Tech News

Review Roundup for Oct 13

Posted on October 13, 2006 10:12 AM by Rob Williams

    Motherboards & Processors
  • Abit AW9D Max – Overclock3D

    Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
  • Google, YouTube, and Apple – Digital Trends
  • Windows Vista RC2 Preview – TweakTown

Read More Comment (0)

Principal sues students, parents over MySpace page

Posted on October 12, 2006 9:13 AM by Rob Williams

Anna Draker, who works at Clark High School in San Antonio, knows the kids behind the site well. She had been forced to discipline them several times, and was aware of their animosity to her, but apparently did not suspect the lengths to which they would go to get a bit of revenge. Ben Schreiber and Ryan Todd set up a MySpace page in Draker’s name earlier this year which “indicated by implication and by direct statement that Ms. Draker is a lesbian, which she is not.”

This is becoming increasingly common, but it’s interesting to see that it’s not only kids being affected. I’m actually all for Draker and hope to see her at least get the point across. This is just a new way, and an easy way, to publically humiliate people on a larger scale.

Read More Comment (0)

DFI LANParty UT RD600-T2R/G first pictures

Posted on October 12, 2006 9:06 AM by Rob Williams

DFI has almost readied its long awaited RD600 motherboard, and a few pictures of the board have already been leaked to DailyTech. The new motherboard will carry DFI’s established LANParty UT branding and cater towards enthusiasts. As previously reported the board is named LANParty UT RD600-T2R/G.

The board has few notable features, some similar to what the SLI-M2R/G AM2 board had. Four S-ATA ports located on the side of the board, and another four in a standard spot. Fan connectors are well placed… much better than previous DFI boards. The biggest improvement may very well be the fact that your GPU’s will -not- hit the southbridge. About time.

Read More Comment (0)

AMD LIVE! PCs from Dell, Alienware Now Available

Posted on October 12, 2006 9:02 AM by Rob Williams

SUNNYVALE, CALIF. — October 11, 2006 — AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the availability of new AMD LIVE!™ PCs from Alienware and Dell, expanding the selection of popular, easy-to-use PCs designed to help simplify today’s digital lifestyle. The AMD LIVE! PC is a full-featured media center computer powered by the award-winning AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processor and created to enrich consumers’ experiences when enjoying digital movies, music and photos throughout the home and on the go.

This is a huge win for AMD and equally huge loss for Intel. You can read the full press release here.

Read More Comment (0)

Intel launches an IT blog

Posted on October 12, 2006 8:59 AM by Rob Williams

Welcome to the IT@Intel blog. This site features several of Intel’s top IT leaders, who share their perspectives and invite discussion on the issues they and other IT managers are facing today. The blog offers an “inside look” at Intel’s IT operations and provides opportunities for you to exchange ideas directly with the IT experts who keep Intel’s business running and growing.

Now all Intel buffs have a blog to refer to! So far it’s been kept well updated, so it should prove to be some good reading.

Read More Comment (0)

KDE 3.5.5 Released

Posted on October 12, 2006 8:57 AM by Rob Williams

The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.5.5, a maintenance release for the latest generation of the most advanced and powerful free desktop for GNU/Linux and other UNIXes. KDE now supports 65 languages, making it available to more people than most non-free software and can be easily extended to support others by communities who wish to contribute to the open source project.

You can read all about it here. Nothing new seems to really grab my attention, but over 1,200 updates are included. If you are still using an older version of KDE, it may be a worthy upgrade.

Read More Comment (0)

Psychonauts now available

Posted on October 12, 2006 8:53 AM by Rob Williams

Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of digital entertainment products, and Valve® announce Psychonauts is now available on Steam®, the leading online platform for PC games, for $19.99. Psychonauts is Double Fine Productions’ critically acclaimed, mind-bending comedic action / adventure about a young circus performer’s desperate quest to save a summer camp for psychics from a mysterious, brain-stealing lunatic.

You can learn more of this strange game here. To purchase, just hop on Steam and do your thing!

