- Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Mobile Platform
- AMD Launches Ryzen PRO 7000 Series Mobile & Desktop Platform
- Intel Launches Sleek Single-Slot Arc Pro A60 Workstation Graphics Card
- NVIDIA Announces Latest Ada Lovelace Additions: GeForce RTX 4060 Ti & RTX 4060
- Maxon Redshift With AMD Radeon GPU Rendering Support Now Available
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TimeVault: Time Machine for Linux
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Apple’s Time Machine for Leopard will likely become a helpful feature to many, very quickly. However, Linux users didn’t have such an application to look forward to, until now. TimeVault will offer similar functionality and currently operates under Debian-based distros. It currently has Nautilus support, which means it’s likely GNOME-specific unless you use Nautilus under KDE or your preferred DE. I cannot wait to see a final release of this.
Inspired by the infamous Time Machine to be bundled in Leopard, TimeVault aims to provide the exact same functionality for Linux. Currently lacking the fancy-pants 3D effects, TimeVault integrates tightly with Nautilus to provide one-click file recovery. TimeVault is a free download for all Debian forks (including Ubuntu), however, tread lightly as it’s still an early alpha.
Source: The Inquirer
Top 10 Things Canada Gave Tech
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Canada doesn’t suck, despite what many love to believe. The Inq has thrown together a Top 10 to show the world what Canada has brought the tech industry. Of course ATI is at top, but other notables are mentioned also, such as Nortel, Corel and… umm. Others. They claim that Canada has terrible beer though, and so the entire article is invalid for anyone who has actually enjoyed a canuck brew. I might be somewhat biased though.
Terrible beer, great people. Waffles and crispy bacon for breakfast. Lots of expats who couldn’t find a job in the cramped quarters of the British Isles. That politician guy Trudeau and his wife. Yup, without even having been there, we like to think we know the land of four strong winds and the maple leaf pretty well.
Source: The Inquirer
Dell Toning Down Vista Sales Pitch
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It turns out I’m not the only one who finds Vista frustrating. Dell is toning down their sales pitch for the current Windows OS in an attempt to avoid problems that would potentially lie ahead for them. Migration is the biggest issue, since transitions to Vista are not that seamless. Home users who want Vista will not likely run into the headaches that would be awaiting business users.
Overall the challenges will be significant and “should not be underestimated”, added Fitzgerald. However, he still thinks that business should go ahead with the migration and not wait for Microsoft to release its first service pack.
Source: ZDNet
Getting the Most Out Of Your GPU Hardware
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The guys at AnandTech have thrown together a nice guide for those wanting to get into maximizing the performance of their graphics hardware. They go through such tools as RivaTuner, ATITool and nHancer, and even get into details about flashing your GPU’s BIOS. This will all be old news to most enthusiasts, but it’s a great read for those looking to make the ‘enthusiast’ plunge.
Starting off this series, we are taking a look at video card utilities for ATI and NVIDIA’s product lines, dealing with both the first-party utilities included in the drivers along with the third-party utilities developed to replace or augment the first-party utilities.
Source: AnandTech
Microsoft Expands Xbox 360 Warranty Coverage
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DailyTech recently reported that Xbox 360 failure rate could be as high as 33%, and Microsoft confirmed that it is indeed a problem by introducing a new three year extended warranty on the console. This is retroactive all the way back to the launch date, so simply three years from the date of purchase. Hopefully by the time the three years is up, they can sell consoles that won’t break so quick.
Microsoft stands behind its products and is taking responsibility to repair or replace any Xbox 360 console that experiences the “three flashing red lights” error message within three years from time of purchase free of charge, including shipping costs. Microsoft will take a $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion pre-tax charge to earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2007 for anticipated costs under its current and enhanced Xbox 360 policies.
