- 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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AMD teams up with Telmex to Provide Affordable Internet Connectivity Throughout Mexico
Sunnyvale, Calif. – July 31, 2006 – Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) today announced nationwide availability of the Telmex Internet Box Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) for citizens across Mexico. Developed by AMD, the Telmex Internet Box provides an increasingly broad range of customers with a complete Internet experience, including hardware, software, Internet service and support.
You can read the full release here.
Review Roundup for July 31
- Antec Fusion HTPC Media Center Enclosure – Virtual-Hideout
- Sansun Group Galaxy ATX Mid-Tower Case – 3DXtreme
- Vantec NexStar LX NAS HDD Enclosure – Virtual-Hideout
Cases & Enclosures
- Logisys Dual Heatpipe VGA Cooler – DragonSteelMods
- Scythe Infinity Cooler – Technic3D
- Zalman Super Thermal Grease – Think Computers
Cooling
- Crucial Ballistix 1GB PC2-5300 Tracer Memory – Extensive Mods
- Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 750GB – MadBoxPC (Spanish)
Memory & Storage
- Foxconn C51XEM2AA nForce 590 SLI – Overclocker Cafe
- Intel Xeon 5150 Woodcrest – Phoronix
Motherboards & Processors
- Brando Flexible Full Sized Keyboard – DragonSteelMods
- Brando USB Bluetooth Chip – DragonSteelMods
- Oakley O ROKR Bluetooth 2.0 Eyewear – Bona Fide Reviews
- Razer Krait – techFEAR
- SteelPad 5L Gaming Surface – Overclock 3D
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- ATi Catalyst 6.7 with Control Panel – NGOHQ
Displays & Video Cards
- HyperKore System Giveaway – Modders-Inc
Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
Definitive Multi-GPU World Tour Part 9
So we tally up the results from them we see NVIDIA obviously dominate everything, even in certain games if ATI is winning NVIDIA remains really close. Especially in low and mid-range performance systems ATI is under attack. But very interesting to see is are the high-end products from ATI perform with that new Cat 6.7 driver. Be sure to check that out. In short: the overall view thus generic performance among the majority of games without a doubt is looking fantastic for NVIDIA SLI. Nobody will deny that even for a second. But do remember what I already stated in the introduction. The last two or three sites have used the new Catalyst 6.7 drivers in their scores (they received them prior to the official release form ATI) and they clearly make a distinct performance difference. None the less. NVIDIA takes the lead by far. But there is much more to all this then a tally of results. Let’s talk a little about Image Quality, HDR+AA and so important … drivers.
We reported about part 7 yesterday, so I am not sure what happened to part 8! Check out the conclusion to the series at Guru3D.
Cooler Master XCraft Review
Cooler Master enters the external hard drive enclosure market with their X-Craft series. Just like their cases, the X-Craft is very sturdy and once again does not disappoint. Everything from the tool-free design down to the extra USB/Firewire connectors and great looks make it a joy to use. The performance for both Firewire and USB is just as expected and the backup software, albeit very simple, gets the job done.
You can read the full review over at techPowerUp!.
Mushkin XP2-6400 Memory Review
Pick your poison ladies and gentlemen – CAS3 DDR2-800, or CAS4 DDR2-1066, either way this memory was smoking fast. Right out of the gate, there were some problems with overclocking, but when an additional power connector was attached to the board, they went right away and were not evident. All in all Mushkin did a fine job with these modules.
Check out the full review at Motherboards.org.
Revoltec HDD Silencer Review
Today for review I have the Revoltec Hard Drive Silencer, most hard drives claim to be quiet but not many really are, or they are quiet at idle but get loud when being accessed and who really wants to hear their hard drive rattling around in their case? Not me, I like me system quiet. Last year I purchased a Maxtor 200Gig SATA drive, yes it’s silent at idle, but when it really gets going you can hear it rattling around in their, I learned to ignore it eventually but now I can silence it for good!
You can read the full review at Think Computers.
A-Data 2 GB Fingerprint Drive Review
The A-Data Fingerprint drive is one of those love it or hate it
products. If the features satisfy your needs it is a miracle product,
but for the rest who are in need of a conventional USB drive with a
touch of security a standard USB drive and software encryption will
better suit the role as this is a pretty slow drive.
You can read the full review over at Overclockers Online.
