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:: PC Perspective . News Archive
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.:News Archive ( 5/2008 )
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: PC Perspective Forums | Subject: General Tech
While new technology is almost always a good thing, getting rid of old tech is not. The parallel port still has not died, nor the 3.5" floppy or the PS-2 port. There are probably even ISA slot holdouts, I know for a fact that there are still AGP addicts. The newest forced obsolescence is causing a lot of FUD, so to properly understand the new Cable TV standards drop by this thread. It won't help make your grandmother feel better about her old TV no longer receiving a signal, but it can help you figure out how to ensure you can pick up the right cable box to fix it.
There is a new OpenGL benchmarking tool over at the Overclocking Forum, drop by and watch the fur fly. Over in the Linux forum, a convert is looking for some games to play on his Linux box, while the Windows users are having some difficulty with AVG 8 and some WinXP updates. As your final stop before heading out to enjoy a Friday night, take a quick peek at the Trading Post, see if there isn;t a nice present you can pick up for yourself.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: InsideHW | Subject: Mobile
Acer's Aspire 6920G is really into multimedia, both making it look good, and making it easy to view. It has a 16" screen, at 1366x768 resolution (aka 16:9) and a 'CineDash' a touch sensitive section of the keyboard to make playing movies easy as well as full 5.1 sound. It is a choice for those looking not for the lightest or the most powerful, but for those wanting to watch a few movies while they are on the go.
"Finally, we had tested Acer Aspire 6920G after Acer's announcement for new Aspire Gemstone notebooks in March this year. Black cover in "piano" finish looks very elegant despite our first thought of greasy fingerprints all over it. At some point, I even thought that I am too subjective, so I asked my colleagues what they think and we finally agree that fingertips are less noticeable than on other notebooks with similar finishing process. In the middle of notebook cover is logo which lights up when notebook is on." Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: [H]ard|OCP | Subject: Motherboard
For a look at how well ASUS has implemented the 780i chipset, take a look at the ASUS P5N-T which was under review quite a while ago at [H]ard|OCP. The delay occurred thanks to many problems that [H] encountered during testing, which soured their enthusiasm and made the review process significantly longer than normal. You can see where this DDR2 board failed to meet expectations in the full review.
"Our last 780i NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI chipset review, seems to hold a lot of promise with its solid design and with the features that the NVIDIA chipset brings to the table. Just how well does this board compare with the rest of the Intel board, or even the other NVIDIA based boards?" Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: VIA Arena | Subject: Graphics Card
It has been a while since we've heard from S3 Graphics though that doesn't mean they are gone. The Chrome 430 that was announced a while ago is starting to show up on reviewers desks and the first review is at VIA Arena. The stats of the card sound good, a 625MHz engine clock and 256MB of 500MHz GDDR2 and full support for DX10 and PCI Express 2.0. All that for $60 and an extra 143W power draw on your system.
"The S3 Graphics Chrome 430 GT features the latest graphics core from S3 Graphics. The card has been designed with the features that mainstream users desire. They have designed an all-round use graphics card at a reasonable price. But before we take a look at the card, for those of you who don't know who S3 are, let me give you a little bit of history." Here are some more Graphics Card articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: bit-tech | Subject: General Tech
bit-tech was shown some interesting little previews by MSI. You can see their planned new X58 chipset based motherboard and the Nehalem that will go into it, all 1366 pins of it. Hard information on this pair of next generation silicon from Intel is still rather rare, but the pictures do tell a lot.
