasaki, "Kawasaki Synthesizer" (1983) was followed by "Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker" (1984), "Kawasaki Magical Musiquill" (1985), and "Kawasaki MIDI Workstation" in 1986 (his only software title intended for professional use instead of personal or educational use).
Development history.
As a guitarist, pianist, and violin player, Kawasaki's earliest musical interests tended toward jazz and electronics. Alongside the development of his musical style, he tinkered with electronics like radios, televisions, amplifiers, and speakers. Experimental by nature, Kawasaki had already been performing electric-guitar jazz since the early 1970s when he became interested in music synthesis and purchased a Roland GR-500. Drawn to the possibilities afforded by this emerging technology, he began experimenting in the mid-1970s to develop and create a personal guitar synthesizer in 1980 which he featured in live performances and album releases.
As soon as the Commodore 64 was released in 1982, Kawasaki immediately bought one, paying $600 () for it at an electronics store on 45th street in Manhattan. Within two years he had taught himself to program and after some initial experiments in BASIC (which he found to be too constraining) he switched to machine code and wrote his first program that he titled "The Composer". Taking full advantage of the computer's programmable filter and the onboard Sound Interface Device (SID), "The Composer" was designed to produce synth effects beyond that of his guitar synthesizer. Tinkering with "The Composer" further, Kawasaki expanded its capabilities and began to refine it into separate programs designed to highlight different aspects of the original program. Marketed through Sight & Sound Music Software, the first two packages were "Kawasaki Synthesizer" and "Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker". In total, Kawasaki made four programs using SuperMon (a tool created by Jim Butterfield) that he released commercially on 5¼-inch floppy for $29.95–$49.95 (equivalent to $–$ in ) each as well as an unpublished 8-track real-time MIDI recorder called "Midi-Workstation". These synthesizers would be used in the development of a number of significant early house singles, and would feature in his 1984 CES performance and on Kawasaki's 1983 album, "Lucky Lady".
Usage.
The "Kawasaki Synthesizer" was sold as a 2-disk package. The first disk, "The Performer", is divided into 8 different screens including Demos like the synchronized graphics/music demo entitled "Kawasaki Space Dance Theatre", a Keyboard Mode allowing input from the Commodore keyboard (top two rows) or Sight & Sound's "Incredible Musical Keyboard" (IMK) and selection of 21 preset instrumental/effects options and 13 pre-recorded songs with 2 LPs. The second disk, "The Composer" (an expansion of Kawasaki's original "The Composer" program), is divided into 4 different screens including a Keyboard Page allowing Monophonic or Polyphonic mode, a Sound Editing Page, and options to perform multifile chaining and three-track recording.
The program came with a software version of a techno track by Kawasaki entitled "Satellite Station", and it allowed a user to select notes to be played and create songs that could then be saved. Numerous other typically Kawasakian influences were also notably discernible, including the "Kawasaki Space Dance Theatre" which depicted The Kicker Brothers, a pair of Thai kick boxers who would kick in time to the music. The program was regarded as having a dream-like fairy-tale atmosphere, and as future programs were released the color schemes (for example in "Kawasaki Magical Musiquill") became increasingly psychedelic.
Reception.
Reviewers from "Compute!'s Gazette" described "Kawasaki Synthesizer" as fast, intuitive, and spontaneous. Comparing "Kawasaki Synthesizer" to Peter Englebrite's "Music Processor" (which was also released by Sight & Sound for Commodore 64), reviewers found that the "Kawasaki Synthesizer" would most likely appeal to keyboard performers whereas the "Music Processor" would be better appreciated by musical arrangers. The review noted that the Sound Editing Page in "The Composer" module was the most important of the two discs, that the documentation was superb, and concluded that "Kawasaki Synthesizer" is "reasonably priced, brilliantly programmed, [and] attractively packaged".
Later synthesizers.
Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker.
"Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker" (developed in March 1984 and released in June of the same year) was noted to be considerably different from "Kawasaki Synthesizer" despite the fact that it used a similar keyboard input and was designed to allow the player to create music in a synthesizer style. The program featured space sounds and high-resolution graphics, a theme that would become common throughout Kawasaki's programs. "Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker" allowed the player to alter tempo, dub, and bass, and to record his compositions.
Kawasaki Magical Musiquill.
The most colorful of Kawasaki's applications, "Kawasaki Magical Musiquill" was the last program Kawasaki designed as a non-game for children, with his next release, "Kawasaki MIDI Workstation", designed as a serious work for professional studio use.
Kawasaki MIDI Workstation.
Developed in 1986, "Kawasaki MIDI Workstation" was Kawasaki's only work of professional software, and after finishing this program he founded Satellites Records in 1987 and returned to making music of his own.
See also.
Ryo Kawasaki


