Content and news by Rob Williams

Rob Williams

Rob Williams

Rob founded Techgage in 2005 to be an 'Advocate of the consumer', focusing on fair reviews and keeping people apprised of news in the tech world. Catering to both enthusiasts and businesses alike; from desktop gaming to professional workstations, and all the supporting software.

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Rob's Recent Content

Seagate Introduces New Maxtor Desktop and Notebook Hard Drives…

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. — October 2, 2006 — Seagate Technology (NYSE:STX) today announced the availability of new Maxtor-branded desktop and notebook PC hard drives to the worldwide distribution channel in a move that gives system builders and resellers a broader selection of product features, warranties, service and support, and pricing. Designed and manufactured with Seagate’s hallmark quality and reliability, the Maxtor DiamondMax desktop and MobileMax notebook disc drives will enable system builders to reach a wider range of customers.

You can check the full press release here.

Published on October 3, 2006

Review Roundup for October 3

    Cooling
  • Sytrin SHF1 Ultra – Phoronix

    Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
  • CoolerMaster & OCIA.net October Virtual Pumpkin Carving – OCIA
  • Knowing your Power Supply – Tech Nibble
  • LIX Systems LX8100-AM2BB-M2NPV – Phoronix
  • Nokia 3250 XpressMusic, 5200, and 5300 – Digital Trends
  • Overclock, Benchmark, Diagnostic Software and Tools Roundup – OC Insider
  • Samsung Blu-Ray Gambit – UK Gamer
  • Samsung Trace – Digital Trends
  • transtec SENYO 600 Mini-PC – EPIA Center
Published on October 3, 2006

How to have a 43 hour day

Rather than changing around your sleep schedule to squeeze in those extra hours, Yahoo thinks you should just be multitasking. According to a new study (sponsored by Yahoo) new technologies allow families to cram 43 hours of activity into a single day.

Yahoo could have just asked me how I do things, since I’ve been doing most of what they have mentioned for a while. Sadly, I still never seem to get work done.

Published on October 2, 2006

Faster Folding@Home?

Stream Computing uses the GPU as a compute engine rather than strictly for graphics. If you have a problem set that maps to a GPU, it will absolutely scream when compared to a plain old CPU. If you look at the architecture of a GPU, it is a bunch of shaders, tens of them in most cases, each of which can crunch a lot of heavy sums, or at least certain types of heavy sum.

Regardless of whether you run Folding or not, a 30x increase is an incredible gain for the amount of cash it requires. Not to mention having a great gaming card on the side as a benefit! But as we all know… Folders don’t game.

Published on October 2, 2006

Nikon D50 6.1MP Digital-SLR Camera

If you are looking to get into the D-SLR world but find it too expensive, then you may not know the value that awaits you. We are taking a look at the Nikon D50 6.1 megapixel camera, and given the pricerange, it packs a serious punch.

Published on October 2, 2006

Apple Updates Mac OS X to 10.4.8

The new update introduces fixes and tweaks for a number of applications included in OS X: iPhoto, Finder, Safari, Dashboard and several other applications. More critical updates include drivers for wireless access, which has been causing a number of users to experience random disconnects and signal drops on the MacBook Pro, MacBook and iMac computers. Apple identified that several of the included system updates would improve performance in Rosetta as well.

If you are an Apple user and love keeping up to date, then get on er! More discussion on the updates can be had here.

Published on October 2, 2006

Logitech celebrates 25 years

How did Logitech get here? To commemorate its 25-year anniversary, the company presents slices of its history in the following documents, which identify the most important products, defining moments, and trends that have made the company what it is today: the world´s leading provider of personal peripherals that people want to buy and love to use.

Congrats to Logitech! I have had great experiences with most of their products, so their 25 years of experience shows. To commemorate, they offer a look at their 25 most important products, top 25 defining moments and also a 25 year timeline. All links are to PDF files, so you may wish to right-click and save as.

Published on October 2, 2006

NBC Universal and Intel to Deliver Series Premieres on Intel VIIV and Centrino Platforms

New York and Santa Clara, Calif. Sept. 28, 2006 – NBC Universal and Intel Corporation today announced the launch of the NBC VIP Access online service that will provide on-demand broadband-delivered entertainment content for free to consumers with Intel Viivtechnology-based PCs and Centrino mobile technology-based laptops. Starting this week, NBC.com will provide Intel customers the opportunity to download and view many of their favorite NBC Universal programs in high-resolution video, including access to the entire fall season of two new shows, “Heroes” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”.

You can read the full press release here.

Published on October 2, 2006

Lineage II Remix Contest

Chronicle 5: Oath of Blood features a fantastic new soundtrack composed by Inon Zur. To celebrate the release of the new Chronicle and the recent launch of Lineage Radio, we are happy to bring you the Lineage II Remix Contest! Put your own spin on a selection from Chronicle 5 and you might win fantastic prizes. Your remix might also be played on the air of Lineage Radio for all Lineage II players to enjoy!

Well, it’s about time that L2 has smartened up and had a wicked contest! The grand prize includes an iPOD, t-shirt, game time card and more.

Published on October 2, 2006

Review Roundup for October 2

    Memory & Storage
  • BUSlink 400GB External Firewire & USB 2.0 Hard Drive – Think Computers
  • Crucial PC2-5300 10th Anniversary Memory – 3D Gameman

    Peripherals & Power Supplies
  • Antec TruePower Trio 650 PSU – Pro-Clockers

    Displays & Video Cards
  • ATI Radeon X1650 Pro: Sapphire vs HIS – Hardware Info
  • LCD Monitor Guide – Are Higher Contrast And Brightness Better? – The Tech Zone
  • X1300pro, Theatron DTS, ZAP2202 – Technic 3D

Published on October 2, 2006

Dell’s no-excuse recycling program begins

Unlike recycling programs offered by many other manufacturers, the Dell program does not require people to purchase a new product. Dell said the aim is to further motivate its customers to recycle, particularly those who may have put it off due to cost or inconvenience.