"First, the CPU and its new socket: while the roadmaps say the high-end Nehalem to be launched in Q4 will have up to eight cores, the one MSI had in its office was just a quad-core but with eight threads. The socket is still LGA, but instead of the 775 used on current boards, this one now features 1366 pins and is slightly rectangular – not Pentium Pro rectangular, but simply a stretched out square. The back of the socket now has a metal backplate to brace itself and I’m afraid you’ll be buying a new heatsink too because the socket fittings have changed since LGA775. In fact, the whole area that needs to be exclusively for “Intel CPU use” is now apparently over twice the volume of that compared to LGA775 giving motherboard manufacturers even less space to shoehorn in additional components." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Ryan Shrout | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Storage
Computex Taipei, Asia's largest technology show, will be held from June 3rd to 7th. Boasting nearly 3,000 exhibitors, over 130,000 visitors will get the chance to see the latest and greatest tech gear first hand. Now in its 28thyear, Computex will double in size with the addition of the Nangang Exhibition Hall. Thecus Technology will be there to show off the very latest in digital storage, including its new N8800, N7700, N4100PRO, M3800, i5500, and i4500storage solutions, as well as the exciting new Thecus miniPC. For those with greater storage needs, the all-new Thecus N8800 and N7700 have you covered. Equipped with a powerful Intel® Celeron M 2.0 GHz CPU and a full GB of DDR2 memory, both N8800 and N7700 are capable of handling a multitude of file serving tasks quickly and effectively. Users can access data via iSCSI, and for even more storage, N8800 and N7700 are also stackable, which means that two N7700s (or N8800s) can work in tandem, doubling the potential storage capacity. For business users, the N8800 and N7700 are the ultimate NAS solutions, and it will make its debut at this year's Computex. The N8800 features eight hot-swappable hard disk trays that accept standard 3.5”SATAII hard disks for up to 8 terabytes of storage. Multiple RAID modes including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60, and JBOD allows administrators to choose the mode that best fits the enterprise’s computing environment. N7700 features seven SATA bays for up to 7 terabytes of storage. To handle all of that capacity, users can select from a wide variety of RAID modes including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 and JBOD, and can even have multiple RAID modes operating simultaneously. Home entertainment buffs will love the new Thecus M3800. Featuring HDMI, component, and AV out, the M3800 can play digital content directly through your existing home theater system. The M3800 supports multiple file formats, and even supports 1080P for playback on today's high-definition displays. What's more, with the included remote control, you can enjoy movies, music, photos and more from the comfort of your living room couch. Equipped with three 3.5" SATA bays, the M3800 brings the security of RAID 5 home, making it a total media playback and secure storage solution. Also coming to the show will be the N4100PRO. A revamp of the classic N4100, the N4100PRO brings blazing performance to the four-bay NAS space. Fitted with an AMD Geode LX800 CPU and 256MB of DDR memory, the N4100PRO leaves the competition in the dust with nearly double the data throughput performance of the original N4100! Users can choose from RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and JBOD, and can even take advantage of RAID expansion and RAID level migration should the need arise. But that's not all. Also making a debut at Computex 2008 is the i5500 iSCSI RAID System. Featuring five SATA II bays and multiple RAID modes including RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 3, 5 6, 10, and JBOD, the i5500 delivers the performance and security demanded by today's data-centric businesses. For those looking for a rackmount solution, the i4500, also making a debut at Computex 2008, will fit the bill nicely. Finally, Thecus will be introducing the Thecus miniPC, a tiny, fully-functional PC that delivers a robust computing experience in an extremely small casing. Of course, showgoers can also check out the N5200PRO, the world's number one selling 5-bay NAS, as well as the innovative and compact 1U4500 rackmount NAS. All of these will be on display at this year's Computex exhibition. To see these exciting new products and more, visit Thecus in the Nangang Exhibition Hall, Booth No. J317a, J319a, J417, and J419 at Computex 2008.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: DV Hardware | Subject: System
Researchers at the University of Antwerp in Belgium have created a new supercomputer with standard gaming hardware. The system uses four NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 graphics cards, it costs less than 4000EUR to build and thanks to NVIDIA's CUDA technology it delivers roughly the same performance as a supercomputer cluster consisting of hundreds of PCs!
This new system is used by the ASTRA research group, part of the Vision Lab of the University of Antwerp, to develop new computational methods for tomography. The guys explain the eight NVIDIA GPUs deliver the same performance as more than 300 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz processors. On a normal desktop PC their tomography tasks would take several weeks but on this NVIDIA-based supercomputer it only takes a couple of hours. The NVIDIA graphics cards do the job very efficiently and consume a lot less power than a supercomputer cluster.
The equivalent of a supercluster made up of ...
Drop by DV Hardware for the interview, pictures and a YouTube video.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: CPU3D | Subject: Storage
Backing up your data can be a bit of a pain for the unmotivated. You have to choose what to back up, find a medium to back it up to and remember to place the backed up data somewhere safe and that you can find if you need it. For the motivated, as in those who have suffered a loss of personal data, it is still a bit time consuming, but unquestionably worth the investment. CPU3D is opting for a mid ground, with the DVS Online Backup service, read on to see why.