Canon T90

The Canon T90, introduced in 1986, was the top of the line in Canon's "T series" of 35 mm Single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. It is the last professional-level manual-focus camera from Canon, and the last professional camera to use the Canon FD lens mount. Although it was overtaken by the autofocus revolution and Canon's new, incompatible EOS (Electro-Optical System) after only a year in production, the T90 pioneered many concepts seen in high-end Canon cameras up to the present day, particularly the user interface, industrial design, and the high level of automation.
Due to its ruggedness, the T90 was nicknamed "the tank" by Japanese photojournalists. Many have still rated it highly even 20+ years after its introduction.
Design.
Previous Canon cameras had been wholly in-house design projects. For the T90, Canon brought in German industrial designer Luigi Colani in a collaboration with Canon's own designers. The final design was composed of Colani's ideas by Kunihisa Ito of ODS Co. Ltd., incorporating Colani's distinctive "bio-form" curvaceous shapes. Canon considered Colani's contribution important enough to present him with the first production T90 body, engraved with his name. Computer-aided design techniques were introduced to Canon for the T90, as well as the use of computer controlled (CNC) milling machines to make the molding dies for the shell.
Much work went into human factors engineering to create an ergonomic user interface for the camera. The form of previous cameras was largely dictated by the required locations of mechanical controls on the body, such as the film advance lever, rewind crank, shutter speed dial, shutter release, etc. On the T90, the film transport control is no longer required, while the others are no longer mechanically linked. This gave the designers more freedom to shape the camera to make it easier to control and hold, and to place controls in a way that suited the user rather than a mechanical design.
The T90 introduced features still used on SLR cameras today. While the use of a LCD screen on the top of the camera's right hand side was not new for the T90 – it was introduced on the T70 – the T90 refined it to show even more camera information. A control wheel is located behind the shutter release and convenient for the right index finger is used to adjust most camera settings in conjunction with other buttons located for the right thumb and on the left-hand side of the camera; again, this design is still used in Canon's digital SLRs in current production.
Power features.
The T90 includes an integral motor driven film advance, focal plane shutter, mirror and aperture cocking and rewind functions. Canon broke new ground with the powered features of the camera. Previously, cameras used one powerful electric motor geared to all functions. Instead, the T90 has three coreless micromotors within the body, close to the functions they drive, for maximum mechanical advantage. One is used to wind the film, achieving a rate of 4.5 frames per second. A second prepares the shutter, mirror etc. for the next shot. A third motor powers the rewind function. All of this is driven by four AA batteries in the base of the camera.
To control the camera's systems, the T90 uses a dual CPU architecture. The main, low-power CPU runs at 32 kHz while the sub-CPU runs at 1 MHz, and is powered down when not needed. The main CPU handles the LCD display and overall state, while the sub-CPU handles exposure calculations, viewfinder display, and control of the camera's motors. This architecture provides for lower power usage. Both CPUs, plus other integrated circuits and components, are mounted on several flexible circuit boards that fit around the camera's structure.
A coin-type lithium battery on the main circuit board retains camera settings when the AA batteries are removed. This is not a user-serviceable part, and when it fails the camera has to be brought to a service center where the battery can be replaced by a Canon technician. Expected battery life is on the order of five years, although this depends on a variety of factors including the duration of periods without main battery (4xAA) power.
Metering.
For the T90, Canon developed their most sophisticated light-metering system yet. Although it introduced no novel metering techniques, it assembled the majority of the metering techniques then developed into one easy-to-use system. First, it took the metering options from the New F-1—center-weighted average metering, partial area metering, and spot metering—and makes them available with a press of a button and a turn of the command dial. The New F-1 requires a focusing screen change to switch metering patterns. On the T90, partial area metering uses the center 13% of the picture area, while spot metering uses the center 2.7%.
To these, Canon copied the metering options found on Olympus' OM-4. "Multi-spot metering" allows the photographer to average up to eight spot meter readings from different parts of the scene. In another feature borrowed from Olympus, separate "Highlight" and "Shadow" spot readings could be taken. These adjust the camera's metering decisions to ensure extremes of tonal range are not muted and grey in the final exposure.
Two built-in sensors are used to implement all these metering options. Center-weighted and partial area metering are performed by a double-area silicon photocell (SPC) in Canon's standard location above the eyepiece, while spot metering is performed by another SPC located at the bottom of the mirror box. Light reaches that sensor via a half-silvered area of the main mirror and a secondary mirror located beneath it. The spot metering cell also allows for automatic TTL "off-the-film" flash metering, again borrowed from Olympus.
Notably lacking is what is now the most common metering mode on SLR cameras, matrix metering. Nikon had introduced this in the FA in 1983, but Canon did not follow suit until 1987's EOS 650.
Exposure.
Eight exposure modes are available. Program AE (Auto-Exposure) mode puts exposure control completely in the hands of the camera. Variable Shift Program AE allows the photographer to bias the camera towards narrow aperture with three Wide Angle settings, or fast shutter speed with three Telephoto settings as well as the standard mode. For more manual control, Aperture Priority AE and Shutter-Speed Priority AE allow the photographer to set one exposure variable manually while the camera chooses the other.
In either of the latter two modes, a Safety Shift feature allows the camera to adjust the "fixed" parameter if it can not obtain a correct exposure otherwise. For example, in Aperture Priority mode, if the photographer has the aperture fixed wide open to photograph a very bright scene, the correct shutter speed to expose correctly at that aperture might be faster than the camera is capable of. Safety Shift lets the camera reduce the aperture until it can achieve a correct exposure at maximum shutter speed. The Safety Shift feature can be turned on and off by pressing two buttons on the back of the camera near the base.
If no automation of exposure is desired, a Manual mode is available. In this, the camera's metering acts as a sophisticated light-meter, but all decisions are made by the photographer. For use with older lenses that do not have an automated aperture diaphragm, Stopped-down Aperture Priority AE or Stopped-down Manual can be used; these instruct the camera that the currently set aperture will be the taking aperture, and to therefore adjust the metering calculations accordingly. Finally, a Flash AE mode is available for flash photography.
