WORLD'S MOST SECRETIVE STARTUP

From magical goggles, to robotic drones, to human sized robots, the world's hottest startup isn't located in Silicon Valley- it's in suburban Florida. Magic Leap's mind-bending technology tells us about its quest to create a new kind of reality.

HISTORY OF DARK MATTER

The hunt for dark matter particle has been on for decades. Humanity still hasn't produced a clear answer. Is it just in our imaginations or are they real? No definitive answer, but the search has gotten more interesting since the 19th century.

SLOT MACHINE HACK

A casino earns about 7.129 cents for every dollar played. Digging through source code, Russian hackers engineered a brilliant slot machine cheat. The casinos eventually spotted the culprit using surveillance tapes, but they still have no idea how to fix it.

Loosely Coupled & Closely Coupled multiprocessor configuration

Loosely Coupled Multiprocessor: Loosely coupled multiprocessor system is an alternative model of microprocessor. In this type of system, each processor element has its own private local memory. A switching mechanism constructed to transmit information from one processor to another through a message passing scheme used to couple the processors. The  processors relay data and program to other processors in packets. A packets includes an address, the data content, and some error detection code. The packets are addressed to a particular processor or taken by first available processor, based on the communication system used. Loosely coupled systems are most efficient when there is minimal interaction between the tasks.

Closely Coupled Multiprocessor: tightly coupled system is defined as a multiprocessor system with common shared memory. This allows each processor of having its own local memory. Usually, a cache memory with each CPU is provided by most commercial closely coupled multiprocessors. In addition, there is a global common memory that all CPUs can access. Thus, common global memory is responsible for sharing the information among the CPUs. This system can tolerate a higher degree of interaction between tasks. 

Multiprocessor

  A multiprocessor system is an interconnection of two or more CPUs with memory and input-output equipment. The term processor in multiprocessor can mean either a CPU or an IOP. However, a system with a single CPU and one or more IOPs is usually not included in the definition of a multiprocessor system unless the IOP has computational facilities comparable to a CPU. As it is commonly defined, a multiprocessor system implies the existence of multiple CPUs, although there will be one or more IOPs as well.

The characteristics of Multiprocessor-

1. The operation of the entire system can be handled by one operating system, which gives necessary interaction between processors and their program in various level.

2. The multiprocessor system must have more than one processing element. The capabilities of all processing elements should be nearly same.

3. All input and output devices are shared by all processing elements.

4. All input and output channel are shared by all processing elements.

5. All processing elements are shared one common memory unit.

Computer Based Communication

Computer technology ha dramatically changed the landscape of business communication by bringing about enormous advancements in technology. It has annihilated the barriers of time and space and they has turned our world into a small global village. For it is now possible to communicate instantaneously with people inhibiting the remotest places possible. For  example, let us compare sending a message through a letter with an E-mail message. In earlier times, the manager dictated a letter to his secretary. When the secretary brought it typed, he reviewed it,revised it and got it etyped. Probably modifications were made and the final draft was retyped. The envelope was typed to. The letter was dropped in the mail and was delivered at the destination several days later. The whole process was quite cumbersome and time-consuming. Now it is possible that two persons have the facility of two computer terminals connected on network. One of them types a message on his computer. He can edit it, alter it, or reword it as many times as he likes without wasting any time. The fax, voice mail E-mail(electronic mail), cellular phones, telephone answering machines, video conferencing, etc., are some of the computer-based media of communication.

Some advantages of Computer technology are-

1. Quickest Means of Communication

2. Space is No Longer a Barrier to Communication

3. Video Conferencing can Replace Personal Meetings

4. Better Means of Keeping Permanent Record of Valuable and Bulky Data

5.Freedom from Physical Presence

6. World-wide Web as a Publishing Platform

The limitations of this technology are-

1. Uncertain Legal Validity

2. Fear of  Undesirable Leakage

3. The Virus Malady

10 Important Things to Change If You Want to Be a Great Leader

Are you a true leader? Or are you more of a happy follower?