Source: Gamerscore Blog
Music Singles Outsell Full Albums
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Is the fact that singles outsell full albums much of a surprise to anyone? This year to date, over 417.3 million tracks have been sold alone… a truly difficult number to grasp. You think such sales would be great for the music industry, but lack of actual album sales isn’t anything to be proud of.
The blame could be put on any number of things. How many times did you bring a new CD home only to figure out that the song that inspired a purchase is the only one worth your time? Too many times, at least in my case. Even still, I regularly buy CD’s and hope to see sales once again increase. That said, every punk fan should pick up the new Bad Religion album, “New Maps of Hell”. I guarantee it’s worth your time. I am biased, but this has been a great year for punk music thus far.
Albums look to be headed into a serious decline, however. In 2006, album sales were also down, but in the same period year-over-year, the shrinkage was only 4 percent. This year’s decline, so far, appears to show a quickening decline, slipping to 15 percent fewer sales.
Source: Ars Technica
Super Talent Launches DDR3-1600 CL7 Modules
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We have taken a look at a few Super Talent kits in the past, and more often than not, we’ve been impressed. In fact, the last kit that I got seriously addicted to overclocking was a 2GB PC2-6400 ST kit. Now they have enthusiasts drooling once again with very high-performance DDR3-1600 modules with 7-7-7-18 timings. For comparison, most other companies offering DDR3-1333 kits have the same timing-set, although usually with a 20 tRAS. This killer kit can be all yours for only $650.
Super Talent has a slightly cheaper 2x1GB kit with the W1600UX2G9. The W1600UX2G9 features slightly higher 9-9-9-21 timings and requires 1.8-volts of power. Super Talent prices the W1600UX2G9 modules slightly cheaper at around $598.
Source: DailyTech
Porn and Geek Squad Don’t Mix
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The Consumerist recently set up a sting operation to see if Geek Squad ‘officers’ would steal porn from their purposely laced computers. Of course, one agent did steal porn, with video and log files to prove it. What can we gain from this? That getting your PC repaired by a ridiculous establishment is not a wise thing to do. In all fairness to Geek Squad though, they are in no way the only organization who has this kind of thing happen. Still an interesting story nonetheless.
This is not just an isolated incident, according to reports from Geek Squad insiders alleging that Geek Squad techs are stealing porn, images, and music from customer’s computers in California, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere. Our sources say that some Geek Squads have a central server set up where everyone dumps their plunder to share with the other technicians.
Source: Consumerist
PlayStation 3 Reaches 50,000 Units in Australia
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It seems that the PS3 has a strong start in AUS, selling upwards of 50,000 units in the first thirteen weeks. But am I reading this right? The price tag is $1,000 AUS? Living in Canada, I sometimes feel our markups are bad, but now I don’t feel half as bad. Though 50K in 13 weeks sounds impressive, by comparison, the Wii sold that many in just 3 weeks, and the Xbox 360 in 6. I’ll just jump to conclusion that the $1,000 is the cause of the slow adoption.
According to the latest GfK figures, in excess of 50,000 PlayStation 3 consoles have now been sold in Australia since the system launched on March 23, 2007. A Sony Computer Entertainment Australia representative commented that “With new and classic titles being made available regularly via the PLAYSTATION Network (PSN), and a strong portfolio of exclusive blu-ray disc based games set to launch over coming months, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia remains confident in the PLAYSTATION 3 console’s current position.”
Source: IGN
History of the Compact Disc
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The lowly CD-Rom, how far you have come. I had no clue that the history of the compact disc went back into the late 70’s, but it’s no surprise to since it took a while to catch on thanks to early prices. When Blu-ray released its first player, it was $800+, while Sony’s first CD player was $900. At no point in history did it appear smart to be the first to jump on the bandwagon. This article gives a quick walk through the history of the compact disc and is well worth a read. Just take a look at the CD-based Walkman from 1984 for a good chuckle.