Coolmax 700W & 1000W PSUs
There is a clear difference between these two power supplies. The CTG models are pretty plain looking, offer lots of power, and are not modular, so they are really targeted towards the server side of things. On the other hand, the CUG models look great, have a quiet 120mm fan, and are modular, so they are going to appeal to the gamer. What both of these power supplies have in common is their clean, stable, and quality power. Watch the Video to find out more…
Which PSU company isn’t trying to move into the 1KW market? Coolmax is not ready to sit down, that’s for sure. You can watch the review over at 3D Gameman.
Multi-GPU World Tour Part 7
Now, on to our experiences with the hardware. First and foremost I can’t help but be impressed at just how easy to set up and well mannered the SLI systems are. You just pop in the cards, install the driver, click the balloon to enable SLI and you’re off and running. While CrossFire is an extremely competitive platform it is still not to the level of SLI in user friendliness.
You can check out the latest installment os this multi-GPU journey at Legit Reviews.
ATI 8.27.10 Linux Display Drivers
After ATI’s successful launch last month of the fglrx 8.26.18
drivers, which had delivered an external events daemon (atieventsd) and
more, it is now time for us to discuss the changes in the newly released
8.27.10 Linux display drivers. Of the changes in this release include
X11R7.1 support, Fedora Core packaging scripts, and Radeon X1000 TV-out
support. As always, we have all of the details to share in our ATI fglrx
8.27.10 driver examination.
This release is worth it alone for the X11 7.1 support, but Phoronix goes on to tell us that there is a lot more to be had.
SuSE Enterprise 10 takes off
Novell today announced that its SUSE® Linux Enterprise 10, the next-generation platform for the open enterprise made available just 10 days ago, has experienced a substantial worldwide reception in the market and from the media.
165,000 people! It’s true, Enterprise is looking to be far better than openSuSE by a landslide. You can expect our full look in the coming weeks. You can read the full press release also, right here.
Mozilla Debuts Thunderbird 2.0 Alpha
Mozilla Corp. on Thursday gave users a first look at the next version of its Thunderbird e-mail client by releasing an alpha of v. 2.0. Thunderbird 2.0 Alpha 1, which can be downloaded in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X editions, is suitable for developers only, Mozilla said on its Web site, although there are no actual barriers that block others from trying the software.
Alpha only means one thing… that you do not want to try using it as your primary client. However, if you are impatient and do want to give it a shot, you can grab it here.
Microsoft to charge for Office Beta 2
Microsoft plans next week to charge a nominal fee for Office 2007 Beta 2 downloads, in a move that runs counter to the practice held by most software companies. Consumers who download the 2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2 will be charged $1.50 per download, beginning next Wednesday at 6 p.m. PDT, a Microsoft spokeswoman said.
Is this a cheap way to earn extra cash before final release, or a way to pay for all the money they lost on bandwidth during Vista Beta 2 season. Obviously, Office Beta 2 is not going to skyrocket like Vista… but charging people to test your software just seems wrong.
Yet another Dell laptop fire
While specifying instrumentation tag names on a flow drawing my attention is turned towards the haze building up on the other side of the engineering area. I started hearing some distant prattle about “fire”, “hmmm… what could this possibly be?” I think to myself. Upon further investigation I’ve come to the conclusion that someone’s Dell laptop just freakin blew up and started a cozy little desktop fire!!!
This is absolutely incredible. It didn’t only affect the laptop, but the desk and a computer monitor. Hopefully Dell will be footing the bill to clean that mess up…
What does Vista offer over MCE 2005?
I read over and over about how we haven’t actually added any new features to Media Center this time around and that there is no compelling reason to upgrade from Media Center 2005. Puzzled by this I decided to pull together a list of what’s changed (not an exhaustive list by any means, we still have a few key features hidden up our sleaves).
This couldn’t be any more clear. A few features are rather minor, but there are some notable ones, such as “New start menu to get you to where you want to be faster”.
Opteron revision due in August
Codenamed Santa Rosa, the Rev. F Opterons will include the company’s Pacifica virtualization and Presidio security technologies. Santa Rosa will also bring support for DDR2 to the Opteron lineup for the first time as well. Aside from that, Santa Rosa marks a gradual evolution in the company’s server lineup.
The question of whether these will be favoured by enthusiasts as the 939 versions were is yet to be seen. Regardless, Opterons have proved to be a great asset to AMD, so I can’t wait until we see how these ones deliver.
The 64% Violent Pacman
During the recent Senate hearings on video game violence, one expert claimed that the ESRB underrated violent games. They went on to say that Pacman was 64% violent. To some, this means you shouldn’t play Pacman; to others, it highlights what’s wrong with Senate hearings. Whether a game is violent or not depends on how you classify violence, and the ESRB has the job of doing just that. They’re not regulated by the government, they let the game makers recommend their own ratings, and don’t play every game they rate. Is the ESRB to be trusted?