"I was a bit skeptical about the software at first but after a while to use it i would highly recommend it to anyone. Afterall, you wouldn't want to lose your most personal files." Here are some more Storage reviews from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Digital Trends | Subject: General Tech
The new Microsoft Zune is 80GB, giving you plenty of space for videos to watch on it's 3.2" screen. The large storage capacity and screen do make the Zune larger than the iCompetition, but not so much as to make it unattractive for many users. The Zune Pass is also a new way to get your music, you are essentially renting it as opposed to buying it outright. Drop by Digital Trends to see how well Microsoft managed with this new generation.
"The 80GB Zune has undeniable cool factor, given its big screen and built-in WiFi. But rather than trumping the competition, it falls in that gray area between the somewhat ho-hum iPod Classic and the rip-roaring iPod Touch. We applaud Microsoft for trying to make the hardware and software as un-Microsoft (read: user-friendly) as possible, but even this second-gen model has some kinks that need working out. And although we love the wireless sync and recently upgraded song-sharing features, we hope future generations will include more practical WiFi features like a Web browser." " Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Frosty Tech | Subject: Case and Cooling
Apack's Zerotherm FZ120 heatsink is the new and improved version of the Zerotherm Nirvana 120 and it is up for review at FrostyTech. The improvements that they made have had a huge impact on the performance of this cooler. Not only is the thick metal plating gone, everything about this cooler has changed; for the better. The installation is fairly simple on both AMD and Intel boards, and the performance can tame and CPU currently on the market.
"Apack's new Zerotherm ZF120 heatsink is a refined version of the Zerotherm Nirvana 120, but this is no simple fan switch out - the ZF120 is rebuilt from the heatpipes up. The result is an Intel & AMD compatible heatsink which offers substantially lower temperatures at its lowest and quietest fan speed, and a slight edge at full tilt that may bring it into the Top 10 heatsink list." Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Corsair Memory | Subject: Memory
Fremont, CA, May 29, 2008 - Corsair, a worldwide leader in high performance computer and flash memory products, today announced that it will launch a new 4GB DOMINATOR DDR3 memory kit running at 2000MHz at CompuTex 2008, held June 3-7, 2008 in Taipei. Tested and guaranteed for operation at the lightning fast overclocked speed of 2000MHz, this 4GB DOMINATOR kit provides superior performance for desktop platforms.
"Corsair is focused on building the industry's fastest memory available in the largest densities," said Richard Hashim, Director of Marketing at Corsair. "This new ultra-fast DDR3 4GB DOMINATOR solution demonstrates Corsair's commitment to lead the memory technology transition from DDR2 to DDR3 and from 2GB solutions to 4GB solutions. Enthusiasts worldwide demand it and we are happy to support their requirements." The DOMINATOR family of memory represents the ultimate in performance technology engineering from Corsair. DOMINATOR is designed with the highest performing IC overclocking capability and Corsair's patented DHX cooling. DHX technology is an innovative quad-layer heat sink design that optimizes memory performance and reliability by maximizing thermal dissipation. With DHX Technology, heat is removed via two paths – the leads of the BGA chips into the PCB (conductive cooling) and the back of the BGA packages into the custom designed extruded aluminum heat sinks (convective cooling). This allows DOMINATOR modules to achieve industry leading overclocking performance while remaining stable and reliable. Gamers and enthusiasts know that there are significant performance benefits with 4GB of Corsair memory featuring DHX Technology. Corsair's test findings, available at www.corsair.com/4GB, demonstrate these performance benefits so crucial to gamers, including faster frame rates, loading times, and task switching of up to eleven times faster.
The new 4GB DOMINATOR DDR3 2000MHz memory kit will be available Q3 through Corsair's authorized distributors, resellers and e-tailers worldwide, priced at $675.00 USD MSRP.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Processor
VIA's Isaiah may have changed it's name to Nano, but that is the only thing that has changed about this low power CPU. VIA has always been the king of small, low power processors, and has seen competition appearing from Intel. VIA takes advantage of that history to ensure the new Nano will work with existing C7 compatible boards. For once, Intel is the new kid on the block. Read Ryan's take on these high powered, low wattage processors.
