In what Adobe describes as Photoshop CS6 being more intent on “immersion” is a darkened UI that would help with — something? Anyways, the video of Photoshop CS6 in action can be watched above the very words that I’ve just finished typing. Of course, software designers at Apple as well as leaning towards the more “professional” black color scheme, which depending on how you look at it, also looks sharper and even charming.

Via: Teh Verge

Ready for a Skyrim beta patch? Yes, Bethesda is awesome enough to issue beta patches for issues you’ve been experiencing with what is currently the most popular game on Steam — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. What it turns out this patch does is fix several rare errors, quest errors, crashes, as well as addresses memory problems, so for any user I think it’s worth looking into.

To get the update, go into your Steam settings and opt-in for a beta participation that pertains to Skyrim. Steam will then restart and the update will be downloaded.

As for the mod tools, they come out later this month. See the changelog after the break.

NEW FEATURES

• Skyrim launcher support for Steam Workshop

BUG FIXES

• General optimizations for memory and performance
• Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)
• Memory optimizations related to scripting
• Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI
• Fixed crash in Haemar’s Shame if player had already completed “A Daedra’s Best Friend”
• Fixed rare crash with loading saved games
• Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line
• Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
• Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
• Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save
• Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player’s home
• Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player’s house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any furnishing.
• Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly
• Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells
• Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly
• Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail
• Fixed memory crash with container menu
• Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
• Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor’s Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions
• Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally not fail
• Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks

QUEST FIXES

• The Unusual Gem inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing “Diplomatic Immunity”
• In “Breaching Security”, the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble
• Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if “Season Unending” was an active quest
• Fixed issue where starting “Season Unending” after finishing “Joining the Stormcloaks” would prevent “The Jagged Crown” from starting properly.
• Fixed issue progressing through “Message to Whiterun” while “Season Unending” was still open would block progression for both quests.
• In “Arniel’s Endeavor”, fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times
• In “Forbidden Legend”, the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it
• Fixed rare issue in “Forbidden Legend” where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpse unaccessible
• In “The White Phial”, the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it
• “The White Phial” will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory
• Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing “A Night to Remember”
• Fixed issue where leaving Riften during “A Chance Arrangement” would prevent quest from progressing
• In “Darkness Returns”, a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest
• In “Revealing the Unseen”, if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly
• “Onmund’s Request” will now start properly if player has already found Enthir’s staff before receiving this quest
• Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor
• “Repairing the Phial” will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory
• Finding Pantea’s Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating
• In “The Coming of the Dawn”, fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis
• Fixed rare issue in “The Mind of Madness” where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack
• Fixed issue in “Pieces of the Past” where Mehrunes Dagon’s Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it
• “Blood’s Honor” will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.
• Fixed rare issue where “Dampened Spirits” would not start properly
• Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first
• Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine would block progression for “No One Escapes Cidhna Mine”
• Fixed numerous issues with “Blood on the Ice” not triggering properly
• In “Blood on the Ice”, Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm
• In “The Cure for Madness”, killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress
• Fixed rare issue in “To Kill an Empire” where an NPC would fail to die properly
• Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting “Boethiah’s Champion” no longer prevents quest from starting.

Via: Dell

The XPS 13 ultrabook launches in February starting at $999.

This is HP’s awesome 3.9 pound and 20mm thick ultraportable with a scratch-proof design: the Envy Spectre 14. Base specs include a 14-inch, 1600 x 900 Gorilla Glass Radiance Display (huzzah!), Core i5-2467M CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 9-hour battery, backlit keyboard, carrying case and — hold it for a second — an NFC chip built into the palm rest for transferring URLs from your phone’s browser, which HP says will work first with Android phones. Not only does the $1,400 get you all that, but an Intel Wireless Display chip, HP’s CoolSense technology, Beats, HP Wireless Audio, full copies of Photoshop and Premiere Elements and a two-year subscription to Norton Internet Security. That’s epic. Upgrade options include 256GB SSD and an extra 4GB of RAM, but that’s not even really important considering how awesome this hardware is already.

The Spectre goes sale in the United State starting on February 8, continuing towards Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Chile and Mexico in March. Full PR after the break.

HP Unveils Premium Ultrabook with Extraordinary Glass Design – the HP ENVY 14 Spectre
PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 9, 2012 – HP today revealed the HP ENVY 14 Spectre, a premium consumer Ultrabook PC that commands attention with its unparalleled use of glass and stunning performance.

“Sleek, midnight black glass on the outside and stark contrast silver glass on the inside make Spectre extraordinary, defying conventional notebook design,” said Eric Keshin, senior vice president, Strategy and Marketing, Personal Systems Group, HP. “We chose the name for our first ENVY Ultrabook to evoke mystery, and we packed it with the best in entertainment technology to satisfy those who expect the unexpected.”

Tough yet beautiful, the HP ENVY 14 Spectre uses lightweight, scratch- resistant glass on the lid, display, palmrest and HP ImagePad – an industry first. A full 14-inch screen inside a 13.3-inch body means customers can get more enjoyment from their entertainment.
The HP Spectre’s high-definition (HD) HP Radiance Display offers higher resolution, richer color, better brightness and wider viewing angles than traditional notebook displays.

Equipped with a matching audio-grade speaker mesh and Beats AudioTM, an exclusive, high-performance technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dre, the HP Spectre boasts an aluminum analog volume dial that acts as a visual design cue and works seamlessly with Beats Audio Manager to precisely adjust audio levels.

Built-in HP Wireless Audio turns any home into a concert hall, allowing users to stream uncompressed audio to up to four external devices or directly to any KleerNetTM-compatible device.

An HP Radiance Backlit keyboard provides outstanding illumination using individual LEDs dedicated to each keycap. The keyboard works with an advanced proximity sensor to intelligently sense a user’s presence, lighting up when a user approaches and dimming down after he or she leaves.

Uncompromising performance
The HP Spectre is blazingly fast, stunningly sleek and boasts up to 9 hours of battery life.
Powered by the latest Intel® CoreTM processors, the 20-mm-thin HP Spectre weighs less than 4 pounds and includes up to 256 gigabytes (GB) of storage. Intel Rapid Start Technology and support for two ultrafast mSATA solid state drives allow for quick boot and resume times.
The HP Spectre also comes loaded with HP exclusives, such as HP CoolSense technology, which automatically adjusts performance and internal fan settings for a noticeably cooler PC. In addition, the HP ImagePad provides precise multifinger touch navigation and the HP TrueVision HD Webcam provides brighter, cleaner HD images.

Eliminating the need for external dongles, the HP Spectre features a full array of advanced input and output options, including Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, HDMI and Mini DisplayPort.
Additionally, the Spectre offers a performance-tuned software image, full versions of Adobe Photoshop® and Premiere Elements, two years of preinstalled NortonTM Internet Security(6) and a concierge phone line for technical support that is dedicated exclusively to HP ENVY users.

Pricing and availability
The HP ENVY 14 Spectre notebook PC is expected to be available in the United States on Feb. 8 with a starting price of $1,399.99.

The HP Spectre will also be available in early March in additional countries, including Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Chile and Mexico.
Additional information is available at www.hp.com/go/spectre or by calling the HP “Reserve Now” line at +1 888 291 7996.