Apparently this has already been available in Canada and Europe for some time, but it’s great to see it spread out into the US also. Now for other companies to follow suit would be nice.

Published on September 30, 2006

Sony recalling many batteries

Sony said Thursday it will initiate a global replacement program for certain battery packs that use its lithium-ion cells in notebook computers in order to address concerns related to recent over-heating incidents. Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK) and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) initiated a voluntary recall Thursday of about 526,000 lithium-ion batteries worldwide manufactured by Sony.

Whew, over 500,000 batteries! I can’t think of how this year could possibly get any worse for Sony. They used to be a name you could trust… and now trust is a laughable thought.

Published on September 29, 2006

A Decade of Nintendo 64

It might just be the most controversial console in the history of mass market gaming. Staunchly iconoclastic and profoundly innovative, the Nintendo 64 has irrevocably changed the current landscape of gaming. But it began the descent of Nintendo from the throne – with this console, the Big N failed to achieve majority sales for the first time in history, and has been unable to regain its glory since.

It’s incredible that 10 years have passed so quickly! This is a of the N64s history, and if you call yourself a gamer then you probably have fond memories of the console as well. Ahh, all those nights of DK64 and Ocarina…

Published on September 29, 2006

HP to acquire Voodoo PC

Voodoo PC has agreed to be acquired by Hewlett-Packard, Voodoo founder and Chief Technology Officer Rahul Sood announced on his blog Thursday. Details of the transaction were not released. Rahul Sood and his brother Ravi, currently the CEO of Voodoo, will take positions within a new game business unit in HP’s Personal Systems Group reporting to Phil McKinney, that group’s chief technology officer, according to the posting on Rahul Sood’s blog.

HP was apparently threatened by Dells purchasing Alienware. It’s somewhat of a surprise to see such a notable acquisition performed while there is so much legal hoopla being thrown around at HP, really. Just maybe… HP will help grow Voodoo. It would be nice to see.

Published on September 29, 2006

Microsoft Zune to cost $249

Microsoft announced Thursday that its new Zune media player — likened by some industry experts and analysts as a potential iPod killer — will go on sale for $249.99 when it debuts on November 14th. The Zune features a color display and 30GB of storage capacity — the same amount of space as an equivalently-priced iPod.

I’ve never been a fan of the iPod, so such a killer intrigues me. $249US for a 30GB player? Sounds like it could actually be a hit this holiday season.

Published on September 29, 2006

Nikon D60 on the horizon?

It hasn’t been announced yet. Don’t wait up for it. If you have something to shoot today or next month, get something that exists today… It will replace the D50 and looks almost identical, unless you get it in gag-me silver. I expect the D60 to sell for about $599 for the body alone.

It could be that this guy is making this up, but it does actually make sense. The D50 has been out for well over a year and the new fangled D80 is still out of reach for many, so a D60 would do well to fill the gap. It is somewhat odd that Nikon wouldn’t make such an announcement at the Photokina conference running now, though.

Published on September 29, 2006

Intel Announces New Ultra-Wideband Silicon, Host Reference Designs

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San Francisco, Sept. 28, 2006 – Intel Corporation today announced the availability of the Intel® Wireless UWB Link 1480 MAC (media access controller) silicon and reference designs for ultra-wideband host solutions. These solutions, based on the Certified Wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) specification from the USB Implementers Forum and the WiMedia Network specification from the WiMedia* Alliance, will allow independent hardware vendors, PC manufacturers and device OEMs to deliver high-bandwidth, low-power wireless solutions that provide personal area network connectivity in the digital home and office.

You can read the full press release here.

Published on September 29, 2006

Intel Centrino Mobile Technology Gets Multiple New Features, Improvements

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San Francisco, Sept. 27, 2006 – Today Intel Corporation disclosed details of its next-generation Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology platform that will enable laptops to operate faster and with enhanced wireless communication capabilities. At the heart of the platform, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor will deliver greater performance and power saving capabilities.

You can read the full press release here.

Published on September 29, 2006

Review Roundup for September 29

    Cooling
  • Antazone AS-C1000 Universal Heatpipe CPU Cooler – Big Bruin
  • Asetek WaterChill Xternal High-End Water Cooling – OC Inside
  • nMedia System ICETANK Cooler – Bjorn3D
  • SilverStone Milo ML01 – Phoronix

    Displays & Video Cards
  • “Chuck Patch Tool” – NGOHQ
  • HIS X800 GTO IceQ II Turbo 256MB – XYZ Computing

    Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
  • Fujifilm FinePix F20 Zoom – BIOS Magazine
  • Microsoft Gears Up For the Holiday Season – Think Gaming
  • OCZ Special Ops “Undercover” DDR2 Competition – Overclock3D
  • Royal 8.0″ LCD Digital Picture Frame – GideonTech
Published on September 29, 2006

HPs top lawyer leaves

Hewlett-Packard General Counsel Ann Baskins has resigned, the company announced Thursday. Baskins also said through her lawyers that she will not testify before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that is set to meet Thursday morning to investigate an HP probe into leaks to the media.

Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse for HP. Surely this is still only the beginning.

Published on September 28, 2006

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