It’s important to ask these questions without judgment. Some people--maybe most people--are simply better suited as followers. They’re often wonderful human beings, highly professional in their individual roles, fun to be around--but they don’t think of themselves as visionaries. In some ways, they’re a lot luckier than their peers.

Then, there are others who aren't satisfied with that role. These are the kinds of people who long to change the world, or at least the part of it they inhabit. Only, they often get stuck with bad habits and attitudes that undermine their success.

Are you falling into these traps? Here are 10 of the most important warning signs.

1. You don't understand money.

You don't have to be an investment wizard, but you do have to understand basic financial concepts--say, for example, how compound interest works. This applies even to leaders outside of business, because if you’re concerned about paying for basic needs, it’s hard to focus your mind on more visionary pursuits. 

2. You can’t visualize success or project confidence.

We've talked a lot lately about what it means to be a true professional. Part of this has to do with competence as a leader, but it also has to do with simply giving yourself permission to be successful. 

3. You're self-centered, rather than other-centered.

Great leaders are focused on goals, but they’re also focused on improving the lives of those around them. That applies when they’re developing products and services that drive revenue, and it applies when there is no obvious benefit for them to do so.

4. You aren't willing to put in the work.

Some very successful leaders will tell you that there are no shortcuts, but that’s a bit misleading. Most successful people put in long hours, but they spend much of their time doing things they’d do even if they weren’t paid for it. So you need to find ways to work that are both internally and externally rewarding. 

5. You don't know how to take smart risks.

Building a business or becoming a leader is not inherently risky; in fact, when done right, these activities are often no riskier than other courses of action. However, you have to learn to perceive risks correctly, and make decisions based on the potential gain versus the potential risk. 

6. You're overly attached to a single vision of success.

It's been said that plans are useless but planning is priceless. The same thing applies to visualizing success; your ultimate goal should change as you learn and experience more in life. 

7. You're not committed to learning.

We all know people who think they know everything, but this fault can apply to those of us who have had lengthy formal educations, as well. For many of us, formal education can be like a new car that you buy off the lot in that the value of the specific things you learn depreciates almost immediately. 

8. You don’t know how to communicate.

Having vision means little if you can’t explain it to others persuasively. This applies both to the words you use and the attitude and behaviors you exhibit.

9. You have unrealistic perceptions of security.

This is the counterpoint of taking smart risks. People often stay quiet and fail to emerge as leaders because they’re afraid to give up the perceived security that comes from inaction. The truth is that very little is truly secure in our world. Even those with the safest corporate or public jobs are truly holding on at the whims of others. 

10. You suffer from “frog in water” syndrome.

We all know the boiling frog experiment, right? Whether or not it’s legitimate, it’s used as a metaphor for the suggestion that people will endure a bad situation that develops gradually much longer than they’d endure the same situation if it were thrust upon them. For many among us, being stuck in a world where we’re not perceived as leaders is a boiling water problem.

12 Things You Can Do Starting Today to Be a Better Leader

Some believe certain people are born leaders. Others think an individual can learn to be a leader. Regardless of how you may feel you obtained your leadership skills, there are always ways to enhance your abilities. This list of suggestions may inspire you to reevaluate your leadership abilities and address any issues you find need improvement.

1. Be a positive role model.

As a leader, your actions set the tone for what is appropriate behavior in the workplace. Exhibit actions that you want your team to emulate. You may establish rules of conduct or have expectations for how staff should behave at work and what actions will not be tolerated. The best way to encourage these specific actions is to correctly and precisely demonstrate these behaviors yourself.

2. Be humble.

Share the credit for successful projects with your team. If you make a mistake, readily admit to your error. Apologize when needed and admit when you do not have the solution to a problem. Demonstrate the willingness to seek answers from other sources. Such actions show your human side and help you gain the respect of employees and customers alike.

When you admit a mistake your employees feel safe admitting their mistakes, instead playing the "blame game." Accepting that individuals make mistakes will create a more cooperative atmosphere in your company.

