- 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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Researchers Create Artificial Retina From Silicon
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University have made a breakthrough in the field of vision. Kareem Amir Zaghloul and Kwabena Boahen have proposed a silicon retina that reproduces signals in the optic nerve, a technology which could be used to provide vision to those who suffer from blindness-related diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa.
If this can help blind people see, then this truly is a breakthrough. If science is your strong point, the article has many reference images to show how it’s done.
All 8800GTX Cards Being Recalled
We have received news that all the 8800GTX cards out in the channel are being recalled due to manufacturing defect. We heard it is probably due to a resistor controlling 2D/3D switching and that leads to 3D corruption. However, the defect doesn’t affect the 8800GTS cards. This issue probably could delay the launch, if not, there could be no availability of 8800GTX cards at launch but just GTS.
Better this happen now than after the launch! According to VR-Zone, this mishap will not affect the launch date, but I have to wonder if it will affect the original quantity available.
10 Reasons to Buy a DSLR Camera
One of the most common questions I get as related to photography is “What camera should I buy?” Before I get into the reasons I recommend buying a DSLR, I’d like to state why you should NOT buy a DSLR. There is a saying among photographers: “The camera doesn’t make the photo, the photographer does.” Professional equipment means nothing without someone who knows how to properly use it to its fullest.
Since I’ve gone to D-SLR, I could not go with anything else. It helps if you are into photography though, and not a casual user. If you are pondering joining the club but don’t know the benefits, check out this article.
Xfce 4.4 RC2 v4.3.99.2
While Xfce doesn’t receive nearly as much coverage in the mass media as KDE and GNOME when it comes to the main desktop environments for GNU/Linux, the 4.4 version of Xfce is shaping up to be a very competitive release.
If you are a Linux user and love minimalistic environments but find fluxbox far too tiny, then Xfce should be right up your alley.
AMD Brings Next-Gen Graphics to Power Mac G5 Quad
SUNNYVALE, CALIF.-NOV. 6, 2006-AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the ATI
Radeon(r) X1900 G5 Mac(r) Edition, a next-generation graphics card that
combines workstation-class creative productivity and cutting-edge 3D
game performance. The ATI Radeon X1900 G5 Mac Edition represents a
high-performance PCI Express graphics upgrade card for the Power Mac G5
Quad and Power Mac G5 Dual.
You can read the full press release here.
Review Roundup for November 6
- Antec Nine Hundred Advanced – Bjorn3D
- Fantec LD-U35NU2 – Technic3D
- Sunbeamtech Zorro – Pro-Clockers
- Thermaltake Eureka Big Boy Chassis – Hexus
Cases & Enclosures
- Thermaltake Tide Water Videocard Water Cooling System – TweakNews
- Zerotherm BTF90 – Technic3D
Cooling
- Crucial 10th Anniversary 2GB PC2-5300 – Think Computers
- Crucial Ballistix PC2-8000 – ClubOC
- OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Special Ops Urban Elite 2GB – Virtual-Hideout
Memory & Storage
- ABIT AW9D-MAX – techPowerUp!
- ECS KA3 MVP EXTREME – 3D Gameman
- Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad Core QX6700 Preview – HardOCP
Motherboards & Processors
- APEVIA 680Watt Iceberg Power Supply – DragonSteelMods
- Apevia ATX-IB680W-RD 680W Iceberg Power Supply – ModTheBox
- Art. Lebedev Optimus Mini Three – techPowerUp!
