Content and news by Rob Williams

Two weeks ago, Hong Kong resident Chan Nai-ming gained the distinction of being the first individual convicted for seeding three movies onto the Internet via BitTorrent. It was also the first time criminal charges, as opposed to civil charges, were brought up against an individual.

They state that this shouldn’t intimidate casual torrent users, because Chan was ‘more’ than your average user, except I completely fail to see how so. He created the torrent and uploaded it.. isn’t that what everyone else who publishes torrents do? So maybe people who originally provide the content could get charged, opposed to those who simply download and seed? Check out the full story at Slyck.

Virus writers have created a Linux worm which uses a recently discovered vulnerability in XML-RPC for PHP, a popular open source component used in many applications, to attack vulnerable systems.

XML-RPC for PHP features in many web application including PostNuke, Drupal, b2evolution, Xoops, WordPress, PHPGroupWare and TikiWiki. Most of these applications have been updated to address the security flaw.

If you use any of the listed programs, you should definitely be updating now. There may be other programs affected as well, so don’t take the risk with your site. Check out the full posting at The Register.

SONY IS FINALLY GOING to HAVE to answer the tough questions, it is being sued. According to the press release here, and the complaint here, the Italian group ALCEI is suing Sony over the rootkitting DRM infection. Since I don’t speak Italian(1), I will have to take the word of readers that they are doing things right.

Whoever this group is, I really hope that they win. Sony has no business doing what they are doing, and I will never buy another Sony disc until this is completely taken care of. Check out the quick posting over at The Inquirer.

Antec power supplies are one that doesn’t need much of an introduction. They have been favorites of alot of people that want the most out of their computer power supply. Antec was nice enough to let us examine one of the new Smart Power 500 watt power supplies. The Smart Power series of power unit may not have the industrial strength of the NeoHE series or the extreme quietness of the Phantom line but it does have the quality of both of the two power supplies mentioned.

Antec PSU’s may not be the flashiest ones on the market, but they are some of the most stable. Head on over to the great review at Pro-Clockers to see how this model stacks up.

Top O’ the week to ya! There is a ton going on today, as is with most Mondays. If you are sick and tired of seeing others overclock their computers higher than yours, maybe it’s your cooling. For the brave, ByteSector is taking a look at a great Phase Change setup, which will no doubt help your clocks. Of course, if you don’t use a desktop, then maybe laptop cooling is your thing. Spire actually has a laptop cooler, and you can see how that performs at XYZ.

Design Technica is taking a look at a kick ass set of Logitech speakers, if 2.1 is your bag. Did they like them as much as we did? Even though DVD writers are nothing new, they can always get better and more stable. Techniz takes a look at one of my favorite models, the LiteOn SHW-1635S, which has interchangable faceplates to look good in your beige or black rig. Too much reading today, one coffees not enough :(

Cases
• Aerocool AeroEngine II Computer Case – A True Review
• Silverstone SG01 Micro ATX SFF Case – Xtreme Computing
• Silverstone Temjin 5 (TJ05) – Case Mod God

Cooling
• ECT Prometeia Mach II GT Phase Change – Byte Sector
• Spire Pacific Breeze Laptop Cooler – XYZ Computing

Motherboards & CPU’s
• ASrock 939NF4G-SATA2 Socket 939 – OC Work Bench
• DFI LANPartyUT RDX200 CF-DR – Legion Hardware
• ECS KN1 SLI Extreme Mainboard – Big Bruin

Peripherals
• LiteOn SHW-1635S DVD Writer – Techniz
• Logitech G5 Laser Mouse – Ars Technica
• Sunbeam Chromatic Windmill & Theta TB 101 Fan Controller – Mod The Box

Video Cards
• Albatron GeForce 7800 GTX – Overclockers Cafe
• Connect3D X800 GTO – Pure Overclock
• PowerColor X800GT – Got|Apex
• XFX 7800 GT SLI Video Cards – Bjorn 3D

Etcetera
• ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 VCore & VDimm Voltmods – techPowerUp!
• Beginners Guide To Building a Computer – A1 Electronics
• Hiper Type-R 480W and 580W – InsaneTek
• Logisys Wireless Remote MultiFunction Panel – Think Computers
• Logitech Z-4 Speaker System – Design Technica
• SilverStone Zeus ST65ZF 650W – InsaneTek

No doubt with huge projects, it only makes sense to have a clear and concise roadmap, and stick to it. Over at the Mozilla Wiki, there is a huge list of some of the features being planned for these future versions.

Nothing catches my eye right off, except for the Download Resuming. It would be nice to not have to resort to using a 3rd party program. It is disheartening to see that many features will not be available for quite some time, but are already being taken care of with small extensions. It’s good to see what’s coming though, so take a gander at the list here.

Ever since the first details of the Xbox 360 hit the web, gamers have drawn comparisons to Sega’s ill-fated (yet still highly regarded) Dreamcast console. There are the obvious examples – the timing of the launches or the color of the hardware – but then there are a lot of not so obvious ones, too. As part of our Xbox 360 countdown, we’ve put together a list of our favorites.