3. Practice effective communication.

Let your team know they may openly discuss workplace issues with you. Be approachable. Give employees your attention, keep an open mind and make eye contact as they speak, (don't be working on your next project or email.) Maintain the confidentially of the conversation. You can build trust this way. Be sure your staff knows of your expectations for them. Quickly address any misunderstandings. Make a note of what was discussed and put in a private email to your employee, if appropriate. This will help keep misunderstandings at a minimum.

4. Find a mentor.

A confident leader realizes there is always more to learn and will turn to a trusted friend or colleague for their opinion of a given issue or to receive feedback on their job performance. Seeking the advice from someone with more experience is not a sign of weakness.

5. Be emotionally aware.

Business is ultimately about dealing with people. While some may say emotions have no place in the business world, wise leaders strive to be aware of the sensitivities of others. These leaders learn to acknowledge different opinions and consider background information to better understand those around them. Emotions usually reveal the deeper, most important and relevant points of personal interactions. It is an important area to explore more deeply.

6. Encourage creativity.

Let your team know you are open to their ideas. Empower them to take their ideas to the next level by giving positive feedback and constructive advice as warranted. The opportunity to present and try out ideas can lead employees to deeper commitment, enhanced problem-solving abilities and greater productivity. Reward creativity and recognize that these actions help your staff develop their full potential.

7. Be passionate about your work.

Leaders must demonstrate a commitment to the goals of the company. Show your staff how strongly you believe in the organizational goals and how much you value their contribution to this endeavor. If you want dedicated employees, be dedicated yourself. Don't hesitate to speak passionately about what you believe in.

8. Know your team.

Learn about your employees. Ask about their families or recreational activities they enjoy. Politely ask how things are going for them. Doing so will demonstrate that you care about them as human beings and do not consider them just another name on the company payroll.

Jot down this information so you don't forget areas that are important to your employee. Be sure to include remote workers. Review these notes before an interview or progress report with an employee so you can make appropriate comments that show you are thinking about them.

9. Think positive.

It is easy to be positive when things are going well but a good leader will remain confident when things go wrong. They embrace failures and inspire their team to consider such events as opportunities to learn. A positive outlook will help your staff remain encouraged and create an overall upbeat environment where people will want to remain. Thinking and acting positive go hand-in-hand. Never slight anyone, in or out of your employ.

10. Be yourself.

All leaders have their own style of dealing with people. Talk with your mentor or supervisor to help identify your strengths and weaknesses. Seek advice on how to enhance your weaker skills and utilize your stronger assets to their maximum potential. Obtain feedback from your staff as how they view your management style. Share some information about your personal life to help your staff learn about you. Plan a happy hour where business is not discussed and everyone can be themselves.

11. Study past leaders.

Take a look at those who have previously held your position. Examine why they failed and why they succeeded. Become aware of common mistakes. Compare your leadership style to theirs. Also, take a look at your peers to compare their progress while taking  into consideration variables such as location and economic factors.

Your leadership style doesn't have to be the same as a previous leader in your company or position. In fact, your leadership style shouldn't be the same as anyone else's. Improve your style, but stay real.

12. Challenge your staff.

Employees may become bored and dissatisfied if they are performing the same tasks and projects each day. Give your staff new challenges that are within their abilities. Provide constructive feedback as they work on new projects. Learning and mastering new challenges will give your staff a sense of accomplishment. It shows that you have confidence in their skills and value them as part of the organization. There are many skill learning opportunities on line that can be worked on during working hours.

6 Bad Habits You Must Break to Succeed

You can't outwork unhealthy patterns. The best way to ditch a bad habit is to embrace a good one in its place.

Is this you? Do you believe you should be successful but can't get quite where you want to be?  Many of the young entrepreneurs I meet through my work as a writer, investor and entrepreneur aren't reaching their full potential. What's more, they have no idea why. They have great ideas for their startups and financial backing to make it a reality. But no matter how hard they try, they keep coming up short.

If so, I’m willing to bet you're letting a few bad habits run in the background, without your knowledge. Bad habits often go unnoticed, like a slow leak in a car tire. Until one day, when you're on the side of the road without any advance warning there's a problem. 

Success requires technical skills as well as the grit, focus and energy to carry you for the long haul. Success also demands self-knowledge. You must be able to see yourself and your habits clearly so you can change them before they stunt your potential.