Flash.
The T90 was the first Canon camera to support through-the-lens (TTL) flash metering. This measures the actual light levels reaching the film by measuring reflected light off the film (OTF), shutting down the flash unit once the film is sufficiently exposed. The measurement is calculated using the average reflectivity of color negative film. This system is also used on Canon's new EOS system, making the T90 the only non-EOS Canon body compatible with TTL Canon flashes. The T90's X-sync speed of 1/250 second was the fastest Canon had achieved and is better than most other cameras available at the time it was in production.
A new, dedicated flash unit, the Speedlite 300TL, was launched alongside the T90 to support its new flash modes. It has a zoomable head, capable of adjustment (by moving the head in and out) to cover the fields of view of 24, 35, 50 and 85 mm lenses. For bounce flash, the head can be rotated up to 90° vertically, 180° to the left, and 90° to the right. As well as the plain TTL mode, the 300TL supports A-TTL (Advanced TTL); here, the flash-to-subject distance is calculated using an infrared pulse with a detector mounted on the flash body. In bounce mode, however, it uses a 1/20th power pre-flash instead.
A pre-flash is also used in "FE Lock" mode (flash exposure lock). In this mode, the pre-flash is used in conjunction with spot metering to determine the correct exposure in advance of taking the picture. Thus, the camera can be moved to reframe the main subject off-center and still expose correctly.
For exposures slower than the X-sync speed, previous SLR flash systems triggered the flash at the start of the exposure, as soon as the first shutter curtain had finished its travel. However, for motion blurs and light trails in a longer exposure, this method gives the impression of backwards movement, since the motion trails out in front of the moving object after the flash. The T90, became the first mass-market camera to support "second-curtain flash", where the flash fires at the end of the exposure, just before the second shutter curtain starts to close.
Although not identical, the current (2009) Canon Speedlite 580 EX II supports the T90 as well.
Canon also produced a dedicated macro ring flash for the camera, the ML-2. This supports TTL and manual models only, and contains two flash tubes, one on either side, which can be fired separately or together. The system consists of the flash ring itself, which fits onto the end of the lens, and a control unit that screws into the hot shoe atop the camera. The later ML-3 ring flash, introduced for the EOS system cameras, also supports the T90.
Accessories.
While the T90 does not support the vast range of accessories available for Canon's F-1, F-1n or New F-1, a number of significant accessories are available. The pentaprism is not interchangeable, but the focusing screen is; eight different screens are available for different applications. Standard is the "New Split/Microprism" screen, which offers three of the most common focusing aids simultaneously; the central circle is a split image prism, surrounded by a microprism ring; the rest of the screen is a laser matte.
Two optional data backs are available for the T90. The first, the Command Back 90, both allows date and data imprinting on the photographs and also allowed various forms of time-lapse photography. The second, sold by Canon only in certain markets, is the Data Memory Back 90, which stores 16 shot variables for up to 156 exposures, or six variables for up to 338 exposures. The computer interface to the Data Memory Back 90 supports only the MSX home computer standard. Third parties have adapted connectors to other computer systems.
A wired 60T3 remote control unit plugs into a socket fitted beneath the right handgrip, while an infrared remote control kit is also available as the LC-2. This unit also supports an Auto Sensing mode for completely unmanned photography. This trips the shutter whenever something blocked the path between transmitter and receiver—useful in wildlife photography, for example.
Modifications.
A number of modifications to the T90 have been performed over the years, by Canon or third parties, in order to add features missing from the camera as-built:
Use today.
Canon ceased supporting the camera in 1998 and spare parts are no longer available from them. The subsequent difficulty in obtaining repair services is likely to discourage any remaining professional use of these cameras.
One issue is with LCD (liquid crystal display) life, a problem not unique to the T90. LCD displays age and wear out at a varying rate dependent on environmental conditions, use and other factors. Commonly quoted lifespans are about five to ten years; thus, many T90s will have displays nearing the end of their lives, even if they have been replaced. The spare part is no longer available and no third-party replacement has emerged.
The plastic battery holder on the T90 is somewhat susceptible to breakage, and can cause the camera to become inoperative. Used cameras should be carefully checked for broken/repaired battery holder compartments. Another common problem is failure of the second internal battery that retains frame number/ISO settings, replacement of which requires service by a person skilled in soldering techniques and camera disassembly.
Another, more serious, problem concerns the shutter. The T90's shutter appears to become "sticky" as the camera ages. It is prone to locking up, in which case the camera's LCD displays "EEE" and the message "HELP" appears in the viewfinder display. This is commonly called the "EEE syndrome" among users. The problem is most likely to crop up after the camera has been left unused for some time; thus, the best way to prevent it is regular use of the camera. It does not seem to cause inaccurate shutter speeds before failure. The problem can be corrected by a knowledgeable technician without replacing the shutter mechanism. It is reportedly caused by dirt on the shutter's magnets affecting their performance. But if left unused for an extended period of time the circuit will need to be replaced, an expensive and time-consuming proposition.
The sticky shutter problem relates to a rubber washer that is involved in the operation of the shutter. With age and atmospheric conditions, it tends to deteriorate and become sticky, so that it impedes the operation of the shutter. Frequent use can delay the stickiness from 'glueing up' the shutter, but once started, the only long-term remedy is to have the shutter repaired, when the rubber washer is replaced, and so another 10 years or more can be enjoyed with the camera working correctly. A good short-term solution is to lightly clean the shutter diaphragm with a cotton ball and lighter fluid.
As with some other electronically controlled SLR film cameras, a working Canon T90 can be a bargain on the used market. Prices from used camera dealers providing warranties range from approximately US$120–140 for a camera in working condition to approximately US$240–260 for a camera body in mint condition with accessories, box and manual.
Canon FD lenses, however, remain quite affordable compared to their EF counterparts.