"If all goes as planned, the adoption rate for VIA's new processor should be swift as the CPU is pin-to-pin compatible with any motherboard platform built for the VIA C7 processor and uses the same bus technology and chipsets. This is something that Intel's Atom line of processors based around Silverthorne definitely cannot offer. Not only that but the VIA Nano Processor and accompanying platform can support many features that Atom leaves behind like full speed PCI Express buses." Here are some more Processor articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: ExtremeMhz | Subject: System
If you missed the first ExtremeMhz HTPC guide, fear not for it is old and busted. The new and improved second version has arrived, covering everything you need to know about building your own HTPC ... at least until the third version arrives
"This guide has been updated with not only some recommended new hardware, but a number of software applications as well. In addition, the guide will feature a new section below focusing solely on Blu-ray/HD-DVD hardware and playback capabilities. You'll definitely want to read this section if you plan on building an HTPC with this kind of functionality." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Bjorn3D | Subject: Motherboard
Bjorn3D managed to get their hands on an ASUS PQ5 Deluxe, a P45 Eaglelake motherboard, a little earlier than most. It seems that ASUS is really going all out on this new chipset, including a new southbridge and support for newer processors and RAM. Not only that but the features included with this board are just incredible. Read the full list at Bjorn3D.
"The Intel P45 boards will sport a die shrink of the onboard components to 65nm as opposed to the previous 90nm standard. This die shrink would lead us to expect less power consumption as well as improved power efficiency. The P45 also offers official support for PCIe 2.0 with more adaptable lanes to help better support the use of multiple GPUs based on the CrossFire architecture. The P45 based boards will feature the new ICH10 series southbridge, which is extremely close in its feature set to its ICH9 brethren, but the primary difference between the two is the ICH10 series has removed LPT and legacy PATA support entirely. While not officially offering support for the new 1600 MHz FSB processors we have it on good authority that most of the P45 boards will support these chips. Armed with this information and a yearning to be one of the first to review this new and extremely tempting product we prevailed upon our friends at ASUS. They were kind enough to send us one of their P5Q Deluxe editions of this board. The P5Q Deluxe is one of ASUS's top of the line P45 based boards, and like the majority of these boards being released, utilizes DDR2 in lieu of the newer DDR3. We can only surmise this is to spare the consumer the substantial cost of the newer memory while still maintaining above average performance. It is our plan to directly test this board against its X48 counterpart; either fuelling the fires for compelling arguments or helping to extinguish them." Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: [H]ard|OCP | Subject: Graphics Card
[H]ard|OCP likes fast, and will honestly admit that any time they are asked. There is another consideration that is important to them, and that is value. Spending double the money for a 10% performance increase is hard to justify for all but the most extreme gamers. The BFGTech GeForce 9800 GTX OXC doesn't quite cost twice as much as non-overclocked cards, but neither does it offer a 10% improvement in performance.
"BFG's new OCX branding is the top of their 3-tier overclocking initiative, with OC and OC2 taking up the lower ranks. We're here to see if their GeForce 9800 GTX OCX is actually any better than a standard GeForce 9800 GTX!" Here are some more Graphics Card articles from around the web:
Ryan Shrout | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Storage
If you haven't heard about the Western Digital VelociRaptor hard drive then you should definitely read our review of the product and prepare to be impressed.
The only problem at the end of the review was that the drive wasn't for sale yet - the first batch of products went to Alienware for system builds. That's no longer a problem as online e-tailers like Newegg are finally showing stock of the drives. 
The price is right where Western Digital told us it would be - $299 for the 300GB drive. If you were wishing you had one, now's the time to grab it!
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: bit-tech | Subject: Case and Cooling
Just a short while ago you couldn't go anywhere on the net without someone telling you how absolutely amazing the game Mass Effect was, and how you were an utter git if you didn't run out and buy an Xbox360 so you could play it. BioWare has done a very good job in the past creating worlds, or galaxies, and the reasons to like the game ranged from very interesting to really cheesy. bit-tech has been playing this PC port, and can tell you about what has been added to the game, or if it is simply caught a terminal case of consolitis.