Take a look at the list below and be brutally honest: Do any of them ring a bell? 

1. You're a perfectionist.

This is one of the worst ways you can sabotage yourself. If you live in fear of doing a task wrong, you won't be able to begin. The stress of being perfect freezes up creativity and joy, making your task longer, more difficult and not as fun. 

Give yourself permission to create imperfectly. Make drafts knowing you won’t include some or most of what you’re doing. You always can edit what you've begun. Greatness comes from many failures and do-overs.

2. You're compulsively distracted.

Surfing the internet, answering a call, getting a snack, texting someone back quickly while you’re in the middle of something -- it all pulls you away from intense focus. If you’re constantly interrupting yourself, you can't get into the swing of things. You could be setting yourself up to waste your whole day.  

Turn off your distractions, close your door and focus for a set period of time. If you need to call, text or eat, give yourself a set break to do so. And then have the discipline to return to the task at hand. 

3. You hit the snooze button.

Several studies have proved 15 minutes of extra snooze time in the morning won't help you feel less tired. Scientists found a long time ago that you need deep REM sleep to recharge. Snoozing actually makes you more tired and fatigued. Even worse, it wastes time you could spend drinking water, showering or exercising -- activities all shown to increase energy levels.

Instead of lying in bed, wishing for just 15 minutes more of sleep, tell yourself it won't make you less tired. Get up when your alarm sounds, and start incorporating healthy morning habits that will help boost your alertness.

4. You leave your most important work until later.

Most people are at their best earlier in the day, before they’ve reached the brain fatigue of afternoon and evening. Don’t save your hardest or most important tasks for "later." You won't have the energy to devote to doing it right.

Tackling difficult tasks early in the day improves your work product. It also allows you to relax as your day unfolds. You'll know you accomplished what you needed to do, and you'll have nothing hanging over your head before you leave for the day.

5. You multitask.

Just because you think you're good at multitasking doesn’t mean it’s the best way to get things done. In fact, studies have shown that multitasking reduces the amount of short-term memory you retain from your task. Over time, this reduces your amount of long-term memory as well.

Multitasking makes you miss important details and learn less. It also leads to mistakes. Skip the juggling act and focus on doing one thing well.

6. You sit too long.

If you frequently use your computer all day, you’re putting your body through some major stress. In a sitting position, the spine becomes less flexible. This puts strain on the lower back, shoulders and neck. It also reduces blood flow to the brain and lungs -- the powerhouses you need to accomplish your best work in the moment and later on in your life.

Take breaks every 20 to 30 minutes. Stretch your back and shoulders while you’re working, and consider adopting a regular yoga or pilates routine. Stretching and strengthening your body can help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, back spasms, fatigue and reptitive-motion injuries.

Bad habits don’t have to rule your life or keep you from achieving success. Changing all your habits at once can be overwhelming, so focus on improving one small thing at a time. Before long, you’ll establish habits that help you be your best.

Most successful people in the world

A list of the most successful people in the world. For this list I have chosen people born after 1900.

Firstly, what counts as success?

• Financial and business success
• Getting to the top of their profession, in science, sport, arts or culture.
• Political success
• Influencing other people.

Most successful people in business

Bill Gates (1955 – ) American businessman, founder of Microsoft. According to Forbes, he was the richest man in the world from 1995 to 2007. His net worth in 2012 is estimated at $76.8 billion. He has recently focused on philanthropy – giving away a large portion of his personal fortune through the Gates Foundation.

Larry Page (1973 – ) / Sergey Brin (1973 – ) Co-founder of Google. Google has displayed one of the most dramatic growth of any business. From humble beginnings, Google is now an international giant dominating internet search.

Steve Jobs (1955 – 2012) Key figure in Apple computers. Credited with turning around Apple, and overseeing the development of iPod, iPad and iMac revolution, which saw Apple become one of most successful companies.

Richard Branson (1950 – ) British entrepreneur. Founder of Virgin. Richard Branson set up his business from a small record shop and has since successful expanded into a variety of industries, such as trains, air flights and personal finance.