Portable CD players were first introduced in the mid 1980s but were not popular until the 1990s when anti-skip technology was introduced. Sony’s first portable CD player, the Discman D-50, was introduced in November 1984. At first, the D-50 was not profitable but as the product gained popularity, it soon became profitable and Sony began to create a portable CD market.
Source: SiliconUser
Nokia Game In Development for N-Gage and PC
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Despite the fact that Nokia’s N-Gage was considered a huge flop by many, giving up on the name is not in their game plan. They are currently working on a new title that will be playable on not only cell phones, but also the PC. The game has few details, not even a genre is known. However, Scott Foe is heading the project and has worked on many notable projects in the past, including the N-Gage MMO Pocket Kingdom. Can Nokia deliver this time? It’s going to be interesting to see.
While we currently have few details regarding gameplay, we do know that ‘Project White Rock’ possesses over a thousand lines of recorded dialogue. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a role-playing game, though, as our sources indicate otherwise. We’re also told the game’s resolution will remain the same on PC as on mobile; in short, Nokia wants you to have the same experience on both platforms.
Source: Pocket Gamer
ALchemy Audigy Edition For Sale
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Creative has finally released updated software to allow their Audigy series function properly in Windows Vista. The downside is that they are charging $9.99 for it. This can be taken many different ways. Yes, they should support their product, however none of their products denote Windows Vista support. It also has taken a while to get stable drivers working, and programmers are not free. All that aside, NGOHQ has found a workaround for those who don’t want to pony up the cash.
Additionally, the ALchemy Audigy Edition enables sample rate conversion and hardware audio mixing. The software also features an update feature that downloads lists of the latest games supported by ALchemy. Creative Labs currently supports 104 legacy game titles with ALchemy. Supported titles include Command & Conquer 3, F.E.A.R., Far Cry, Guild Wars, Oblivion, World of Warcraft and others.
Source: DailyTech
Firefox 3.0 Final Alpha Released
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It seems like we just began using 2.0, but 3.0 will be here before we know it. The final alpha has been released to developers, with a first beta available by the end of the month. That beta will be a feature-complete version of 3.0, which means only bugs will be the focus before the final release. At that time, developers will likely begin updating their extensions to function properly with it, as well. Since 2.0, I’ve had countless issues with the browser, so I am looking forward to seeing if 3.0 will improve upon it’s stability.
I just took the new version for a quick test drive and found that, as with previous alphas, it’s faster than Firefox 2 but it still has a ways to go before it’s stable and ready for the public. We’ll do a more detailed review of Firefox 3 when the first beta arrives. I’m particularly interested to see the revamped download manager and the rest of the Places improvements.
Source: Wired Blogs
Activate An iPhone Without AT&T
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If you find yourself with a relentless desire to pick up an iPhone, but don’t have any intentions of actually using it as a phone, then you are crazy. But regardless, DVD Jon has created a workaround that allows you to activate a fresh iPhone without subscribing to a phone plan through AT&T. The downside is that while the iPhone will have complete feature functionality, it will lack phone capabilities. Time to go buy a BMW with iPhone support with no plans to drive it.
The point of Johansen’s coding exercise, as he explains it, is that there are many potential iPhone purchasers who do not want to enter into a 2-year contract with AT&T, but do want to use the device for WiFi, web, email, video, music, calendar, contact management, and other features — basically, treat it like a bomb-ass iPod, forget about the phone part.
Source: Boing Boing
Edge Magazine: Ocarina of Time is Best Game Ever
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Top lists are all the rage lately, but you need to give anyone who throws together a top 100 some credit. Popular gaming magazine Edge has released a top 100 games of all time list, which puts Zelda: Ocarina of Time at the very top. Many will disagree with this choice, but there is no denying the sheer impact the game had on that console and for gaming in general. I have a lot of memories wrapped into the game, so I will consider myself a fan and wholeheartedly believe it deserves to be in my top five, easily. Interestingly, five out of the top ten games were for Nintendo based consoles.