"Mass Effect was already an awesome game, that much we knew. It was so good in fact that it managed to sneak its way in to our Top 10 Games of 2007. The question is though, has it got any better since then? The answer to that isn’t easy, but mainly that’s because there aren’t that many differences between the two versions. There are some positive enhancements to consider like the new hotkey features and a smoother interface, but on the other hand these are balanced out by an awful minigame and the fact that all these changes feel insubstantial and tacked on – where are the new quests and weapons? The deciding factor then, due to a lack of extra content, should be whether or not the game can win through on the merit of being on the PC - does the actual input of mouse and keyboard make the game better on PC? The answer is yes, but not enough for it to make a big difference. Mass Effect is an utterly absorbing, massive and enthralling game. As soon as this review is done we’re going to go play it some more and if you’re a PC RPG fan who hasn’t got the Xbox 360 version then this is definitely a game you’ll want to pick up, but the PC version doesn’t do enough to push ahead of the Xbox 360 original and in the end the two will have to settle for being equals." " Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Ryan Shrout | Source: engadget | Subject: Processor
AMD might have just gotten a great bit of news in its mailbox - it would seem that Intel's Atom processor and platform brand known as Centrino 2 looks to be delayed until the middle of July.
We were all excited to see Intel's Montevina-based Centrino 2 next month,
but it looks like that was never meant to be. Citing problems with the
chip's integrated graphics and issues with 802.11n certification, Intel
has pushed its launch to July 14, with the complete line hitting
streets in the first week of August. Says AMD, "Hi. We're AMD. We have
a little chip called Puma, it has no integrated graphic issues, and it'll be available in June. How YOU doin'?"
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Slashdot | Subject: General Tech
Slow day on the computer, and maybe it seems like a good idea to kill some time with some random flash game? Be very careful where you click today; there is a brand new flash vulnerability out there and it is spreading. Slashdot offers some advice on avoiding the issue, some of it actually useful, and provides a link to more info on the vulnerability.
""Security researchers have found evidence of a previously unknown Adobe Flash vulnerability being exploited in the wild. The zero-day flaw has been added to the Chinese version of the MPack exploit kit and there are signs that the exploits are being injected into third-party sites to redirect targets to malware-laden servers. From the article: 'Continued investigation reveals this issue is fairly widespread. Malicious code is being injected into other third-party domains (approximately 20,000 web pages) most likely through SQL-injection attacks. The code then redirects users to sites hosting malicious Flash files exploiting this issue." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: System
SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- May 28, 2008 --AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced growing industry support for the Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor among global OEMs continues with IBM's launch of three updated System x servers. Designed to address customer priorities such as energy efficiency, performance, scalability, and virtualization, the Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based servers from IBM offer an exceptional power-efficient platform for today's most demanding datacenters.
"Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based servers deliver energy-efficiency even in the context of satisfying IBM's most demanding high-performance computing solutions," said Randy Allen, senior vice president, Computing Solutions Group, AMD. "Datacenter managers are increasingly seeking a balance of performance, energy-efficiency, and advanced virtualization functionality in order to optimize server resources amidst skyrocketing power, cooling and space costs. The Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor is at the forefront of addressing this new real-world definition of datacenter performance." "IBM continues to deliver innovation and choice in the x86 market with today's introduction of System x servers based on AMD's new Quad-Core processors," said James Northington, vice president, IBM System x. "The new System x3755 allows clients to grow the system along with their business, affordably scaling from the standard 2 socket system to 3 and 4 socket configurations while delivering industry leading price and performance." IBM has refreshed its current line of rack-mount AMD Opteron processor-based System x servers. These include the x3455 which is ideal for technical and financial applications, the x3655 for memory-intensive applications such as database, virtualization and dynamic web serving, and the x3755 that takes advantage of AMD's Direct Connect Architecture to speed scientific and technical computing through breakthrough performance with outstanding memory addressability in high performance computing (HPC) environments.
Ryan Shrout | Source: Digitimes | Subject: Motherboard
 Rumors are circulating that long time enthusiast motherboard brand "abit" might be on the ropes, this time from the previous "savior" corporate parent, Universal. According to the source the company will determine if staying in the motherboard business makes sense after seeing how Intel's P4-series of chipset launches plays out - talk about a no-pressure situation, huh?