Walt Disney (1901 – 1966) American film producer. Disney developed cartoon characters, such as Mickey Mouse and founded the popular Disney theme parks. Disney productions is one of biggest film producers in US.

Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) US Industrialist who helped promote the auto revolution, mass producing Ford cars at low cost, enabling Ford motors to become a successful multinational.

Authors

J.K.Rowling (1965 – ) British author of Harry Potter series, which has become the best selling series in history – selling over 400 million copies. When she began writing Harry Potter, she was living on state benefits, but now is a multi-millionaire, with a net worth of $798 million.

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892- 1973) – British author of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings has frequently been voted most popular book of the Twentieth Century and his works led to a resurgence of the ‘High Fantasy’ genre.

Stephen King (1947 – ) Best selling American author. Selling over 350 million copies of his horror genre books.

Music

John Lennon (1940 – 1980) British popstar and key member of the Beatles. The Beatles are widely considered most influential pop music group of all time. John Lennon also had a successful solo career before his murder.

Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009) – American pop singer. Jackson’s 1982 album ‘Thriller’ is the best selling album of all time. Jackson dominated pop music in the early 1980s, and produced influential, groundbreaking pop music videos. Has an estimated sale of 400 million records worldwide and is the most downloaded artist in history.

Madonna (1958 – ) American pop singer / actress and humanitarian. Madonna is the best selling female artist of all time with 300 million records. Influential cultural icon

Arts / Film

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) – English / American film producer. Hitchcock successfully produced over 50 films, gaining 16 Oscar nominations and six awards. Considered one of most influential film directors of the Twentieth Century.

George Lucas (1944 – ) One of the most financially successful film directors, Lucas developed and produced the highly popular Star Wars and Indiana Jones series. (Net worth $4.2bn, 2013)

Steven Spielberg (1946 – ) Influential film maker who began with popular blockbusters —Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and Jurassic Park (1993)and has since moved onto ‘humanitarian’ issues, such as the holocaust – Schindler’s List (1993) and Lincoln (2012)

Oprah Winfrey (1954 – Influential talk show host, Oprah Winfrey has built a media empire built on her emotional approach. She has an estimated net wealth of $2.8 billion. The only North American black billionaire.

Sport

Pele (1940 – ) Brazilian footballer, considered greatest footballer of the 20th Century. Won three world cups with Brazil.

Michael Phelps (US, Swimming) Won 18 Olympic gold medals across a spectrum of swimming disciplines, and 22 medals in total.

Usain Bolt – Jamaican athlete. Record holder at 100m and 200m. Won gold at 100m, 200m and 100m relay in 2008 and 2012.

Lionel Messi (1987- ) Argentinian footballer. The first player to win four FIFA/Ballons d’Or – player of the year award.

Roger Federer (1981 – ) Swiss Tennis player. Federer has won 17 single Grand Slam titles. Has held the no.1 world ranking for 302 weeks overall.

Michael Jordan (US, basketball) 6*NBA champion. considered greatest basketball player of all time. Helped raise profile of basketball worldwide

Billie Jean King (1939- ) American tennis player who won 39 Grand Slam singles titles. Also successful campaigner for equality for women players.

Christiano Ronaldo – Portuguese footballer. Twice winner of FIFA player of the year. Broke record for highest transfer fee (£80m) Also, best paid footballer with salary of €21 million for Real Madrid.

Politics

Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013) Leader of ANC and anti-apartheid movement. After spending over 20 years in prison, Mandela succeeded in becoming first democratically elected leader of a free South Africa.

Lech Walesa (1943- ) – Polish leader of Solidarity movement. Walesa saw the overthrow of Communism, and served as President from 1990 to 1995.

Religion

Pope Francis (1936 – ) – First pope from the Americas. Pope Francis has been successful in creating a new direction for Catholic church.

Science

Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) German scientist – developed the theory of relativity. Also made contributions to theory of quantum theory.

Tim Berners Lee (1955- ) English creator of World Wide Web. Ironically, Berners-Lee has not benefited financially as he gave his invention freely. However, he has seen it widely adopted.