Rayxanber

 is a trilogy of scrolling shooter video games developed by Japanese software company Data West, published from 1990 to 1992.
The series generally resembles "R-Type", particularly in art style and gameplay. The plot and setting uses the same trope as games like "R-Type" and "Gradius"; it concerns an ongoing war between mankind and a race of invading aliens belonging to the Zoul Empire, and the player's primary enemy consists of bioships and enormous organic fortresses.


Gnome Ranger

Gnome Ranger is a text adventure game by Level 9 released in 1987. It was followed by a sequel titled "Ingrid's Back".
Plot.
The gnome Ingrid Bottomlow has displeased her family by her un-gnomelike behaviour, such as going off to university and getting an education. She has been teleported from her village by a faulty scroll, and must find her way back..
Gameplay.
The game is a standard text adventure with limited graphics on some platforms. It comes with a short novella by Peter McBride ("The Gnettlefield Journal") explaining Ingrid's predicament and setting the background to the story. Gameplay is similar to the earlier Level 9 adventure "Knight Orc", which uses the same game engine (KAOS). The player must explore the settings while collecting useful items and interacting with various non-player characters to solve puzzles and problems.
The game takes place in three areas, each characterized by the non-player characters Ingrid will meet. The first contains characters of an animal nature, the second of a vegetable nature, and the third of a mineral nature.


Tunnels of Armageddon

Tunnels of Armageddon is a computer game involving racing and shooting while avoiding obstacles.
Summary.
The game features pseudo-3D graphics. Gameplay involves piloting a futuristic spacecraft through a series of tunnels to a destination within a certain time limit. Colliding into obstructions depletes a limited amount of shields given. The game is Sci-Fi in theme. The rather simple plot amounted to traversing deeper into tunnels to save Earth from evil aliens. The PC version had support for both EGA and VGA graphics, as well as an Ad-Lib or Soundblaster soundcard.


I, Robot (video game)

I, Robot is an arcade shooter game designed by Dave Theurer and published by Atari, Inc. It was developed in 1983 and released in June 1984. Atari originally intended to release the game in 1983, but it was delayed due to technical issues and difficulties, so it was returned to the lab for further testing and research, and was not fully released until June 1984. Only a total of 750–1000 machines were produced. The arcade machine comes with two games. The first is "I, Robot", a multi-directional shooter that has the player assume the role of "Unhappy Interface Robot #1984", a servant bot that rebels against Big Brother. The object of the game involves the servant bot going through 126 levels, turning red squares to blue to destroy Big Brother's shield and eye. The player can switch to the second game, "Doodle City", a drawing tool that lasts for three minutes.
"I, Robot" is known for being one of the first commercially produced arcade video games with real-time, flat-shaded, 3D polygon graphics (along with "Cube Quest"), as well as being the first video game to feature camera-control options. Its name was originally ""Ice Castles", but was changed to "I, Robot"".
Upon release of the game, "I, Robot" received poor reception and was a financial flop. Approximately 750–1000 units of the game were created, with few having been confirmed to exist today. However, the remaining arcade cabinets have become rare collectibles and the game has received later praise for its innovative 3D graphics. Author David Ellis listed it as one of the "notable classics" of its time.
Gameplay.
In "I, Robot", the player controls "Unhappy Interface Robot #1984", a servant robot that has become self-aware and decides to rebel against Big Brother. To advance from level to level, the robot must destroy the giant blinking eye of Big Brother, first by wearing down its shield and then attacking the eye directly. The robot fires energy at the shield by moving over red blocks in the level, converting them to blue.
Although the robot can jump, the robot will be destroyed if jumping while the eye is open. Various extra hazards, such as birds, bombs and flying sharks, can also destroy the robot during each level. At the end of some levels, rather than destroying the eye immediately, the robot must navigate a maze and collect gems before it encounters the eye at close range. Once a level is completed, the robot flies through outer space and must shoot or avoid "tetras", meteors, and various obstacles (including a floating head that fires nails) to reach the next level.
The player can adjust the camera angle during gameplay, moving closer to the robot or flying up for an overhead view of the level. The closer the camera is to the robot, the greater the score multiplier, but the more difficult it is to see the whole level and Big Brother. In later levels, enemies known as "viewer killers" begin attacking the camera directly, forcing the player to either change the viewing angle or move the robot so that the camera will follow it. Failing to avoid a viewer killer costs the player a life.
There are 26 unique level designs; after completing all of them, the levels repeat at a higher difficulty and with a different color palette, as in Atari's earlier game "Tempest". After completing a total of 126 levels, the player is thrown back to a random earlier level. The game ends when the player runs out of lives.
Doodle City.
"Doodle City", referred to in the game as an ungame, is a simple drawing tool which presents the player with a selection of objects from the "game" mode. The player can move and rotate each shape and can cause trails to be left on the screen as they are moved. The player can remain in this mode for up to three minutes per credit, and can switch back to the main game at any time. One life is subtracted from the player's life pool for each minute spent in "Doodle City".
Development.
The game features amplified stereo and pixel graphics on a 19-inch color CRT monitor. It uses a Motorola 6809 central processing unit and four Atari POKEY audio chips. "I, Robot" was originally called "Ice Castles".
Dave Sherman developed the custom bit-slice ('pepperoni') 3D co-processor that allowed for a throughput of approximately 2,000 polygons per second. It includes four AMD 2901 4-bit slice programmable ALU chips.
"I, Robot"'s cabinet was identical to the Firefox upright. The cabinet was furnished with an Atari patented Hall-effect joystick, two fire buttons and two buttons to control the players viewing angle.
Reception.
"I, Robot" received a poor reception on release. Approximately 750–1000 units of the game were created. Few have been confirmed to exist today. The arcade cabinets have since become rare collectibles with Dave Theurer's involvement being a selling point among collectors.
Clare Edgeley of "Computer and Video Games" magazine reviewed the game in 1985, stating that the "graphics are perhaps the most unusual of any arcade game around" but is nevertheless "a cubist's delight." She also said the ability to change angles is a "nice" touch. In 1991, "Mean Machines" placed it on its wishlist for arcade games to appear on consoles, believing the Super Famicom would do that game justice. In 2001, author John Sellers described "I, Robot" as a "near miss" because of its strong release that didn't gain enough popularity. He further praised the game, calling it enjoyable and influential. Author David Ellis in 2004 listed it as one of the "notable classics" of its time, calling it "quirky".
In 2008, "Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition" listed it as the number ninety arcade game in technical, creative and cultural impact, citing its innovative 3D graphics. Gamasutra placed "I, Robot" on its "20 Atari Games" list, saying that "This is the kind of brilliance Atari could field in its halcyon days". The game has been cited as the first arcade game to use 3D polygon graphics, and holds a Guinness World Record for the milestone. IGN.com's Levi Buchanan and Craig Harris included "I Robot" to their "Dream Arcades" articles.
A rumor persisted that Atari shipped 500 unsold units to Japan with instructions to dump the units into the ocean at the halfway point. Atari employee Rusty Dawe dispelled this rumor as a "total myth" in a 2009 interview, adding "I would have LIKED to dump [the] "I, Robot" controls into the ocean [as they were a] total nightmare. But that didn't happen either."