UPDATE: I just saw that Kyle @ HardOCP talked with Thore Welling of Universal abit about this issue who had this to say: In fact, particularly over the past 12 months we have been able to considerably increase market share not only in traditional markets such as Western Europe, but even stronger so in emerging markets such as East Asia as well as in the Middle East. ... We have no intention what-so-ever to pull out of motherboards. Well, there you have it. Let the debate rage on! Second-tier motherboard maker Abit is reportedly considering phasing out of the motherboard market after evaluating its shipment performance of Intel 4 series motherboards, according to channel sources. Abit, however, maintains it does not know anything about the speculation and will continue to develop motherboard products. Abit has failed to meet the expectations of parent company Universal Scientific Industrial (USI) in its ability to compete with fellow second-tier makers in terms of performance, or first-tier makers in terms of pricing in the mid-range and entry-level market, and so the company is evaluating whether to quit the market and start developing other products for the Abit brand, noted the sources. In 2007, Abit shipped 2-3 million motherboards and had set a goal to ship six million units in 2008. However, the company's current shipments to date in 2208 have actually decreased. Abit will determine whether to stay in the market after evaluating its shipments performance of P45-based motherboards, added the sources.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Tech ARP | Subject: General Tech
There are a lot of myths about hard drives that many have come to believe are facts. Have you ever heard someone say that to use a hard drive vertically, you have to format it in the vertical position? Those are just some of the myths that TechARP busts in their new article.
"To be honest, many articles have covered these topics. It would have been easy for someone to do a quick search online before imparting their opinions to newbies. Unfortunately, it became apparent to us that some folks just prefer to trust their innate instincts over logic and knowledge. As such, these hard drive urban legends have remained more popular than the simple truth. So, let's get down to basics and examine some of these common fallacies or myths and debunk them!" Here are some more Storage reviews from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Hardware Canucks | Subject: Case and Cooling
OCZ's EliteXStream 800W offers a really good deal for anyone looking for a high powered PSU. The cables are not modular, but they are very long; a bonus in larger cases or more intricate cable management schemes. As well, Hardware Canucks testing has shown the stability and efficiency to be higher than you might expect from a $150, 800W PSU.
"While the cable lengths were definitely a welcome surprise, they can be brushed aside if the performance of a power supply is lacking. Luckily, the EliteXStream showed us again and again that it could put out some phenomenal numbers when it came to being pushed by some extremely power hungry components. Its efficiency numbers were very good, its voltage regulation was above reproach and ripple suppression was among the best we have seen. What more is there to ask for in a power supply?" Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Overclock3D | Subject: Case and Cooling
The newest 2Gb Crucial Ballistix kit runs 9-9-9-28 latencies and PC3-16000, or DDR3-2000, but it will set you back $500. It does buy you some incredibly fast RAM, with some overclocking overhead, or the potential to tighten up the timings by relaxing the clock speed somewhat. Drop by Overclock3D for a look at these DIMMs.
"With a stock speed of DDR3-2000 Crucial have one extremely fast DDR3 kit on their hands. But will it overclock any further? We find out." Here are some more Memory articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Digitimes | Subject: General Tech
If the rumours at DigiTimes are true, the P45 models will be the last time you see Universal abit motherboards. This does raise the question of what abit will be selling if they do discontinue their motherboard line. Is it possible they will go back to making graphics cards, or is something else on the horizon for them?
"Second-tier motherboard maker Abit is reportedly concidering phasing out of the motherboard market after evaluating its shipment performance of Intel 4 series motherboards, according to channel sources. Abit, howerver, maintains it does not know anything about the speculation and will continue to develop motherboard products. Abit's has failed to meet the expectations of parent company Universal Scientific Industrial (USI) in its ability to compete with fellow second-teir makers in terms of performance, or first-tier makers in terms of pricing in the mid-range and entry-level market, and so the company is evaluating whether to quit the market and start developing other products for the Abit brand, noted the sources. In 2007, Abit shipped 2-3 million motherboards and had set a goal to ship six million units in 2008. However, the company's current shipments have actually decreased. Abit will determine whether to stay in the market after evaluating its shipments performance of P45-based motherboards, added the sources." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: VIA Technologies | Subject: Mobile
Taipei, Taiwan, 27 May 2008 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today introduced the new VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design targeted at the rapidly growing global market for ultra-portable notebooks.
The VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design introduces a host of new innovations, including the next generation of VIA Ultra Mobile Platform, based on the VIA C7-M ULV processor and the new all-in-one VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset. Together, this ultra compact, power efficient platform delivers richer computing and multimedia features, including a stunning 8.9" screen and greater video playback support, in a compact and stylish clamshell form factor that weighs just 1kg. The VIA OpenBook features a flexible internal interface for high-speed broadband wireless connectivity that provides customers with the ability to select from a choice of WiMAX, HSDPA and EV-DO/W-CDMA modules appropriate to their market. In addition, under a unique collaborative approach, the CAD files of the external panels of the reference design are offered for download under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 license to give customers such as OEMs, system integrators, and broadband service providers greater freedom in tailoring the look and feel of their device to meet the diverse needs of their target markets. "The VIA OpenBook builds on the great success of the VIA NanoBook reference design launched last year, which has been widely adopted by numerous customers around the world," commented Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "Our unique open approach to case design customization and wireless connectivity flexibility, coupled with the higher levels of performance, further extends VIA's leadership in the global mini-note market." "VIA is a forward thinking company that has realized that sharing enables a healthy ecosystem which helps them provide an innovative product which supports their core business," commented Jon Phillips, Business and Community Manager for Creative Commons. "Making the actual raw CAD files available under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 license is a brilliant first step that clearly and legally allows others to emergently build upon VIA's open innovation." VIA C7-M logo Powered by the VIA C7-M ULV processor and the VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset, the VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design is a small, 1kg, 8.9" mini-notebook form factor design that supports screen resolutions of up to 1024x600 and high performance VIA Chrome9 DirectX 9.0 3D graphics. Advanced video acceleration for MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9, VC1 and DiVX video formats, a VMR capable HD video processor and 8-channel HD audio make it a highly media rich mini-notebook platform.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Overclockers Club | Subject: General Tech
You knew it would happen sooner or later. Having a half dozen universal remotes, each with 50 plus buttons just isn't enough to control a real multi-media system anymore. Every component will find some way to make you use their remote, all they need to do is ensure one function doesn't have a button. LogiTech has the answer, a full keyboard in a clamshell case. Check out this remote to end all others at Overclockers Club.
"Well, I have to say that I love this remote! The diNovo Mini’s construction, design, and ease of use were absolutely extraordinary! The Logitech diNovo Mini is light, solid, sturdy, and looks great! Above all else, the backlights are just awesome! Never before have I had the full functionality of a big keyboard in the palm of my hand. The diNovo easily has every conceivable key and function necessary to run a full-fledged PC or HTPC!" Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Virtual-Hideout | Subject: Case and Cooling
The newest cooler from ZEROtherm is the Zen FZ120 CPU Cooler, a nice blend of price, performance and style. It's not the cheapest, nor the best performing, but it mixes those two qualities together to give high performance cooling for $40. Virtual-Hideout also liked the honeycomb design that gives this tower a unique look in a very crowded market.
"As for the test results, the ZEROtherm Zen FZ120 CPU Cooler ranks right up there with a lot of the newer-released coolers currently out on the market however this cooler will only retail for $39.99. So even if you're on a budget, this cooler will still enable you to get a top tier cooler for a respectably low price. With ease of installation and a quiet operating fan, along with the same high quality and now lower cost, the Zen FZ120 will make an excellent addition to your hardware." Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
Ryan Shrout | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: General Tech
We are pleased to announce the beginning of a new contest here at PC Perspective that combines two things we are passionate about here: computers and our country. :) With that in mind we bring you a contest that should end just about all contests - our Memorial Day System Giveaway!!
(1) Grand Prize: Complete PC Gaming System from Smooth Creations
That is one HELL of a grand prize! But wait, there is more... First (and nearly as Grand) Prize:
Yes, thats right, the runner-up in this contest will get two of the upcoming generation of AMD graphics cards from Diamond Multimedia - no we are not referring to RV670 or anything in the Radeon 3000-series of parts, so just use your imagination! These will be two of the first cards available!! Second Prizes:
How to Enter ...head over to our official contest page for all the details!!
You have until midnight, Eastern Standard Time to get your donations in!
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: OCIA | Subject: General Tech
SteelSeries' 5H v2 USB Headset is more than just a headphone/microphone combo, it also has it's own built in sound card. The sound card lets you adjust the virtual 7.1 surround sound that the headphones offer, as well as individual volumes and balances. OCIA were not impressed when they tried using it to listen to music, but when they tried gaming, their opinion totally changed.
"For a lot of people, an all-in-one bundle from a popular brand is just what they need; it would minimize the research work for finding quality, and it would combine soundcard and speakers/headphones to further reduce consumer work. Enter the 5H v2 USB headset from SteelSeries. This headset not only comes backed by the name that so many people trust, SteelSeries, but also comes bundled with a USB soundcard for a cheap upgrade over onboard sound." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
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