The Dreamcast goes down as one of my favorite consoles ever, and I still use it from time to time. I took this article seriously, because if I love the 360 half as much as the Dreamcast, then I will be a seriously happy camper. Some are funny, some could have been pulled from anywhere, but it’s a good read overall. Check out the full look at 1UP.

Intel’s dual core processors can only be used with newer motherboards: specifically, the Pentium D requires the Intel 945 or 955 chipets, while the Pentium EE 840 is restricted to motherboards with the 955 chipset. The situation with AMD’s dual core chips is simpler, as AMD uses the existing Socket 939 architecture. However, not every Socket 939 motherboard is automatically dual-core-compatible, and a BIOS update may be needed before a board correctly recognises the CPU’s two cores.

Whether you are an AMD diehard or an Intel diehard, these numbers cannot be denied. Even though the Pentium D costs less than the equivelent X2, the performance differential may not be worth it. It’s interesting to note that the X2 3800+ ($310~) outperforms the Pentium EE ($1000~) in many tests. Even though X2 CPU’s cost more than their Intel competitors, the AMD motherboards usually cost about $100 less, so it evens itself out. Check out the in-depth comparisons over at ZD Net.

Were you ever curious about just how much power your computer consumes? Did you ever want to know just how efficient that Active PFC power supply is? Well Seasonic has an indispensable device called the Power Angel. It can be used for any device that consumes electricity, not just computers. The Power Angel can help you determine just which electrical devices in your home or workplace are draining to much electricity and draining your wallet at the same time. In this day, when utility prices are only getting higher, the Power Angel is a great way to figure out how to cut your energy use and cost. It is also a great way to test devices for their efficiency.

We all want the best, cleanest power for our rigs. Seasonic is certainly making a name for themselves lately, and are getting many awards. It’s nice to see top quality power supplies from companies that we don’t hear of everyday (Antec, PCP&C). Apparently, the Power Angel was solid enough to earn itself a perfect score! Check out the full look over at Think Computers.

The Auto Assault team is pleased to announce that their latest contest, Operation: Outpost, kicked off this week. The contest invites participants to submit names for the PvP Outposts located contested areas of the Central Wastelands. Winning entries will actually be used in the game and winners will receive a fancy, custom-framed, signed certificate to commemorate their contribution to the Auto Assault game world and other fabulous prizes. Read all about it on the Auto Assault website here.

For those who are not hungover today, there are a lot of reviews flowing around dying to be read. Neoseeker takes a look at the Corsair PC4000 Platinum, which we reviewed last week. They managed to overclock as high as we did, although due to the CPU, it could not be considered stable. If you are interested in setting up a CrossFire rig, then you will want to check out T-Break’s hard look at the DFI RDX200. The Ultra-D is no doubt one of the best overclocking motherboards on the market, so it’s good to see that DFI quickly jumped on the CF bandwagan.

Still resorting to air cooling? You could check out Driverheavens review today, of the unique looking Vapochill Micro. It’s unique, because it’s slanted, which is supposedly so that it will dissipate heat quicker. Of course, with oddball coolers like these, installation is always fun. Also on the cooling front, sgOverclockers is reviewing a Fatal1ty branded CPU cooler, which uses the popular flower design. This particular cooler has one of the best colors I’ve ever seen on a CPU cooler before though.

Cases
• Antec Performance TX640B – Phoronix
• Cooler Master Praetorian 730 Case – Xtreme Resources

Cooling
• Vapochill Micro Extreme Performance – Driverheaven
• Zalman CNPS9500 LED CPU Cooler – Madshrimps
• Zalman Fatal1ty FS-C77 – sgOverclockers

Memory & Storage
• Corsair TWINX2048-4000PT – Neoseeker
• X-Micro Mini DisGo Portable Hard Drive – Techniz

Motherboards & CPU’s
• Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe – AnandTech
• DFI RDX200 Motherboard – T-Break

Peripherals
• Icemat Siberia USB Combo Headset – CyberwizardPit
• G-GSA-4167B DVD±RW Dual Layer Burner – X-Bit Labs

Video Cards
• ASUS Extreme N7800GT-2DHTV – X-Bit Labs

Etcetera
• Enermax Laureate 5.25” HDD Enclosure – Extensive Mods
• Metapo Clean Mate Robot Vacuum QQ-1 – Think Computers
• Talk Back: Microsoft Goes Live – Design Technica
• Talk Back: Vol. 2: Candid Cameraman – Design Technica

Earlier today, we had spoken with Jeryuan Yan who is the
Business Development (BD) manager of XGI Technology. In this interview,
we primarily focused on XGI’s Linux advances since the last time we
spoke several months ago, but we also received some exclusive
information in regards to their November 9 hardware product launch in
Beijing and the stance of XGI Technology on Multi-GPU Technology similar
to NVIDIA Scalable Link Interface and ATI CrossFire. In addition, we
received some vital information into some expected driver launches that
will finally support the Linux 2.6 kernel and several other software
advancements.