Commodore CBM-II

The Commodore CBM-II series is a short-lived range of 8-bit personal computers from Commodore Business Machines (CBM), released in 1982 and intended as a follow-on to the Commodore PET series.
Technical description.
The CBM-II has two incarnations, the P series (P = personal, or, home use) and the B series (B = business use). The B series was available with a built-in monochrome monitor (hi-profile) with detached keyboard, and also as a single unit with built-in keyboard but no monitor (lo-profile). These machines are often referred to as the "Porsche PETs" due to incorrect rumors that the case was designed by Porsche. Though Commodore did initially consult Porsche for a case design, it proved too expensive to produce, so Commodore enlisted designer Ira Velinski to create one based on the original PET prototype.
The P-series uses the VIC-II 40-column color video chip like the Commodore 64 (C64). It also includes two standard Atari-style joystick ports. The 6509 CPU runs at 1 MHz in the P-series due to the use of the VIC-II chip.
Both B and P-series machines have a 6581 SID chip, although the B-series' 2 MHz clock speed makes it impossible to read any of the SID's registers.
The B-series uses a 6545 CRTC video chip to give an 80-column "green screen" monochrome output more suitable for word processing and other business use than the VIC-II's 40-column display. Most models have the Motorola 68B45 installed which is a pin-compatible variant rather than the MOS 6545A1 2 MHz part. On the B-series the 6509 CPU runs at 2 MHz. The joystick ports are not present on the B-series, but the connector is still on the motherboard.
CBM-IIs are the only Commodore 8-bit machines with an RS-232 port instead of the standard user port. The I/O registers for the user port are still present (as they're an internal function of the 6522 chips) but there is no connector for it on the motherboard.
A cartridge slot is also included on the machines, however no known cartridge software was developed.
The B-series retained the IEEE-488 interface from the PET instead of the IEC serial interface on the VIC-20 and C64. The small amount of software Commodore developed for the B-series was distributed on 500k 8050 format disks rather than the 170k 4040/1541 format.
Features common to both the P and B-series included an MOS Technology 6509 CPU, an enhanced version of the venerable 6502, that was capable of addressing up to 1 megabyte of RAM via bank switching (however, no CBM-II model came with more than 256 kilobytes of RAM). The sound chip is the 6581 SID, the same one that was used in the popular C64 but with some limitations as it was over-clocked to 2 MHz. Additionally, the CBM-II has an industry-standard RS-232 serial interface and an IEEE-488 parallel bus (for use by disk drives and printers) just like the PET/CBM series. The CBM-II's built-in operating system uses an enhanced version of CBM BASIC version 4.0.
An optional Intel 8088-based coprocessor board allows the CBM-II series to run CP/M-86 1.1 and MS-DOS 1.25; however, the computers were not IBM PC compatible and very little, if any, software taking advantage of this capability ever appeared. The coprocessor board only runs on high-profile machines due to power supply and mechanical spacing requirements. A Z80 card was also announced if the user wished to run CP/M-80, as well as a Zilog Z8001 board, but none are known to exist. The 8088 board never reached production apparently because of difficulties getting it to work with the system.
The CBM-II line uses a complicated RAM banking scheme. Bank 0 contains the video RAM on P-series machines and is empty on B-series machines. Banks 1-4 contain the main system RAM, with Bank 15 containing the system ROMs, cartridge ROM, I/O registers, video RAM on B-series machines, and a small amount of RAM to store system variables. BASIC program text is stored in Bank 1. On 128 KB models, Bank 2 contains all BASIC variables, however on 256 KB models they're spread out among Banks 2–4. However, unlike the later released Commodore 128, the CBM-IIs do not have the system ROMs mapped into banks other than 15, which has very limited program RAM (1k free, plus a 4k expander board could be installed). This meant that software had to include its own OS routines to handle device I/O and interrupts, as it is not possible to "far call" code across different memory banks. In theory, if Banks 5–14 were filled, up to 1 MB of RAM could be installed, but in practice the computer is limited to 256 kB as the PLA chip does not have enough address lines for it. Passing data between different banks requires use of the register at $0 which selects the banks to be read from and written to via LDA (zero page),Y and STA (zero page),Y CPU opcodes. The register at $1 selects the bank where the CPU fetches instructions from, which will default to 15 ($F) on power up.
The BASIC included with the CBM-II series is known as BASIC 4.0+. It contains the enhanced BASIC 4.0 disk commands as well as a few other added features for structured programming and error trapping.
Commodore had plans for a wide variety of RAM configurations as well as slimline and "high profile" models. The slimline machines were all-in-one units while the high-profile models had a separate keyboard and attached swivel-mount monitor. Both slimline and high-profile models have a connector for internal floppy drives and coprocessor boards, although only the latter have physical room in the case and a sufficient power supply for them. No production machines had internal floppy drives, however these likely would have been a half-height variant of the 8050. Most of the planned CBM-II models never made it past the prototype stage. Originally, there would be four models in each series, with memory increasing in 64 KB increments. 64k and 192k models were dropped early in development and no such models were produced.
In the end, the only CBM-II models to enter production and be sold to end users were the B128/600, B256/700, CBM-128/710, and PAL model P500s. The B128 and P500 were slimline models with no internal disk drives or attached monitor while the CBM 128 and B256 were high-profile models. The B128 was the biggest selling of the three.
The production naming within the United States and Canada was the B128/B256 and CBM128-80/CBM 256-80 while in Europe they were known as the 600 and 700 series respectively (no "B" in front of the model number). The P machine was known worldwide as the 500 series. There are prototype models though such as the B500 (earlier B128 design) and B700 (earlier CBM 128-80/CBM 256-80 design) known to exist.
History.
Due to the popularity of the C64, the P-series was cancelled in the United States before it could be officially released; however, a few dealers who received preproduction units sold them. As the P-series had not then been certified by the FCC, Commodore were threatened with legal action and were forced to recall them. It was rumored that all recalled P-series machines were destroyed, however a handful of them are known to exist in private collections. At least one model, the P500, was commercially released in Europe but only sold in small numbers.
The most common of the B-series was the low-profile B128 (called the CBM 610 in Europe), which had 128 kilobytes of RAM. The B128 did not sell well, and ultimately Commodore's inventory was liquidated by Protecto Enterprizes, a large Commodore mail order dealer based in Chicago, Illinois. The Protecto ads for the B128 bundle, including a dual disk drive, monitor and printer, appeared in various computer magazines for several years.
The CBM-II line sold poorly and ended up being extremely expensive to manufacture, as well as difficult to develop software for. Commodore did not release any sales figures or an official discontinuation date, however the B128/600 is the most common model in the lineup. Production ended at some point during 1984 and Commodore liquidated their remaining inventory in 1985. CBM-IIs were still being sold in Germany up to 1987. The exact number of CBM-IIs produced is unclear, however serial numbers indicate that at least 10,000 B128s were shipped along with a few dozen to a few thousand of the other models. It is believed that Commodore produced at least 5000–6000 of each machine.
After discontinuing the CBM-II range, Commodore handed its documentation, schematics, and all other information over to CBUG, the Chicago B128 Users Group.
Among these materials was a prototype motherboard using an Intel 8088 processor, which hints at the possibility the line could have been made IBM compatible if production had continued.
CBUG went on to develop a library of software for the computers. Its library, however, paled in comparison to the large software libraries enjoyed by the C64 and Commodore VIC-20.
The rounded case design of the high-profile CBM-II series would later be used in redesigned versions of the original PET/CBM computers, (such as the CBM8296) that the CBM-II line was designed to replace. In addition, the memory banking scheme of the CBM-II would be reused on the Commodore 128 with a few slight modifications.


