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FeaturesNew Lossless Zip Algorithm Compresses JPEGs by 20%! Exclusive Interview Explains the Process

Posted 09/12/08 at 01:32:00 PM by Norman Chan

The ubiquitous Zip file compression format has been a staple of PC users since it first made its debut as PKZIP in the early 90s. Back then, the size limitations of floppy disk media and the painfully low-bandwidth dial-up connections made file compression a complete necessity. The Zip format today, while still popular, has largely been eclipsed by RAR compression, which has offered slightly better compression at the cost of archiving speed. That’s why we were so surprised to hear that WinZip 12, which launched yesterday, boasted an unbelievable 25% compression ratio for JPEG images – without sacrificing image quality. Ever the skeptics, we put the new software to the test, and grilled WinZip’s VP of Development about how this new algorithm works.

Any bets as to whether WinZip's claims are justified?

Comments: 1
TAGS: Software, interview, JPEG, archive, features, zip, compression, winzip, winzip 12

FeaturesExclusive Interview: Microsoft Admits What Went Wrong with Vista, and How They Fixed It

Posted 09/10/08 at 12:15:00 PM by Will Smith

We sat down with Microsoft to hear the company’s side of the Vista story. What lessons have been learned following the worst Windows launch in the company’s history? Is Microsoft doing enough to regain PC users’ faith?

Way back in January 2007, after years of hype and anticipation, Microsoft unveiled Windows Vista to a decidedly lukewarm reception by the PC community, IT pros, and tech journalists alike. Instead of a revolutionary next-generation OS that was chock-full of new features, the Windows community got an underwhelming rehash with very little going for it. Oh, and Vista was plagued with performance and incompatibility problems to boot.

Since then, the PC community has taken the idea that Vista is underwhelming and turned it into a mantra. We’ve all heard about Vista’s poor network transfer speeds, low frame rates in games, and driver issues—shoot, we’ve experienced the problems ourselves. But over the last 18 months, Vista has undergone myriad changes, including the release of Service Pack 1, making the OS worth a second look. It’s time we determine once and for all whether we should stick with XP for the next 18 months while we wait for Windows 7. But before we answer that question, let’s review exactly what’s wrong with Windows Vista.

Hit 'Read More' for the rest of this story

Comments: 36
TAGS: vista, windows, microsoft, operating system, Software, will smith, interview, Windows Vista, features, failure

FeaturesSitting With Six: Maximum PC's One-on-One with Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer

Posted 08/26/08 at 12:50:00 PM by David Murphy

Anyone can talk about "visual computing," the big catchphrase of this year's Nvision conference. But few walk the walk as well as Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer. She took part in Monday's keynote address alongside Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, sharing how virtualization and computer effects have expanded her acting boundaries and methodology.

But there's always more to Six than what you see at face value. So Maximum PC sat down with Tricia to grill her (as nicely as one chats with someone who gave Starbuck the business) about the kind of technology that really makes her tick, and how she's managed her spaceborne success-turned-geek icon. Even after all that, she still wouldn't drop us any details on the Battlestar series finale--our favorite Cylon truly has a heart of steel.

Check out the full Q&A after the jump!

Comments: 3
TAGS: interview, cylon, nvision, tricia, helfer, battlestar, galactica, six

FeaturesE3 2008: Left4Dead Interview. New Graphics, Weapons, and Steam Achievement Details

Posted 07/21/08 at 11:00:00 AM by Norman Chan

Face it, pirates and ninjas are out and zombies are in. And we have no doubt that one of our most high-anticipated games of this year is Left4Dead, Valve’s post-apocalyptic survival horror shooter. Our initial playtest sent chills down our spine when we first saw it at last year’s Showdown LAN, and the game looked much more refined and polished when we played it at this year’s E3. A revamped visual style and new character designs suit the cinematic direction -- the levels looked grittier and the zombies were definitely more terrifying (if that’s even possible). We spoke with Michael Booth, the designer of Left4Dead, to find out what other changes have been made to the game since Valve bought up his development team.

Click on to read our full interview!

Comments: 3
TAGS: gaming, multiplayer, Valve, interview, E3, EA, e3 2008, left4dead, michael booth, zombie, co-op

FeaturesE3 2008: The John Carmack Interview. Rage, id Tech 6, Doom 4 Details, and More!

Posted 07/15/08 at 12:00:35 PM by Will Smith

We had an opportunity to speak with id co-founder John Carmack after the big EA press conference yesterday (where id surprisingly announced a partnership with EA to publish Rage). We grilled the legendary game developer (and part-time rocket scientist) about id's post-apocalyptic shooter, the state of gaming graphics, and what his plans are after id Tech 5. Rage looks be a drastic departure from the traditional id FPS, not only in gameplay style (open worlds with vehicles vs. claustrophobic indoor environments) but also in the way Carmack has designed the code-base. id has already announced that Doom 4 is in development (no publisher has yet been annonced), and Carmack confirmed that it'll run at 30Hz and run with several times the graphics power as Rage, a 60Hz game.