steel

LAS VEGAS--There's never a lot to report on the gaming front here at CES 2013, but we can always expect SteelSeries to announce something hot during the show.

Last year it was the SRW-S1 racing wheel, and they stand out this year with two new flashy keyboards that let you customize almost every inch to suit your pwning needs.

The $99 Apex is the gem of the announcement and the realization of the company's dedication to R&D. Drawing from an understanding that gamers require hardware that demands as little movement as possible, the Apex is the … Read more

In the crowded DJ app world, VirtualDJ Home sets itself apart for the casual user. VirtualDJ Home is probably the widest-used home DJ app for the Mac, based on downloads, and there's a good reason for its popularity.

The VirtualDJ Home interface is like many others: two controllers at the top for two audio tracks, and a set of buttons, knobs, and sliders to control the mixing between the two. The bottom of the interface shows a track list and can display album art. There are some really attractive features to VirtualDJ Home, including beat matching, looping, and a … Read more

With increasing numbers of airbags, side-impact beams, and other safety reinforcements, cars have gained weight over the last 20 years. And with that extra poundage comes decreased fuel economy. Now, as automakers search for ways to comply with new CAFE rules in the U.S. and CO2 limits in Europe, bringing automotive weight back down is one obvious target. GM is looking to a company called NanoSteel, which is developing a new steel alloy that could shave weight without compromising safety.

NanoSteel has developed new iron-based alloys through nano-structuring, and says it can have automotive-grade sheet metal products ready in … Read more

SteelSoftTV is better than some of the other Internet TV programs we've encountered, though to be honest, that's not saying much. The vast majority of the channels that it offers actually work, though whether they're broadcasting anything you want to watch is another question entirely. If you're interested in news or religious content from around the world, SteelSoftTV isn't bad. If you're looking for entertainment, you should probably keep looking.

The program's interface resembles a flat-screen TV, and you're stuck with it at its current size; there's no full-screen option. A … Read more

Virtual DJ for Mac is a virtual music-mixing program, the capabilities of which vary greatly depending on what version you're paying for -- from the free "Home" edition on up to the $299 "Virtual DJ Pro Full."

That is to say that Virtual DJ for Mac is serious software, and experienced turntablists and club DJs will almost certainly want to check out one of the more full-featured packages, which offer extras like practically unlimited decks (up to 99), full-screen video output, and support for MIDI/HID controllers. For DJing neophytes, being plunged into the overwhelming … Read more

One of the top female executives in Silicon Valley is stepping down.

Jessica Steel, Pandora's executive vice president of Business and Corporate Development, is wrapping up her nearly eight-year tenure at the company, according to tech news site The Next Web.

Steel's role at the Internet radio giant was to lead the company's business development and work on strategic partnerships with device manufacturers, car companies, and more.

"The car is one of the most popular venues for radio listening and incorporating Pandora into the native environment of automobile dashboards makes listening to personalized Internet radio as … Read more

If you've ever compared a Formula 1 racer steering wheel with the one in your street car, you probably found yourself taken aback by the sheer number of buttons, knobs, and controls crammed onto the relatively small surface of the former.

That's exactly the feeling that I got when unboxing the SteelSeries SRW-S1 steering wheel for the Simraceway online racing game. Compared with, for example, the Microsoft Wireless Speed Wheel, S1 (for short) more than doubles the number of buttons available to the player--an attribute that may be daunting to some novices and enticing to many hard-core gamers. However, despite my initial impressions, I'd learn during testing its control scheme (and lack of pedals) it is probably a better fit for casual players than its complex appearance belies. … Read more

When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled its Oscar nominations this morning, there were some very familiar names among the honorees.

Joe Letteri, for example. And Tim Burke and Scott Farrar.

These may not be people that appear regularly in the pages of "Us Weekly," but to those who follow the visual effects industry, they're on par with Meryl Streep and George Clooney.

Only one film can win the Oscar for best visual effects, but today, five films were nominated.

As usual, George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic was honored, this year for its … Read more

Yahoo continues to work on damage control following the sudden ousting of former CEO Carol Bartz.

A new leaked internal memo reveals that the search-site-turned-"premier"-digital-media-company is planning to completely rework its global marketing strategies.

The note, penned by Yahoo's chief marketing officer, Elisa Steele, doesn't reveal many specifics on the product side or what Yahoo plans to promote there.

The major takeaway point is that Yahoo is planning to split its global marketing unit in two to cover more ground. The letter also highlights that CFO and interim CEO Tim Morse is in favor … Read more