XPilot

XPilot is a multiplayer video game. It is open source and runs on many platforms. Although its 2D graphics have improved over time, they still resemble the style of "Thrust". Gameplay includes Capture the Flag, base defense, racing and deathmatches. "XPilot" uses a client–server architecture, in which a central metaserver receives information from all "XPilot" servers on the Internet.
History.
In 1991, Bjørn Stabell and Ken Schouten, then computer science undergraduates at the University of Tromsø, began writing "XPilot", inspired by the earlier game "Thrust". It was originally developed in C on HP9000 workstations which ran Unix. Soon after its first public release in 1992, Stabell and Schouten began receiving feedback, suggestions, and patches from players all around the world. Other "XPilot" users wrote documentation and contributed source code to the project. By 1996, there were nearly one hundred "XPilot" servers worldwide.
XPilot's code has been forked several times. XPilot5 is a complete rewrite of "XPilot" in C++. Unlike its predecessor, it comes with sound and is bundled with applications to configure the keyboard, ship shapes and behavior. The latest stable version of "XPilot5" is 5.0.0. In late 2000, another group of developers began a branch of "XPilot", later labeled XPilot NG (for next generation). Programmed in C, it contains two clients, either X11-based or SDL/OpenGL-based. Unlike the block-based maps of the original game, "XPilot NG" provides high frame rates and polygon maps. A new Java based map editor provides better map editing facilities. The latest version of "XPilot NG" is 4.7.2. In 2009, 7b5 Labs released XPilot iPhone, an "XPilot" client for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. It is based on "XPilot" and "XPilot NG" and uses touchscreen controls. While these modern versions implement many new features, they are mostly compatible with the original program.
Gameplay.
The metaserver contains a list of all XPilot maps on the Internet. These maps, created by users, feature several types of gameplay. In deathmatches, points are earned by destroying other players or robots. Users can increase their firepower by picking up items such as missiles, mines and lasers. Players can also defend themselves by gathering cloaks, shields, ECMs and armor. In racing maps, players earn points based on their finishing position. The objective of team games is to "destroy" the opponent's ball by placing it in the treasure chest. Team games may also be run in a slightly different Capture the flag mode.
Other modes exist, like trying to survive as long as possible surrounded by cannons, by dodging the bullets, or combinations of different modes.
Community.
"XPilot"s in-game chat and multiplayer functionality spawned the formation of a community. Contact between players was facilitated by newsgroups such as "alt.games.xpilot" and later "rec.games.computer.xpilot". Since 1991, several annual team tournaments, known "Cups", have been held. After the first HTML and image-rendering web browsers were introduced, members of the community developed the game's online documentation.
There is also an IRC channel dedicated to XPilot.


