ZOTAC has introduced its GeForce GTX 1080 Mini, the industry’s first video card for Mini-ITX systems running the GP104 GPU in its full configuration. The new graphics adapter will be compatible with miniature computers with proper cooling and will be the most powerful card for SFF PCs until something better emerges.
The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1080 Mini (ZT-P10800H-10P) offers the same performance and connectivity as its larger brethren: it is based on the fully-fledged GP104 graphics processor (with 2560 stream processors, 160 texture units and 64 raster operations pipes) that works at 1620/1759 MHz (base/boost) frequencies and is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR5X memory featuring 10 Gbps and 320 GB/s of bandwidth. In fact, the GPU frequencies of ZOTAC’s GeForce GTX 1080 Mini are slightly higher when compared to those of NVIDIA’s reference cards which is worth mentioning. The board alo features three DisplayPort 1.4 connectors, an HDMI 2.0b port as well as one dual-link DVI header, which is exactly what NVIDIA’s reference cards carry.
To squeeze a GeForce GTX 1080 GPU into Mini-ITX form-factor, ZOTAC had to develop a brand-new PCB with compatible with GDDR5X memory (so, the PCB is different from ZOTAC’s GeForce GTX 1070 Mini launched earlier this year). It is unknown whether the manufacturer decided to go with NVIDIA’s 5+1-phase VRM for the GTX 1080, or altered the VRM design somehow, but the card has one 8-pin PCIe power plug as well as two SLI-HB connectors, just like other boards in its class.
Since the GeForce GTX 1080 consumes up to 180 W of power, ZOTAC also had to design a relatively small cooling system for the ZT-P10800H-10P board. The company came up with a cooler that uses an aluminum radiator with at least three thick (and long) copper heatpipes as well as two fans. In addition, the GeForce GTX 1080 Mini card has a backplate, which has positive and sometimes negative effects. The cooling system seems to be a little longer than the one used on the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1070 Mini, but the whole graphics adapter is barely longer than 17 cm (6.7”) specified by the Mini-ITX spec. In any case, the majority of builds designed for gamers have a few cm of extra space inside and the length is not going to become a problem.
ZOTAC plans to display its GeForce GTX 1080 Mini at CES and start its sales in 2017. The company did not announce exact pricing and ETA, but since this is a unique custom-designed product, it will likely be priced higher than NVIDIA’s reference designs.
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Expressive Sophia by Hanson Robotics is one of the most impressive bots of 2016.
There’s nothing better at CES than discovering a robot on the show floor.
Seriously, robots are cool. They are fun. And thanks to the newly released « Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, » public sentiment toward droids is off the charts.
It’s unlikely the CNET team will stumble across anything as endearing as new Star Wars droid K-2SO as we scour the halls in Las Vegas. Still, there’s a ton of robo-excitement in the run-up to CES 2017.
At previous shows, robots have primarily been used as marketing gimmicks or demonstration props. That, says IHS analyst Dinesh Kithany, is set to change.
« What we will see is more from the application point of view, » Kithany said. Companies will be looking to explore what consumers can do with a robot, although the robots themselves, he added, will likely be « in the concept stages.  »
Robots for consumers typically come in one of three categories. One group is service robots, like the Roomba vacuum and pool-cleaning bots, that perform specific tasks. Then there are social robots, like Pepper or Sanbot , that have humanoid features, play games and nag you to do everyday chores, like brushing your teeth. Fully humanoid robots stand at the top of the heap and are being readied to perform care and nursing functions, such as the picking people up to help them maintain autonomy and stay in their own homes if they are elderly or injured.
The tech might still be at a nascent stage, but it’s expected to take off. Shipments of home robots are set to grow from around 5 million units in 2015 to 13 million units in 2020, according to IHS’s Service Robots & Drones report 2016.
Behind any good robot lies good artificial intelligence. And we seen some impressive leaps forward over the past year, including Go-playing algorithms and Jarvis, Mark Zuckerberg’s smart home AI butler. That’s going to make robots a whole lot more appealing.
Smart assistants have come a long way too and, thanks to the likes of Amazon Echo and Google Home , are now more than just voices on our gadgets. They are precursors to what we can expect to see in consumer robotics.
In one CES panel , a number of robotics experts are on the docket to discuss how improvements in artificial intelligence will help robots become more useful in everyday life. And, of course, evidence of some such improvements will be on show.
« We’re showcasing some advanced AI technology to demonstrate that AI is a reality and available to consumers for everyday communication and entertainment, » said John Rhee, general manager of Ubtech Robotics, which is set to make several announcements regarding its robotics range.
We can’t wait to see this robot demonstrate dexterity and intelligent vision by playing chess.
Similarly, Austrian company Robart will use CES to show off its autonomous navigation software for household robots.
The system, designed for service robots, will allow bots to « recognize their surroundings and communicate intuitively with the user, » CEO Michael Schahpar says. « They will learn ever better and adapt to changing surroundings.  »
Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute is also set to demonstrate some essential robotic skills involving computer vision at the show. Researchers will have a robot distinguish between various chess pieces and their locations on the board, as well as between various coffee cups, their locations and fill levels.
Hanson Robotics, the maker of realistic humanoid robots that feature a flexible, responsive skin called « frubber, » is somebody we’ll keep a close eye on at CES. A company spokesman says customers are keen to get hold of humanoid robots with lifelike facial movements.
Earlier this year, Hanson showed off its Sophia robot , which is capable of performing a full range of human facial expressions. At CES, Hanson is due to give its very first public demonstration of its Professor Einstein robot.
Others are similarly optimistic about this robot form factor.
« 2017 is the year in which we will begin to see humanoid robots become home companions, » said Ubtech’s Rhee. His company is responsible for creating Alpha 2, a short humanoid social robot designed to make household life easier by setting reminders and controlling smart home devices like lights and locks.
If you’re hoping you’ll find the ultimate robot butler or a reprogrammed KX-Series security drone — it’s a Star Wars thing and we’re really into Star Wars — at CES, this probably won’t be your year.
TankBot is the first Jimu robot to run on tank treads.
Still, you can expect to see a host of new consumer robots focused on entertainment and education, especially for teaching kids to code. One example: New designs of Ubtech’s Jimu robots that offer the familiar snap-together programmable creatures but with increased mobility.
We’ll also likely see a number of companies showcasing hardware and software brought together by AI. These projects will give us a glimpse of the skills future robots might have and that could persuade people to think about bringing one home.
At the very least, we’ll find some cute bots to dream about.