In late March, Asustek and Gigabyte announced that they would dissolve their partnership. Called Gigabyte United, the operation between the two companies shared manufacturing resources and sold products under the Gigabyte United brand name. Gigabyte officials said that after much consideration, the partnership did not appear to be beneficial to the company.
Source: BBC News
Bentley Arnage Carnage
It’s the 4th of July and chances are good that you just want to sit around and relax. So, here is a video to help you retain the lazy state you are in. The first thing you may think of doing with a Bentley Arnage is driving it, but not with these folks. Donuts are in the game plan, as a way to release some stress brought on by the car.
(Click To Launch Video)
The beginning of the video shows three other chaps besides the Bentley owner who all own high-end cars, but everything works well. However, the Bentley owner has to literally struggle to get his key out of it’s holster. Of course, if he does this with a $250,000 auto, who knows where the key has been. The video throws around a few f-bombs, so take that as a warning.
Via: Autoblog
Daedalus Project: Reflections
On June 17th, Nick Yee, creator of the Deadalus Project, graduated with his PhD from Stanford University. He started his research in MMOs in 1999, and the Daedalus Project was created in 2003 to effectively index findings and allow for public comments.
In this issue of the Daedalus Project, he presents some reflections on all that has happened as well as provides links to some high-profile media appearances and reports he has been involved with recently.
As a thank you for being a part of the Daedalus Project, Nick invites everyone to celebrate this moment with him at http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus. He states that “this wasn’t something I could have done alone and your interest and participation in this project have meant and continue to mean a great deal to me” and although there isn’t a new survey for this phase, he has absolutely no plans of ending this line of research. Look out for a new survey phase in a few months.
“The Daedalus Project” by Nick Yee, available at:
http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus
Major Flock Update Released
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The Flock browser is positioned towards those who thrive on the web 2.0 lifestyle and it has finally received a long-coming major upgrade, which Steve O’Hear of ZD Net has taken a hard look at. We first perused the browser way back in 2005, and it seems to have come a long way. It’s feature-rich, integrates many web 2.0 services and has a completely revamped UI. The way things are going, it’s bound to become a much more prominent in the browser world.
The look ‘n’ feel of flock remains as slick as ever, and is possibly the nicest ‘skin’ for a browser out there. But this isn’t style over content and the UI’s most significant overhaul is its emphasis on improving discoverability.
Source: ZD Net
Asustek to Split Company in January
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We might be the last to actually post this story, but ASUS announced that they will be splitting the company into two independent entities. The reasons are simply so that each can focus on what they do best, churning out quality products, and analysts have officially given a thumbs up. This won’t mean that much for consumers at first, but may result in ASUS being more efficient and releasing even more products to please the masses.
In late March, Asustek and Gigabyte announced that they would dissolve their partnership. Called Gigabyte United, the operation between the two companies shared manufacturing resources and sold products under the Gigabyte United brand name. Gigabyte officials said that after much consideration, the partnership did not appear to be beneficial to the company.
Source: DailyTech
Windows Losing Ground With Developers
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Surveyor Evans Data have released reports that show Windows developers are on the decline, while the number of Linux developers is increasing. Though only 400 developers are queried, it’s hard to discredit the decline. Developers for Windows platforms was 74% of the total market in 2006, but has now dropped to 64.8%, while Linux has gone from 8% to 12%. No information regarding Mac OS X and other OS systems were elaborated on.
In other findings in the Evans Data Spring North American Development survey, Evans found that JavaScript is the most widely used scripting language. It has more than three times the users of PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), Ruby, or Python. But Ruby usage is expected to increase by 50 percent within the coming year.
Source: Info World
Auto Assault Finished End of Summer
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Sigh, another MMO hits the dust. Auto Assault was released just last April, but it won’t see it’s second birthday, or even come close. It will be shut down on August 31, with the final month being free. If you pre-paid a bunch of game time, you will be refunded for any past July. It’s too bad, AA was one of the coolest MMO’s I’ve played. It’s different, but once you were in, you’d realize just how good of a game it really was.