WannaCry decryption tool has been released!

The WannaCry ransomware has infected thousands of computer systems around the world, but Adrien Guinet a security researcher of Quarkslab, has found a way to recover the unknown encryption keys used by the ransomware.

Adrien said that in order to retrieve the keys, your computer must not have been rebooted after being infected. The tool allows recovering the prime numbers of the RSA private key that are used by Wannacry.

It does that by searching for them in the “wcry.exe process. This is the process that generates the RSA private key. The main problem is that the CryptDestroyKey and CryptReleaseContext don’t erase the prime numbers from memory before freeing the associated memory.

“I got to finish the full decryption process, but I confirm that, in this case, the private key can recovered on an XP system”

Adrien created a WannaCry ransomware decryption tool called WannaKey. The decryption process will work successfully if the affected computer has not been rebooted after being infected and the associated memory hasn’t been allocated and erased.

Another security researcher (Benjamin Delpy) released a tool named “WanaKiwi,” based on Adrien’s discovery, which simplifies the whole process.

Infected users should download WannaKey tool or WannaKiwi tool from Github and try it on the affected Windows.

THE TOP PC GAMES OF 2016 (SO FAR)

It would be hard to argue 2016 hasn't been a great year for gaming. We're just over half-way through and the sheer number of new games is almost overwhelming.

So far we've seen incredible revivals of classic franchises with Doom, fantastic DLC that nearly qualifies as a stand alone game in The Witcher 3's Blood & Wine expansion, and the introduction of a wholly new and fantastic IP with Overwatch.

If you're a PC gamer, things are looking pretty great right now. Not only are newer, faster, and cheaper graphics cards making games look and run amazing, the best games so far this year are destined to be classics. Here then are the top PC games so far, along with our review score.

Hearts of Iron IV: 9.0

Hearts of Iron IV is a massive, immersive, incredibly complex World War II simulation with a fantastic pay-off for players willing to invest their time and energy. With 11,000 unique provinces, air zones and sea regions, the massive playing field is like living, breathing game of Risk. Almost every detail of World War II war fighting is ingeniously replicated. Any PC gamer looking for an involved, time-intensive war simulation that also respects your time and rewards you accordingly will do well to play Hearts of Iron IV.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt-- Blood and Wine 9.0

It hasn't just been a good (half) year for full games. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Blood and Wine expansion took the fantastic gameplay and story from The Witcher 3 and put it into a new location. Gone are the doom and gloom locales of the main game, replaced by sunshine and vineyards, a pastiche of southern France with a Witcher twist. Coming in at around 20-25 hours, the expansion is practically a stand-alone game, similar in spirit to Fallout 4's massive Far Harbor expansion. The expansion also marks the end of the saga of Geralt, but along the way it adds new features and enhancements.

Pony Island 9.0

Pony Island is a short but enjoyable game that takes great pleasure in subverting what you expect it to be. You start locked into a computer, only able to play one game, the titular Pony Island. However, once you manage to get out of the game within the game, you gain access to the terminal on which Pony Island runs. That means you can access user accounts and files, and interact with other characters in the game via an '80s-vintage messageboard system. It's full of surprises, and its unique take on telling a story makes Pony Island a memorable and enjoyable experience.

Darkest Dungeon 9.1

Tactical strategy games are as natural a fit on PC as playing games with a mouse and keyboard, and Darkest Dungeon is a wonderful addition to the genre. Dark and punishing, the game is as unpredictable as it is deep... and that's a good thing. Part of what makes Darkest Dungeon great is its replay value, helped along by its animation style and fantastic narration. The game excels at putting tension on you and your team, but it also gives you the option to quit when things aren't looking favorable, a nice addition that cuts down on potential frustrations.

XCOM 2 9.3

The follow-up to 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown takes the tactical combat of the first and puts it into a scenario 20 years down the line. The world strategic map has been completely redesigned and offers increased replay value over the first game, while also changing out how engineering staff needs to be managed during gameplay. Objectives, loot, and maps have been randomized, easily giving XCOM 2 hundreds of hours of solid, enjoyable gaming for those who can't get enough of its tactical combat.