Read More Comment (0)

Corsair Launches Nautilus GPU Water Cooling Blocks

Posted on October 12, 2006 8:53 AM by Rob Williams

Fremont, CA (October 11, 2006) – Corsair® Memory, Inc., a worldwide leader in high performance enthusiast computer products, took its acclaimed water cooling product line to a new level today with the release of the Nautilus GPU water blocks supporting the latest NVIDIA® GeForce™based graphics cards in both single and dual SLI™ configurations. The Corsair Nautilus GPU water blocks are the perfect accessory for the Corsair Nautilus500 external liquid cooling system, and other third party liquid cooling solutions that utilize 3/8” tubing.

You can read the full release right here.

Read More Comment (0)

Review Roundup for Oct 12

Posted on October 12, 2006 8:51 AM by Rob Williams
    Cases & Enclosures
  • Zalman FC-ZE1 Fatal1ty Chassis – Hexus

    Memory & Storage
  • Corsair Flash Readout 1GB Flash Drive – Think Computers

    Peripherals & Power Supplies
  • Frontier Labs NEXBlack – Bjorn3D
  • SteelSeries SteelSound 5H V2 – Phoronix
  • X-MICRO X-VDO MP4 F610 Player – 3D Gameman

    Displays & Video Cards
  • DirectX 10 Interview with Microsoft – Boot Daily
  • Gigabyte 7600GT Silent-pipe II – ClubOC
  • NGO NVIDIA Optimized Driver v1.9291 – NGOHQ

Read More Comment (0)

Logitech releases new $99 5.1 speakers

Posted on October 11, 2006 9:02 AM by Rob Williams

The X-540 system enables people to enjoy the experience of surround sound even with two-channel audio sources, by including matrix surround-sound technology. And for those playing games using a flat-panel display with no convenient place to set a center-channel speaker, Logitech’s patent-pending integrated center-channel clip gracefully and securely attaches the speaker atop the monitor, saving desk space. With a dedicated center channel and acoustically matched front and rear satellites, the Logitech X-540 system produces balanced surround sound.

This looks like quite the solid setup.. over 140W into a sub $100 set is nice! You can read a lot more on the new kit here.

Read More Comment (0)

Go get your PS3 Pre-Order! Oops, too late

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:32 AM by Rob Williams

Those hoping to get their hands on a PlayStation 3 at launch time had today circled on their calendars. More precisely, this morning. GameStop and EB Games started taking preorders for the very limited number of consoles they will have available at launch time. Launch quotas appeared to vary by store, but were generally in the 5-16 PS3 range, and GameStop warned would-be PS3 buyers that their supplies would evaporate quickly.

If you are in Canada, you may still be in luck as the pre-orders have apparently not happened there.. yet. Still, to be sold out this quickly is insane. The sad fact is that many of the pre-orders popped up on eBay already… of course for no less than $1,000.

Read More Comment (0)

College too expensive? Duh… sell your virtual goods

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:29 AM by Rob Williams

Mike Everest, a home-schooled high school senior from Durango, Colo., has put two of his siblings through college by selling virtual goods for real dollars on Entropia. And he’s not the only one involved. His mother also plays the game. Along with his mother, Everest, better-known within the virtual game as Ogulak Da Basher on the planet Calypso, has raked in more than $35,000.

Who can say playing games doesn’t pay off? I mean sure, it would probably be quicker to earn this money by actually working, but where is the fun in that?

Read More Comment (0)

Microsoft Fixes Record 26 Security Holes

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:26 AM by Rob Williams

Microsoft today issued a record-breaking number of security updates, fixing at least 26 separate security holes in its Windows operating system and other products, including 16 vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office and Office components. By my count, this is the largest number of flaws Microsoft has fixed in one go outside of a Service Pack.

So, if you are bored just dying for something to do… load up Windows Update and get to it. Though all of the updates are important, this set is incredibly worthy of grabbing if you use Office. Some of the known exploits are taken care of here, so don’t hesitate.

Read More Comment (0)

Self-assembling gel stops bleeding in seconds

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:23 AM by Rob Williams

Swab a clear liquid onto a gaping wound and watch the bleeding stop in seconds. An international team of researchers has accomplished just that in animals, using a solution of protein molecules that self-organise on the nanoscale into a biodegradable gel that stops bleeding. If the material works as well in humans, it could save thousands of lives and make surgery far easier in many cases, surgeons say.

