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This is the Game Developers Conference week here in San Francisco, and Khronos, the group that governs the OpenGL ES specifications is revealing the latest version of the graphics API (application programming interface) which brings new features and capabilities to mobile developers. This update brings mobiles one step closer to “feature-parity” with the latest game consoles and PC hardware, but there is a little more work that needs to be done. Here’s what’s new: (more…)

OpenGL ES 3.1 Ups The Mobile Graphics Ante original content from Ubergizmo.

Many already believe that the real highlight of Intel’s 4th-generation Core processor lineup would be a giant graphics update. Today, Intel is revealing that they’re right — and, importantly, that there’s an equally large shift in naming strategy. Where 3rd-generation Core graphics were divided into two tiers, the new generation is focused on three, two of which are built for performance over efficiency. Ultrabooks with 15W U-series processors will use comparatively ordinary (if still faster) HD 5000 graphics. Thin-and-light laptops with 28W U-series chips get a new tier, Iris, that Intel claims is up to twice as fast in 3D as last year’s HD Graphics. Power-hungry parts see even more of a boost: they can carry Iris Pro graphics with embedded DRAM, which should double the 3D speed on H-series mobile chips (47-55W of typical power) and triple it for the R-series (around 65-84W) on the desktop. We also know that M-series laptop and K-series desktop CPUs will have Iris Pro options.

The feature set for the graphics trio is slightly more familiar to us, although there are a few tricks up Intel’s sleeve. All three can draw DirectX 11.1 and OpenGL 4 visuals, as well as take on OpenCL 1.2 computing and faster media processing. We’re almost more interested in the display modes, though. Along with receiving “enhanced” 4K output, the new Core graphics can handle a 3-screen collage mode — we won’t need dedicated video for a large, multi-monitor canvas. Sadly, Intel isn’t providing more than incidental details about the processors themselves, although it has already teased that we’ll get the full story around the Computex show in early June.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Intel

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Source: Intel

With the SIGGRAPH kickoff, the Khronos group has just announced Open GL ES 3.0, an updated version of the popular graphics API (application programming interface) that is going to bring new features to mobile devices that support it. Recently, we took an early look at the Snapdragon S4 Pro which runs it. There are a lot of new features, but in a nutshell, here are the ones that I found more interesting:

– Tighter specifications to avoid incompatibilities between different devices. The goal is to help developers by preventing graphics vendors to stray too far away from the intent of the specifications.

– Depth textures that can be used to create shadow maps, a more advanced shadow technique that allows objects to cast shadows on themselves.

– Occlusion queries allow developers to use the hardware to test the visibility of objects against the Z-buffer to avoid processing objects hidden behind others.

– ETC2/EAC texture compression. Some chips still use the older S3TC texture compression. The new ETC2 compressed texture format is more space-efficient and this is particularly important given that textures have rapidly grown in size, along with screen pixel density. With better texture compression, games can go “HD” without getting much bigger in download size.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: OpenGL gets updated to 4.3 [SIGGRAPH], OpenGL 4.1 graphics library released,

If bits of launcher script, photographic evidence and a short video weren’t enough to convince you Valve was porting Steam to Linux, maybe you’ll take it directly from the horse’s mouth: Steam is coming to Ubuntu 12.04. Sick, perhaps, of denying the project, Valve has created a Linux blog to document its efforts — outlining its history with the open-source OS and making its goals public. The plan is simple: get Steam ported to Linux with full functionality, optimize Left 4 Dead to run at a respectable clip with OpenGL and port additional Valve titles. The team is also asking for feedback, and hope to leverage the ideas of the community. Eager to put in your two cents? Check out the blog at the source link below.

[Thanks, Andrew]

Valve launches Linux blog, officially announces Steam for Ubuntu originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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