- Everglide g-1000 Professional Gaming Mouse – Cooling-Station
- Everglide Titan MonsterMat – Red & Blackness
- Seasonic M12 700W – Phoronix
- Silverstone ST40EF – Xtreme Computing
- Steelsound 5H v2 Gaming Headset – XYZ Computing
- Trendnet ClearSky Bluetooth VoIP Phone Kit – BuzzmeBaby
- Zalman ZM460B-APS Power Supply – MadBox PC
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- ATI Catalyst 6.10 Performance Analysis – TweakTown
- Inno3D GeForce 7950 GT Zalman Edition – Hexus
- NGO NVIDIA Optimized Driver v1.9371 – NGOHQ
- Sapphire X1950 Pro 256 MB – Modders-Inc
Displays & Video Cards
- Hypersonic Sonic Boom OCX – HardOCP
- Apple iPod nano II – Digit-Life
- Olympus Stylus 750 – Digital Trends
Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
OCZ Mega-Kart 8GB Flash Drive Review
OCZ Technology is at it again attempting to push the envelope
for flash media. When they had introduced the Rally it was a smoking fast
flash drive that had finally stolen the performance crown from Corsair’s
Flash Voyager. After that OCZ pushed the physical envelope for flash
drives with the incredibly small Mini-Kart. Now OCZ Technology is at it
again, but this time around they are attempting to push the storage
capacity for computer users. The OCZ Mega-Kart offers an 8GB storage
capacity while retaining a small footprint, and best of all an
economically-minded price.
It looks like 8GB is the new norm! It wasn’t too long ago 4GB was the Holy Grail, but the storage market is anything but slow. It’s called “Mega-Kart” for a reason, not only because of it’s density ;-)
E3 Resurrected as GamePro Expo
According to a memo sent out to LA Convention and Visitors Bureau members, magazine publisher and show organizer International Data Group (IDG) will be creating a new games show that should be similar to E3, except it will run in mid-October instead of mid-May.
So maybe E3 is really not -that- dead. Many of the people responsible for E3 are now with IDG, so we should except a similar format and size.
G80 performance revealed
NVIDIA is set to launch its upcoming G80 GeForce 8800GTX and 8800GTS graphics cards next week, however, DailyTech has managed to obtain a GeForce 8800GTX board to run a couple quick benchmarks on. The GeForce 8800GTX used for testing is equipped with 768MB of GDDR3 video memory on a 384-bit memory bus as previously reported. Core and memory clocks are set at 575 MHz and 900 MHz respectively.
From these first few benchmarks, the differences between the G80 GTX and ATIs X1950XTX are huge. Of course the G80 requires more power, but not -that- much, despite requiring two PCI-E connectors.
Former Computer Associates boss gets 12 years
The former boss of Computer Associates has been sentenced to 12 years and fined $8m (£4.2m) for his role in a giant fraud at the US software giant. Sanjay Kumar had pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy, securities fraud and obstruction of justice back in April. As part of a $2.2bn accounting scandal he had falsely reported software licence revenues and lied to investors.
Here is a harsh lesson for any CEOs out there who manage large companies ;-)
File sharing in Spain deemed legal
Judge Paz Aldecoa of No. 3 Penal Court ruled that under Spanish law a person who downloads music for personal use can not be punished or branded a criminal. He called it “a practised behaviour where the aim is not to gain wealth but to obtain private copies”.
I am liking this judges mindset, and wish more shared it. Now to see if this spreads into any other Countries. I am sure the RIAA are seriously cringing over this one!
Who’s the next Lik-Sang?
The closure of Lik-Sang for many of is is the end of an era, having relied upon their services for many years. Getting lovely packages containing games either way earlier than their eventual western release, or games that will never ever make there way over here. It all makes Sony look very much like an evil destroyer of fun, with thunderous tones of “THOU SHALT NOT PLAY” echoing from the heavens above.
If you like to import games but don’t know where to turn, then you will definitely want to check out this article which goes into the pros and cons of two popular Asia import sites.
Vista can now be installed more than once
I’m very pleased to let you know you this morning that the Windows division has revised the retail license terms for Windows Vista in a significant way. “You may uninstall the software and install it on another device for your use. You may not do so to share this license between devices.”