The game will close at midnight on August 31. No reason was given as to why the game is being shut down, but it was hardly a success story. In Auto Assault’s first full quarter of availability, NCsoft’s financial report showed that the game–along with South Korean tennis game Smash Star–accounted for less than one-third of 1 percent of the company’s sales.
Source: GameSpot
Popular Console Repair Service Refuses Xbox 360s
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We posted yesterday about a DailyTech report that exposed the fact of an Xbox 360 33% failure rate. If you still had doubts that such a claim was true, DT is now reporting that popular console repair service, Micromart, has decided to no longer repair 360s due to a design flaw in the product and the overwhelming demand. Though not explicitly stated, they may still repair the console if it’s a non-RROD related injury.
“We were seeing about 30 a week before we pulled the plug on the service,” said Micromart’s Jeff Croft to GamesIndustry. “We saw it over a period of several months and it was just getting worse. It began towards the end of last year. Once the twelve month warranty finished then we started to see more and more machines being sent in to be looked at.”
Source: DailyTech
LG to Create YouTube Phone
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YouTube seems to be unstoppable, and for that reason, everyone wants a piece of the pie, including LG. They have signed an agreement with Google to develop a phone which has a huge focus on YouTube integration. When said and done, you will be able to watch YouTube video on the go and even upload them on the fly, with videos you create with the phone. The 3G phone will be available in Europe later this year, with no apparent mention of a US release, though it’s unlikely to take long before they bring it over here.
Whilst many may argue that nothing can compare overall to the iPhone, Apple’s failure to launch a 3G version of the phone, or release it outside of the United States gives Apple’s competitors time to improve their offerings prior to the inevitable future worldwide release of the iPhone.
Source: TechCrunch
Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R Review Posted
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We posted our review of Gigabyte’s P35C-DS3R today, which you should check out if you have your sights set on a P35 board. It offers great performance for the price, although it’s overclocking ability left a bit to be desired. Still, a very solid offering from Gigabyte. Also, don’t miss Nate’s exhaustive look at two good headsets, Medusa 5.1 and Sennheiser HD555, before making a purchase decision. One’s stereo while the other is 5.1, and depending on what you use your PC for most, each headset has clear advantages in different areas.
While the board won’t be for hardcore overclockers, it still offers lots of OC’ing room for those who want high CPU frequencies without the benefit of a major FSB overclock. In truth, 450FSB may have been the limit thanks to our fanless NB/SB, but I didn’t proceed with extensive testing to see if that was the case. Most people won’t want to ghetto-mod fans inside their case to keep these two cool. The fact is handled 450FSB with modest heatsinks is good.
Microsoft Apologizes for Ultimate Extras Embarrassment
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If you read our “Should You Buy Vista Ultimate?” article back in January, you know that one of the selling features of the edition was the exclusive extras. The bad news? Not a single update has occurred in almost five months, which no doubt rubs the Ultimate Edition owners the wrong way, understandably.
“We apologize for taking so long to provide a status update to customers”. It’s hard to sit back and ignore the fact that there has been an insane delay, especially when Ultimate costs at least $140 more than Home Premium and most people will not even take advantage of BitLocker. Goffe mentioned that there have been more than a dozen extras since launch, but in reality there have been three unless you include all of the language packs. Here’s to hoping that those who opted for the Ultimate Edition will soon reap the rewards they deserve.
Microsoft has listened to the grumbling across the web, and now Barry Goffe, director of Windows Vista Ultimate, has issued an apology on his blog. “We want to let our Windows Vista Ultimate customers know that we are actively working to deliver the remaining Extras that we identified in January,” he wrote. “Our goal is to provide the highest-quality, most secure and reliable offerings, and as a result we are continuing our work on these offerings.”
Source: Ars Technica