Dark Fusion

Dark Fusion is a horizontally-scrolling platform shooter published by Gremlin Graphics in 1988. Levels are divided into three zones: Combat zone, Alien zone, and Flight zone. To enter a new zone, player must first find a fusion pod. In the combat zone, player controls an astronaut who has to go through levels by using a space shotgun. In Alien/Flight Zone, player control a space ship - first, fight against giant Alien, after killing these aliens make your way to the Flight zone fusion pod then fly carefully through to the next level.
Reception.
"Dark Fusion" received generally positive reviews from critics.


Sony NEX-5T

The Sony α NEX-5T is a mid-range rangefinder-styled digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera announced by Sony on 27 August 2013.


Fujitsu Lifebook

Lifebook is a line of laptop computers made by Fujitsu, which also offers a range of notebooks and tablet PCs within the same Lifebook family.
History.
In partnership with Poqet Computer Corporation, Fujitsu launched the world’s first hand-held, one-pound, IBM/PC-XT-compatible computer in 1989. Fujitsu launched its first single-spindle convertible Tablet PC, the Lifebook T3000 Series, in October 2003. The Lifebook T3010 was an important launching pad for Fujitsu’s present-day tablet PCs.
Models.
Fujitsu divides its Lifebook family into three model segments: all-round, advanced and superior.
According to the company, the all-round models are designed for users running standard office applications and are suitable for everyday all-round use from picture editing, e-mailing and surfing the internet through the use of multimedia applications. Lifebook models in the all-round sector include the A-/AH-series, the SH-series, the LH-series and the NH-series.
Advanced models are designed for high mobility and security. Most of the advanced models are designed for advanced processing and include a port replicator. Models from the T, S, E and P-series are in the advanced segment.
Superior Lifebook models are designed for the mobile professional user, as well as industries such as healthcare, services, research and education. Models in the superior category come from the T, P and S-series.
Fujitsu also offers a tablet PC under the "Stylistic" brand name.


HP-67/-97

The HP-67 is a magnetic card-programmable handheld calculator, introduced by Hewlett-Packard in 1976 at an MSRP of $450. A desktop version with built-in thermal printer was sold as the HP-97 at a price of $750.
Marketed as improved successors to the HP-65, the HP-67/97 were based on the technology of the "20-series" of calculators (HP-25, HP-19C etc.) introduced a year earlier. The two models are functionally equivalent, and programs on magnetic cards can be interchanged between them.
Features.
The 67/97 provide a complete set of scientific, statistical and engineering operations, including trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions, coordinate conversions, average/standard deviation etc.
The HP-67/97 series featured a program memory of 224 eight-bit words. The two extra bits per word compared to the HP-65's six allowed the designers to store any program instruction in a single memory cell ("fully merged keycodes") even if it required multiple keystrokes to enter. Programs could include 20 labels, subroutines (3 levels deep), four flag registers, 8 comparison functions, and extended index and loop control functions.
At 15 digits, the display was wider than those of the predecessor models, although the decimal point was displayed on its own digit position. The HP-67 keys carry up to four functions each, accessed through "f", "g" and "h" prefix keys (gold, blue and black labels, respectively). The model 97 had more (and larger) keys, therefore only two functions were assigned to each key. When interchanging magnetic cards between the HP-67 and the HP-97, the calculators' software took care of converting the key codes, and emulated the 97's print functions through the 67's display.
The HP-67 is powered by a pack of three AA-sized nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries. Owing to the power requirements of the built-in thermal printer, the HP-97 employs a larger battery pack and more powerful charger.
Memory and programming.
Of the 26-register data memory, the first ten ("primary registers") could be accessed directly, ten more as an alternate register set, and the remaining six through the user defined keys A-E and as an index register. Using the latter, a program could access all 26 registers as a single indexed array. Data memory is not permanent as in later models, i.e. register contents and program are lost when powering off. The alternate register set was also used by statistical functions.
The built-in magnetic card reader/writer could be used to save programs and data, with the ability to combine data from multiple cards. The same magnetic card format was later used for the HP-41C which offered compatibility to the 67/97 through software in the card reader. HP offered a library of programs supplied on packs of pre-recorded magnetic cards for many applications including surveying, medicine, as well as civil and electrical engineering. Cards could be write protected by cutting off a designated corner.
In addition to software and support from HP, an active user community supported the HP-67/97 as well as the other HP programmables of the era. The group was called PPC and produced the PPC Journal. One of the notable contributions of the group was the development of a "Blackbox" that allowed pseudo-alphanumeric displays.
HP-97S.
In 1977, HP introduced an extended version of the desktop model as the HP-97S which featured an extra parallel I/O port (40 lines for 10 4-bit BCD digits, plus 5 control lines) for collecting data from external hardware, at a price of $1,375.


Anti-Shake


Samsung NX20

The Samsung NX20 is a digital compact camera produced and marketed by Samsung since April 2012 as a successor to the Samsung NX11. It is a 20.3 Megapixel mirrorless interchangeable lens camera using the Samsung NX-mount.
The NX20 is comparable in weight and size with cameras such as the Sony NEX, Nikon 1 and the Micro Four Thirds series of cameras.
The NX20 includes the i-Function lens control system and a built-in WiFi for connection to online services such as email and social networking.
Samsung NX30.
The NX30 is similar to its predecessor, the Samsung NX20, but has fast hybrid autofocus which Samsung claims can detect an object in only 80ms.
In addition to this advanced phase-detect/contrast-detect hybrid autofocus system, but it has improved ISO range, better continuous shooting speed (8 vs 9 fps), Full HD videos @ 60fps (NX20 being limited to 30fps only), a higher resolution display and tiltable viewfinder.