For enthusiasts and hardware reviewers, this is a huge deal. This gives us the ability to install our copy of Vista on any computer we own, as long as it’s one at a time. So, if someone swaps out for a new motherboard, they can rightfully reinstall the OS. It’s about time Microsoft has taken a fresh look at this problem. Now for some bad… this website has taken a good look at the EULA for Vista, and noticed a few interesting points.
Forgent settles JPEG patent cases
Forgent Networks has settled its lawsuit concerning the so-called JPEG patents for $8 million, a fraction of what the company initially sought. The company, an intellectual property firm that licenses communications technology and software for business meetings, announced on Wednesday that it has reached a settlement with all of the remaining claims in the cases involving U.S. patent number 4,698,672.
Finally, this ridiculous case is over! This is only one pin down for Forgent though, as they are now actively suing cable companies over a patent for technology inside video recorders. I am in the process of patenting the act of sneezing. So you may not want to cook with pepper for a while.
Hacking Democracy documentary to be cancelled?
Diebold Inc. insisted that cable network HBO cancel a documentary that questions the integrity of its voting machines, calling the program inaccurate and unfair. The program, “Hacking Democracy,” is scheduled to debut Thursday, , five days before the 2006 U.S. midterm elections. The film claims that Diebold voting machines aren’t tamper-proof and can be manipulated to change voting results.
It’s no surprise that the person wanting the docu to be cancelled, is the president of the company who makes the voting machines. HBO stands by their documentary though, and have full intentions to show it. This is one time when I wish I had HBO…
Novell and Microsoft pairing up
Now, who saw this one coming? Microsoft and Novell will be collaborating with each other, and the results are going to be pleasing for those looking for better Windows integration on their SUSE box. Here is a quote from yesterdays letter from Ron Hovsepian, the CEO of Novell: “Specifically, customers will now be able to run virtualized SUSE Linux Enterprise on Windows or Windows on SUSE Linux Enterprise.”
That about spells it out. But is it all good? There is a lot of speculation as to how much this will actually help Novell or Linux in general. Microsoft is obviously not one to jump at the opportunity to help a competitor, so what exactly are we going to see from this? As always, things are going to get very interesting. You can read the full press release regarding this on Microsofts site. You can also see a quick article about the potential side effects to this agreement here.
OCZ Technology Announces the PC2-6400 Titanium Series with EPP Technology
Sunnyvale, CA—November 2, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today unveiled the PC2-6400 Titanium Series, the first-ever EPP-ready modules rated with a 1T command rate. Optimized for the existing nForce 590 SLI-based motherboards and impending NVIDIA platforms, the PC2-6400 Titanium EPP-Ready series delivers enthusiasts an alternative way of achieving high performance results without the need for substantial bus speeds. As the first DDR2 Titanium XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) product released, the innovative PC2-6400 EPP-Ready series is a premium solution for all enthusiasts, gamers, and high-end system builders.
You can read the full press release here.
The Ship: Free Weekend Starts Now
Try The Ship, a massively mysterious thriller (MMT) from Outerlight Ltd, for free this weekend via Steam, the leading online distribution platform. The Free Full Game Trial of The Ship is on now and will conclude on Sunday, November 5 at 1 pm PDT. Built with Source technology, The Ship is the critically acclaimed debut from Outerlight, a UK-based studio. Steam is the first full-featured broadband platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content, and has pioneered its broadband services to over 10 million customers around the world.
What are you waiting for?!
Verizon and Intel Bring Online PC Gaming to TVs
NEW YORK and SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Nov. 2, 2006 – Verizon and Intel Corporation have collaborated to enable consumers to play popular PC games on their television sets through Intel Viiv technology-based PCs, making the games more enjoyable and accessible than ever before.
You can read the full press release here.