Firewatch 9.3

Firewatch is a masterful melding of story-telling, art direction, and voice acting. The "walking simulator" tells its story through the gameplay, helped along by its smart script and great voice acting. Even though its Wyoming forest is stylized, it feels like a real place. The story itself deals with adult subjects but are approached with adult dialogue, making it one of the best narrative experiences going.

Overwatch 9.4

Blizzard's first wholly new IP in nearly two decades, Overwatch is a stylish, mechanically solid multi-player shooter that is probably best enjoyed with WASD. But who are we to judge? The vast roster of characters available in Overwatch are all interesting in their own right. A huge part of Overwatch's charm comes from the depth of the characters. They're not just "sniper," "tank," "healer," Blizzard has used its decades of story-telling experience to give a depth to the characters that compliments the fun of the objective-based combat.

Dark Souls III 9.5

Dark Souls III is the game that implores you to "get good." It's punishing. There is no hand-holding here. If you die, you have no one to blame but yourself. A death that would be considered cheap in any other game is par for the course in Dark Souls, and it's a true testament to just how good Dark Souls III is. Stories of ridiculous deaths, from either lack of awareness or a momentary lapse of timing, are gleefully shared among friends and as clips and gifs on social media and YouTube. It's because Dark Souls III makes mastery a truly rewarding experience, where a wealth of frustration becomes the down payment on the satisfaction of a job well done.

The Witness 10

Despite also releasing on the PS4, few games feel at home on PC as The Witness. Its 3D world can be freely navigated and appreciated, but the world is merely window dressing for The Witness' clever and ingenious puzzles, of which there is no shortage. At first, the puzzles are light and fun, but as you work your way through the game, the complexity ratchets up. Along with the increasing complexity comes the understanding of the context of the puzzles. The hard puzzles don't feel unfair, and cracking the nut of a particularly onerous puzzle is fantastically satisfying. It strikes a wonderful balance between abstraction and a sense of purpose, making it one of 2016's best reviewed games for any platform.

The Best Web Browsers of 2016

Despite the increasing prevalence of dedicated apps that bypass them, Web browsers are still central to modern life. The browser is not just a container for and viewer of webpages, but also an enabler of truly active and interactive activities such as messaging and gaming. It's your email reader, your music and video player, and potentially even your video conferencing window. Fortunately, choice in Web browsers is once again growing, after periods of contraction and stagnation.

New browser entries include Microsoft's Edge, the Web-surfing software that arrived with Windows 10, Vivaldi (from the creator of Opera), Brave (from the creator of JavaScript), and two separate options from Maxthon, one for speed and one loaded with features.

The New Kids: Edge and Vivaldi
Microsoft's fast-but-bare-bones Edge browser leapt onto the scene as Windows 10's included Web software after a series of Internet Explorer versions could no longer cut the mustard. I say bare bones, but the browser includes some nifty, unique features, like Web Notes, which lets you select, annotate, and share webpages, an ad-free Reading view, and integrated search and social sharing. To those abilities its latest version had added tab pinning and extension support.

Better Privacy
Privacy and ad-blocking features have made a big showing in the browser world. It makes some sense, since consumers surveyed have overwhelmingly stated that they prefer not to have their Web browsing tracked. The new Brave browser is all about sparing you from Web ads. Maxthon and Opera now ship with built-in ad blockers. And Firefox blocks third-party trackers while in Private Browsing mode—something I wish all browser makers would follow. The one exception to this trend towards greater privacy protections is Google's Chrome—unsurprisingly, as it comes from a company that makes its money by serving ads based on behavioral ad targeting.

Essential Extras
Two features that I consider essential for consuming today's Web are ad-free reading modes and share buttons. You'll find these included by default in several browsers, but for those that don't, you can find extensions that provide the functionality. So many sites are overloaded with ads of all stripes and auto-play videos that browsing the Web unhindered has gotten more and more difficult. And one of today's most common actions is, when you see an intriguing story online, to share it to your favorite social network. Why shouldn't the browser make this easier by default?