Check out the full interview over at Phoronix to see what XGI’s been up to.

Stratics brings you their coverage at the Austin Game Convention by
“Sweetchoch” of LineageII Stratics. More than simply reporting on
LineageII, Sweetchoch brings us coverage on several panels and discussions
he attended, including Smedley key note address and a discussion on IP &
Ownership in MMOs.

Check out their main AGC page here and Smedley’s keynote address here.

Originally anticipated to be released nearly a month ago,
Mindware Studios has finally released a Linux demo of its Cold War game.
Playing this game, it follows the path of a freelance journalist
(Matthew Carter) who is engulfed in a international conspiracy against
the U.S.S.R. and he must escape before being sent to a Serbian prison
camp. Although the story line is fascinating, the Linux demo is a bit
short only including two levels – “Thanks, Mr. Geiger” and “The Halls of
Hell”. The Microsoft Windows build had shipped to retailers last month
but there still is no word on when a full Linux client will be
available. For reference, Dreamcatcher Games isn’t distributing the
Linux client of the game and Mindware Studios themselves are making
available the Linux version.

Check out the full review over at Phoronix.

A few weeks ago we tested a new product from Dynatron the P22 Intel cooler. Today, we have one for the newer AMD sockets dubbed the A22. With it’s all aluminum construction and 70mm fan will it surprise us like the Intel version. We will see.

Dynatron may not be a name you first think of when you got out to buy a new cooler, but they are marking a mark. Be on the lookout for our review of one of their coolers in the coming weeks! Until then, check out the full review of the A22 at Pro-Clockers.

The weekends finally here; time to relax! There’s a lot going on today as are most Saturdays, so get your cup of coffee or beer and get ready to read.

If you are looking for an amazing looking case for an awesome price, look no further than the Thermaltake Swing, which InsaneTek takes a look at today. PimpRig is looking at solutions to keep your 775 cool, and for only $30! It is a solid performer, but you may want to splurge on something beefier.

You may as well throw away that 7800GT of yours now, because it’s now obsolete. TweakTown is taking a look at the new ASUS branded 7800GT Dual, which soars past the 7800GTX performance mark, as expected.

Cases
• Shuttle SD11G5 – Bit-Tech
• Thermaltake Swing – InsaneTek

Cooling
• Evercool Magic Cooler MAG01CA Heatsink – Frosty Tech
• Spire SP-206 DigiPanel II – Mod The Box
• Ultra Products Fire Socket 775 CPU Cooler – PimpRig

Memory
• Corsair XMS2 DDR2 PC2-6400 Pro Memory Video Review – 3D Gameman
• OCZ PC4000 Dual Channel Gold VX DDR – Extreme Overclocking

Motherboards & CPU’s
• Abit AN8-SLI – AMDZone

Peripherals
• Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser – BIOS Magazine
• Razer Copperhead Gaming Mouse – Paradise|OC
• Saitek Eclipse Keyboard – Xtreme Computing

Video Cards
• MSI RX1800XL-VT2D256E – Hardware Zone
• Asus 7800GT Dual – Tweak Town

Etcetera
• Attack Of The Logitech Reviews! (MP3) – Design Technica
• Designer Cases For Your Apple iPod – Design Technica
• JBL Duet Speakers – Houston Vehicles
• PS3 next holiday season? – Ars Technica
• Samsung SyncMaster 930BF – Nordic Hardware

This is almost humorous! It looks like Dell is selling AMD CPU’s now. Why anyone would go to Dell for their CPU’s, I have no idea. But maybe we are *that* much closer to seeing AMD’s in Dell computers.

Grabbed from Hard|OCP.

A new beta catalyst driver has been leaked by Tul. This beta includes WHQL certification and support for all Radeon cards except of the X1x00 series. This driver is unofficial and unsupported.

If you feel like being daring, you can grab the download over at NGOHQ. After giving it a run, give your thoughts in their forums.

Of course, we are hardly seeing the benefit of 512MB cards right now, so 1024MB is just outrageous. It’s not the fact that we need it though, it’s the fact that they are possible.

We asked around and it turns out that the R520 memory controller is very flexible, and can support even future memory standards such as GDDR4 but more interesting is the fact that it will let you use more than 512MB of memory.

If these things do come to be, then you can expect them to cost at least $200 more than a standard high-end 256MB card. Check out the full posting at The Inquirer.

The new Liberty series of power supplies incorporates many traditional features of Enermax units with the latest trend, modular cabling. Modular power supplies first became popular in 2004, and although Enermax can’t claim to be a pioneer in the field, you can count on their effort being worth consideration, even if the market is a bit more crowded at this point.

Modular is the definite way to go now, and Enermax reflects this. This PSU turns out to be a solid performer. If you are looking to get a great power supply for your PC, then read the review over at Big Bruin.