First, I completely disagree with inhumane morons that test on animals. Second, anything that helps stop bleeding like this is amazing. Could prove to be a literal lifesaver.

Read More Comment (0)

Hans Reiser taken into custody

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:20 AM by Rob Williams

The estranged husband of a missing mother was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in connection with her disappearance more than a month ago, police said. Hans Thomas Reiser was arrested one day after Oakland police, with the help of the FBI, searched his house a second time for clues in the disappearance of Nina Reiser.

Just to make it clear, he was not arrested on charges of murder but rather for suspicions of being involved. It shouldn’t take too long before a verdict is reached though. It’s hard to believe that he is not guilty, especially since he immediately went into “hiding” as soon as his wife disappeared. Very sad for the family.

Read More Comment (0)

Prey gets more new content

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:19 AM by Rob Williams

Today 2K announced new downloadable content for Xbox 360 and PC versions of its first person shooter Prey. Among the content are 5 new multiplayer characters and 4 new multiplayer maps which are available for free on Xbox Live Marketplace and via the v1.2 PC patch at www.prey.com.

Included is five new multiplayer skins and also four new levels. Simply hop onto the Xbox Live Marketplace to grab the download, or head to the official site for the PC version.

Read More Comment (0)

Roboblitz to be Steamed

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:18 AM by Rob Williams

Los Angeles, CA – October 10, 2006 – Naked Sky Entertainment, an independent game studio located in Los Angeles, and Valve announce RoboBlitzT, an Unreal EngineT 3 game, is coming to Steam, the leading online platform for PC games, in the coming weeks. “Steam is an attractive platform for the release of RoboBlitz,” said Tian Mu, CEO of Naked Sky Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to being able to release to Steam’s huge PC audience. Additionally, we have long-term plans to expand RoboBlitz with new content. Through Steam, we have a great avenue for delivering the game and updates directly to over 10 million gamers’ PCs.”

I have never even heard of this game until now, but I took a quick look at the official website and it seems to have potential. Surprisingly, it will not only be made available through Steam, but also the Xbox 360. Presumably through Xbox Live Arcade.

Read More Comment (0)

Basshunter gets IceMat

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:16 AM by Rob Williams

If you are one of the millions of people that didn’t escaped the infectious tunes of “Boten Anna” from popular Swedish musician Basshunter, you might like to know the Icemat Siberia headset is featured in the new musicvideo from said artist: “Vi sitter i Ventrillo och spelar DotA” (English: We are sitting in Ventrilo and playing DotA).

If you want to see the music video, you can hop right on over to IceMat.com. If you are into dancy energetic music, you may just like Basshunter. I’ve had his album for a while now and highly recommend checking it out.

Read More Comment (0)

Crucial Announces New SLI-Ready Ballistix and Ballistix Tracer Modules

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:13 AM by Rob Williams

Meridian, Idaho, and Glasgow, UK, 10th October, 2006 – Crucial
Technology today announced the immediate availability of its NVIDIA
SLI™-Ready Ballistix and Ballistix Tracer DDR2 modules. Crucial’s
new SLI-Ready Ballistix modules are designed to heighten system
performance with one single menu selection and ensure PC enthusiasts
enjoy a powerful gaming experience.

You can read the full press release right here.

Read More Comment (0)

Review Roundup for Oct 11

Posted on October 11, 2006 8:11 AM by Rob Williams

    Cooling
  • Cooler Master NotePal P1 Notebook Cooler – Big Bruin
  • Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II – Byte Sector
  • Vigor Gaming Monsoon II HSF – Heatpipe and Peltier Cooling – TweakTown
  • Zalman CNPS9500 LED Heatsink – Gruntville

    Peripherals & Power Supplies
  • 17 in 1 Retractable USB Tool Kit – DragonSteelMods
  • Bluegears b-Enspirer 24-Bit/192KHz 7.1 Sound Card – Bjorn3D
  • Enermax Aurora Aluminium Keyboard – UK Gamer
  • Ultra X-Finity 500W PSU – OC Modshop
  • Zippy 500w & 720w PSU – Guru3D