Review Roundup for Nov 3
- Silverstone LC20 – Overclockers Online
Cases & Enclosures
- Apack Zerotherm GX810 Videocard VGA Cooler – TweakNews
- Hiyatek Contractible Laptop Cooling – Think Computers
- MACS MA-7131-A Triumph Deluxe – Bjorn3D
- Phase Changing – WC 101
Cooling
- Buffalo Firestix PC2-8500 – Legit Reviews
- Crucial DDR2 PC2-5300 Ltd edition 2 gig kit – Xtreme Computing
Memory & Storage
- Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Quad Core – GamePyre
- MSI 975X Platinum V.2 – Viper Lair
Motherboards & Processors
- BlueAnt Supertooth II Bluetooth Speakphone – Blue Tomorrow
- eDimensional G-Pad Pro Gyroscopic Gamepad – Virtual-Hideout
- Exploring EAX with onboard audio – Tech Report
- iPod shuffle 2nd gen – Digital Trends
- Ultrasone PROline 650 Headphones – The Tech Lounge
- Xraypad Thunder 9 Smooth Surface Mouse Pad – DragonSteelMods
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- ATI And NVIDIA Graphics Cards In Video Decoding Tasks – Digit-Life
- HIS X1950Pro 256MB – 3D Gameman
Displays & Video Cards
- Dell XPS 210 – BIOS Magazine
Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
Nikon D40 images leaked
German e-tailer Technik seems to have leaked D40 images, but there’s no telling if they are ultimately real. There’s no reason to believe they are fake though, as this is a popular e-tailer overseas. The model is actually quite disappointing if the pricing stays the same (~$750USD). The body is more compact and the design as a whole is more user friendly. But, the status LCD has been completely wiped off, and it still has a 6.1MP sensor.
What has been improved is the back LCD screen though, as it’s now comparable with it’s big brother, the D80. Overall, it’s looking like the D40 will be a “compact” D-SLR for those who want it, but the lack of the LCD status screen is a huge burn. The kit lens is the same from the D50 kit, so overall I can’t see why anyone should particularly be excited about this one, unless you want a good upgrade from a standard point and shoot.
Three different versions of Halo 3
The basic edition of the game is priced at $59.99 with pre-orders requiring a $5 deposit. The game will, like Halo 2 and many subsequent high profile Xbox and Xbox 360 titles, also be available as part of a Collector’s Edition, priced at $69.99 and requiring a $10 pre-order deposit at stores. Details of the contents of the Collector’s Edition are unavailable but the Halo 2 version included a number of behind the scenes videos and artwork presentations in a collectible tin box.
If you are a hardcore Halo fan, the $100 version will get you a copy with 4 discs with currently unknown extras, and a Master Chief helmet replica. How exactly this edition will differ from the Collectors Edition are unknown. Perhaps the primary difference between the $100 version is the helmet.
Windows CE 6.0 released… with source!
Microsoft officially launched the sixth generation of its flagship device software platform, today. “Windows Embedded CE 6.0” boasts kernel architecture enhancements, new software stacks targeting three high-volume device categories, enhanced development tools, and, for the first time, 100 percent availability of Windows CE’s kernel source code.
In addition to the fact that the kernel code is available, there are many new features as well that mark spark your interest if you are a mobile user.
100 Million websites accomplished
There are now more than 100 million web sites on the Internet, which gained 3.5 million sites last month to continue the dynamic growth seen throughout 2006. In the November 2006 survey we received responses from 101,435,253 sites, up from 97.9 million sites last month.
Like Alexa, it’s difficult to see how accurate this really is. In the end though, they show that less than half of the 100 Million are actually active domains. The -actual- sites that are visited at least once a month would likely be far less than that.
CEO defrauding own employees
Federal law enforcement officials Tuesday arrested the well-known CEO of White Plains, N.Y.-based MSP provider Compulinx on charges of stealing the identities of his employees in order to secure fraudulent loans, lines of credit and credit cards, according to an eight-count indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s office in White Plains.
Now here is a boss you could really hate. It wasn’t only him either, but a duo with his nephew. Family that steals together stays together!