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Now that the holiday season is ending, Amazon.com has released a report on what tech products sold best on the mega-retailer’s online store. Not surprisingly, Amazon says a number of its own products, including the Echo, Echo Dot, and others, performed well. But this year’s bestsellers also included several smart home devices, a few wearables and some basic mobile accessories and data storage devices. In a statement two days after Christmas, Amazon used some unique facts and figures to illustrate sales volume for some products. For example the company said that its customers bought enough 4K TVs to reach Mount Everest’s peak—nine times. The e-commerce giant says it shipped more than one billion items worldwide through its Prime and Fulfillment by Amazon programs this holiday season and needed the help of more than 200,000 full-time and seasonal employees to get purchased products to customers. By nearly every measure, the 2016 holiday shopping period was a big success for Amazon. This slide show will cover that the tech products that Amazon says sold best during the holiday gift-giving season.

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In this video from Computer Weekly’s 2016 UKtech50 event, Madhu Bhabuta, director of operational IT, Mitie shares her five top tips for innovation.
As part of the UKtech50 presentations, speakers were asked to share either five great ideas for innovation or their top five great ideas for leadership.
The aim of the UKtech50 was to identify the 50 most influential leaders in UK IT. An expert judging panel representing every aspect of the IT profession helped decide the results, along with a reader vote, to determine who holds the most influence over the future of the UK tech sector in the next 12 months – and the future of IT professionals across the country.
The winner, voted as the most influential person in UK IT for 2016, was Simon Segars, chief executive of ARM.

© Source: http://www.computerweekly.com/video/UKtech50-Madhu-Bhabuta-director-of-operational-IT-shared-services-Mitie
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