    Displays & Video Cards
  • EVGA e-Geforce 7900GS KO Edition – GamePyre
  • Gigabyte GeForce 7600GT Silent II – BootDaily
  • MSI Geforce NX7900GT-VT2D256EHD – Viper Lair

    Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
  • SendStation PocketDock for the Apple iPod – FutureLooks
  • Why Wii’s a Winner – Digital Trends

Read More Comment (0)

A look at Firefox 2.0 RC2

Posted on October 10, 2006 10:29 AM by Rob Williams

A number of prominent features, including the innovative Places interface and revamped bookmark system have been removed and slated for resurrection in future versions. The postponement of highly anticipated features generated a lot of controversy and led many to challenge the validity of the 2.0 designation. Now that we are on the verge of the official 2.0 release, we can evaluate the changes and determine if the upcoming version lives up to the high standards set by its predecessors.

I just installed RC2 this morning, this being the first 2.0 version I have touched. I am impressed so far, but I’ve only been using it under an hour. Seems a lot smoother though. Ars takes a full look at the latest version in their article here.

Read More Comment (0)

VGA Charts Update October 2006

Posted on October 10, 2006 9:36 AM by Rob Williams

With only two major players in the discrete graphics market, there still are lots of cards. From the ATI side we added the Radeon X1300 XT, X1650 Pro, X1900 XT 256 MB and the flagship Radeon X1950XTX. On the other side we added Nvidia’s GeForce 7900GS and 7950GT. For multi-graphics platform performance we added the Radeon X1950 XTX in CrossFire as well as the X1650 Pro, and X1300 XT. From Nvidia we added the GeForce 7900 in SLI.

If you are in the market for a new video card, these charts can prove really indispensable in making your decision.

Read More Comment (0)

Sony to Ship First 50GB Blu-ray Movies

Posted on October 10, 2006 9:33 AM by Rob Williams

Sony has announced that Click, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Black Hawk Down will be the first Sony films released on 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray disc. Although Blu-ray discs have been available on the market for several months now, these are 50GB dual-layer discs as opposed to the current discs being only 25GB. Pricing for the Sony films has not been publicly released.

It’s about time! The 50GB base allows for many more special features, all in high-definition. So, it’s really up to those features to decide whether the price will be worth it in the end. Speaking of pricing… it’s currently unknown whether these will cost more than movies that are pressed with 25GB discs, but it would not really be a surprise if they were.

Read More Comment (0)

Windows XP Starter Edition crosses 1 million mark

Posted on October 10, 2006 9:29 AM by Rob Williams

Windows XP Starter Edition is now being used in over 1 million homes worldwide. The program launched just over two years ago with a pilot of only five countries with the goal of putting PCs in the homes of low-income families in order to increase computer literacy in developing cultures. Now, Windows XP Starter Edition is being sold across 139 countries in 25 different localized language versions.

I am not sure whether I should clap, or be depressed that 1,000,000 poor souls have to suffer with such a crap version of XP. Either way you look at it, it sure didn’t take too long to reach this milestone.

Read More Comment (0)

Have more money than brains and love Xbox Live?

Posted on October 10, 2006 9:28 AM by Rob Williams

RANCE6, the current World #1 for Achievement Points, is selling off all his hard work to the highest bidder by auctioning his Xbox 360 hard drive, Live Account, and all the game saves on Ebay. RANCE6 is 29 and lives in Italy where he owns a video game store. He purchased the Xbox 360 at launch, but mostly was interested in playing Japanese titles. Since the Xbox360’s Japanese title offerings were pretty weak at launch, only Ridge Racer interested him. It wasn’t long though before he discovered Achievement Points and the addiction soon took hold.

For this to be accomplished, RANCE6 played the Xbox 360 for more than EIGHTY FREAKING HOURS a week. At the time this article was published, the eBay auction was at around $6,000 dollars. There’s a true hardcore gamer…

Read More Comment (0)

< Older Posts

Newer Posts >