Wow. After reading this, you may just go sit down with your family and explain to them the horrible things that may spawn from playing such a profane game.
NVIDIA Announces Rapid Adoption of SLI Core 2 Duo Systems
Lacking from the list of Core 2 Duo SLI system manufacturers is Dell, which hasn’t officially announced Core 2 Duo XPS systems yet. Since Intel’s 975X Express chipset is only compatible with ATI’s CrossFire dual graphics card configuration, Intel users seeking Core 2 Duo and SLI compatibility are forced to use NVIDIA chipsets. NVIDIA offers a variety of Core 2 Duo compatible SLI chipsets including the nForce 4 SLI X16 and nForce 590 SLI chipsets.
It’s good to see some selection on Intels now, and there is a ton of support so that’s a good sign.
Intel Core 2 Duo Desktops Hit The Streets
Intel’s Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors were announced two weeks ago with much fanfare from the hardware editors and the enthusiast community. Intel had brought a great-performing chip to the market that was faster than every processor currently available and was much cooler than its Pentium-D predecessor. Today, there were a slew of new desktops and workstation announced that use Intel’s new Core 2 processors for desktops.
If you have cash to burn and don’t mind buying a pre-built system, then there are a few good ones to choose from. In terms of looks, Dell seems to have a winner here, while Alienwares offering looks like something that was caught in a ugly warpspeed.
Intel Unveils World’s Best Processor
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 27, 2006 – Intel Corporation today unveiled 10 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo and Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme processors for consumer and business desktop and laptop PCs and workstations, reshaping how computers perform, look and consume power—and most importantly—transform how people use them.
You can read the full press release here.
Review Roundup for July 28
- OCZ Tempest – FrostyTech
- SilverStone NT04 Cooler – 3D Gameman
Cooling
- Corsair TwinX2048-4400Pro – techFEAR
Memory & Storage
- ntel Core 2 Duo E6300 & E6400 – AnandTech
- Foxconn C51XEM2AA 590 – Technic3D
- Foxconn C51XEM2AA 590 – Virtual-Hideout
- Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 –
Motherboards & Processors
- Cooler Master eXtreme Power 650W – Modders-Inc
- Silverstone Zeus ST56ZF – Cooling-Station
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- Sapphire Radeon X1900 GT – HotHardware
Displays & Video Cards
- Bart – The UV Head Step Child (Build your own Robot!) – Gideon Tech
- Microsoft Zune, AMD Buys ATI, and Other Fun News – Digital Trends
- NZXT Apollo Giveaway – Overclocker Cafe
- Voice Buddy 3.0 – GameApex
- Wolf Claw Devour and ZBoard Fang Gaming Boards Competition – XS Reviews
Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
2.5Gb/s Internet For French Homes
Presence-pc at reports that France Telecom just announced they are offering 2.5 Gb/s Internet connections to select cities in the Paris region. For … $85(70 Euros) a month you also get free phone and TV. From the article (in French): ‘The historical operator opted for a GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) FTTH architecture (Fiber To The Home). This technology allows up to 2.5 Gbits/s download and 1.2 Gigabits/s upload.
Umm… wow. This is seriously incredible. If only we could get something like that on these shores…
Kazaa settles suits with $100 million
Under the terms of the deal, Kazaa owner Sharman Networks will pay the world’s four major music companies–Universal Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI Group and Warner Music–more than $100 million and commit to immediately going legal, the international recording industry organization IFPI said.
Whoa… people still use Kazaa? That’s a lot of money, and it’s going to be interesting to see how they plan to go legal and survive. Many have tried, but few actually gain any real popularity.
Beginner’s Guide to Motherboard Selection
We were all beginners once, but it’s easy for experts to forget how much they didn’t know at the outset of their journey. So, even as Tom’s Hardware Guide constantly publishes motherboard comparisons, it’s easy to forget that many newcomers lack the requisite knowledge to take advantage of the advice we give.
This can be of benefit to those who consider themselves experienced.. like a little refresher! The article not only explains various features on a motherboard, but notes what you should look out for… such as layout.
Nikon D80 pictures leaked
From the pictures, you can plainly see the new model will be called the Nikon D80, not the D90 as some speculated. There are a few extra buttons on the camera, such as a physical self timer, IR remote button, an autofocus button, and it looks like the D80 uses SD flash memory cards instead of the CompactFlash cards used on its predecessor.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to chuck your ‘old’ D70, this may be it. The new model has a much larger LCD, which could prove useful to some.