The move away from content that makes use of Adobe's Flash technology has been an ongoing issue in Web browser functionality. Firefox is the first to have actually taken action, making Flash content on-demand, rather than auto-playing it. Google has stated that an upcoming release of Chrome will do the same. Meanwhile, Chrome and Edge are the only browsers that come with Flash built in. That may go against the growing tide of distaste for Flash among site developers, but in day-to-day use its inclusion ends up being more convenient.

Battery Matters
Another issue is battery usage. Tech news stories claiming that Chrome is a laptop battery killer have been circulating for a few years. Last June, Microsoft published a video showing that using its Edge browserprolonged battery life significantly. And then Opera chimed in saying its browser's Battery Saver mode is even more efficient than Edge. Despite all this, my testing showed a surprise leader in power efficiency: Firefox.

That Syncing Feeling
There's an overwhelming chance that anyone who is reading this roundup has not only a desktop computer, but also a smartphone. Several of the desktop browsers offer mobile versions that can be synced with their desktop siblings. What does that mean? It means that you can have all your bookmarks, preferences, tabs, browsing history, add-ons, and passwords available when you move from one device to another.

Of course, what you can sync varies by browser and platform. For example, Firefox on iOS can sync bookmarks, open tabs, history, and passwords from a computer. But bookmarks can only be synced fromthe phone to the desktop. Firefox's Android client doesn't have that restriction. Microsoft Edge does sync with Windows 10 Mobile phones, but not with the two leading mobile platforms. The very new Vivaldi browser has no mobile versions yet, but Opera and Maxthon do.

Syncing is of course useful not only for moving from desktop computer to mobile phone, but also simply between computers. You can have Firefox under Windows at your work PC sync with your home Mac, if you like.

Dressing Up
Browser interface customizations continue to be offered by the software houses, but gone are the days of completely skinning the programs, as Firefox used to allow. In place of redesigning every button and control in the interface, most browsers now simply let you set a background color for the menu area, as Firefox does. Vivaldi is a standout when it comes to interface customization. In fact, that's itsraison d'être. At the other end of the spectrum is Edge, which merely gives you a choice between light and dark windows.

Speed and Standards

In JavaScript benchmarks, Edge does in fact have an edge at the moment, even beating Chrome and the rest on Google's own Octane 2.0 benchmark, as well as on a few other tests. In support for emerging Web standards, Chrome still takes top honors on Niels Leenheer'sHTML5Test, which adds up how many coding features are recognized by a browser—though it doesn't measure whether the features are correctly implemented. A lot of what it measures is used by barely any sites, and all the browsers here will render all the major sites and Web services perfectly well.

The upshot of all this: It's a perfect time to get out there and try a new browser. I know, we all tend to suffer from browser inertia, but branch out a little. You may find that the one you try has some cool features or performance characteristics that appeal to you more than the one you've been using. Read through the summaries below and click through to the full, tested reviews to find out which suits your needs best. And don't be shy about chiming in in the comments section to voice your browser preferences and dislikes.

FEATURED IN THIS ROUNDUP

Mozilla Firefox


Firefox can't be beat when it comes to customizability and features. It's also fast, secure, and protects your privacy. It's our Editors' Choice for Web browsers.  

Google Chrome


Google's Chrome browser is speedy, includes leading standards support, strong security features, and a clean interface, but it's no longer the fastest browser and it lacks some features found in the competition.

Opera


The Opera browser has some new, unique tricks up its sleeve. Notable recent features include built-in ad blocking and a battery-saver mode.  

Microsoft Edge (for Windows 10)


Microsoft's Edge Web browser is getting better and better. It aces the JavaScript benchmarks, has a clean interface, offers good security, and now supports extensions. But it still lacks some features found in more mature browsers.

Vivaldi


Vivaldi brings customizability and geekiness back to the Web browser. It lacks some basic features offered by its more mature competition, but it's fast and fun to use. 

Maxthon Cloud Browser


Maxthon bucks the current trend of stripped-down browsers by embracing a rich feature set. It trails the competition in speed and tab implementation, however.