Mkstemp

In computing, codice_1 is a POSIX function for creating a temporary file (a computer file which usually ceases to exist when the program, which opened the file, closes it or terminates). It accepts an argument that determines the location of the temporary file, and the prefix of its generated filename. After codice_1 was added to the Single UNIX Specification, the function codice_3 was deprecated, because the latter carried the risk that a temporary file with the same name could be created by another thread or process within the time from when the caller obtains the temporary filename and attempts to create it. codice_1 does not suffer from this problem.
Usage.
Declaration.
codice_5
Example.
The following code is an example of the usage of codice_1; the local variable codice_13 is modified by codice_1 and will contain the path to the new file:
void example()
 char filename[] = "/tmp/prefXXXXXX";
 mkstemp(filename);
Error conditions.
It is unspecified if codice_1 sets errno, and what values of errno are set, in the event of failure.
Mechanism.
The codice_1 function generates a filename according to the supplied argument for the template, and attempts to create it. It repeats this process until a file has been successfully created. After this, it opens the file and returns the file descriptor to the caller, with the data buffer that was passed to the function with the template now containing the new filename. The file can be deleted immediately after the codice_1 call returns to prevent other processes from opening it, but the file can still be used because the calling process will still have a valid file descriptor. Older versions of codice_1 created the file with an umask of 0666, resulting in the temporary files being readable and writable to all users, and thus presenting a security vulnerability; this is mitigated by setting the umask manually before calling codice_1. Newer versions of the function create the file with the umask 600, so that only the owner of the file may read from and write to it.


Hanging with Friends

Hanging with Friends is a defunct multi-player word game developed by Zynga with Friends (formerly Newtoy, Inc.), which also developed "Words with Friends". Players took turns guessing words, similar to Hangman, with either friends or random opponents. Released by Zynga in June 2011, the game was available for cross-platform play on iPhone and Android.
Players who challenge opponents must create a word between four and eight letters long, using the letters provided to them. The challenge is then sent to a player who must guess the word with a limited number of guesses (number of guesses based on the number of letters used to make the word; the longer the word, the fewer guesses the player gets). The exchange of challenges and guesses continues until one player uses all five of their balloons and their avatar falls into a pit of lava or other deathtrap. Players have lifelines at their disposal that can either restore guesses, reveal letters that may be part of the word, or remove letters that are not part of the word they are trying to guess. The game was a freemium game, meaning there was no cost to play, but players had the option to purchase premium content. On 19 February 2018 the game announced it would be retired on 26 March 2018.


HP Z

HP Z is a series of professional workstation computers developed by HP. The first-generation desktop products were announced in March 2009, replacing HP's xw-series workstations. The product line expanded to mobile with the announcement of Z Book in September 2013, replacing HP's EliteBook W-series mobile workstations. The Z workstations mainly compete against Dell Precision workstations, Lenovo's ThinkStation or ThinkPad P-series workstations, as well as the Apple Mac Pro and MacBook Pro.
Desktop workstations.
First generation.
The HP Z800, HP Z600 and HP Z400 were announced in March 2009, offering Intel Nehalem Xeon processors and a new chassis design. An entry-level model, HP Z200, was announced in January 2010 at CES 2010. A small-form-factor version of the Z200, along with Intel Westmere Xeon processor refresh, were introduced to the lineup in March 2010. Z210, the successor of Z200, was announced in April 2011 with Intel Sandy Bridge Xeon E3 processors. An all-in-one workstation Z1 featuring Sandy Bridge E3 processors was introduced in February 2012.
Second generation.
The second-generation workstations Z820, Z620 and Z420 were announced in March 2012, featuring Intel Sandy Bridge-E Xeon E5 processors. The entry-level Z220 was refreshed with Intel Ivy Bridge Xeon E3 v2 processors in June 2012. Z230, successor to Z220, was introduced in July 2013 with Intel Haswell Xeon E3 v3 processors. Z820, Z620 and Z420 were updated to Intel Ivy Bridge Xeon E5 v2 processors in September 2013. The second-generation Z1 G2 all-in-one was announced at CES 2014.
Third generation.
The third-generation workstations Z840, Z640 and Z440 were announced in September 2014, featuring Intel Haswell Xeon E5 v3 processors. The processors were later updated to Broadwell in April 2016. The entry-level Z240 was announced in September 2015 with Intel Skylake E3 v5 processors, and later updated to Kaby Lake Xeon E3 v6 processors. The third-generation all-in-one Z1 G3 was announced in April 2016 with Intel Skylake processors. A mini workstation, Z2 Mini G3, was announced in November 2016.
Fourth generation.
The fourth-generation workstations Z8 G4, Z6 G4 and Z4 G4 were announced in September 2017, shipping with Intel Skylake Xeon Scalable or W-series processors. Cascade Lake processors were made available in April 2019. Entry-level Z2 G4 and Z2 Mini G4 were announced in July 2018, featuring Intel Coffee Lake Xeon E-series processors.


Komputer 2086

The Unipolbrit Komputer 2086 was a Polish version of the home computer Timex Sinclair 2068, produced by a joint venture of the Polish state-owned "Unimor" and foreign company "Polbrit International". The machine wasn't 100% ZX Spectrum-compatible (like all other Timex Sinclair versions) and a "Spectrum Emulation" cartridge was available (usually bundled).