- 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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Asys Freedom CK-1022-6 Tower Case Review
Enter the new CK-1022-6 Freedom, touted as a Super Tower / entry-level server case from Asys. Yes, that’s Asys, with a Y. Can’t say that I’ve ever come across any of their cases before, but the product information sheet looked promising. And the pictures showed it was no slouch in the looks department either. There were also some interesting features I wanted to check out a bit closer. This might not be such a bad case after all.
Check out the full review at OCIA.
Thermalright XP90-C Review
Thermalright is one of the foremost cooling companies in the overclocking community. They have been around for many years providing that extra edge needed to keep your system cool. Although their lineup has changed quite a bit recently, many users out there are still cooling their CPUs with the Thermalright XP-90 and the XP-90C. Today we will take a look at the famous XP-90C and see what it can do in a current S939 setup.
Check out the full review over at techPowerUp!.
GEIL Ultra Platinum PC3200 Memory Review
Hand Picked 5ns GeIL Chips. Enhanced SPD for Dual Channel DDR motherboards. Tin Coated Platinum Copper Heat Spreader. They have memory chips that works well with overclock, they are cheap and you also can see your RAM temperature if you have a windowed case. DDR memory is not dead (yet).
You can read the full review at MadBoxPC. Bring your Spansish translator!
Snapdrive.net Launches
Snapdrive.net allows you to upload, share and save files in an online hard drive. Non-registered users can upload files up to 20mb in size. With a free registration you are allowed to upload files up to 100mb and a total of 2gb per account. Why bother carrying around a pen USB drive when SnapDrive offers the same thing for free!
This is a new service by our gracious host, used for hosting whatever you want. If you are looking for a new storage solution, check it out.
The Ship Preview
The basic setup of the Hunt is to find your given target (your Quarry) by asking around and tracking their last known location. Along the way you’ll find a variety of weapons from blunt objects to firearms. A “Money for Kills” table tracks the most-used weapons in recent matches, and rewards higher based on the more obscure weapons you use to kill.
One thing is for sure… this game is different! Different is good though, and The Ship breaks away from any specific genre. You can except our review of the game next week!
Tabula Rasa Interview
GWN: Compared to video’s I saw in 2004 to recent videos on-line, Tabula Rasa has seen cataclysmic stylistic changes. What prompted them?
Long: A couple of years ago we took the product to E3 in 2004 and we showed the product with its original style and the average reaction was that they didn’t really understand it. With that in mind we only really want to make successful games, we had to re-evaluate what we had done and that it wasn’t right for the market or the success we had envisioned. We kept some of the back story, the different alien races, and the symbolic language that Richard had created, but then we gave the gameplay more of a shooter feel. The weapons are more traditional, though you still have powers, but their more intelligible than using drumsticks to kill things. Much more straight-up sci-fi.
Odd. I must’ve been one of the few who thought the original videos and screenshots ROCKED. I am disappointed with the turn they have taken, but still have high hopes. Read the full interview at Game World Network.
Huxley Interview
Shack: MMOFPS, with the first letter, of course, standing for Massive. Tell us how Huxley brings first-person shooters to a massive scale.
KJ Kang: Unlike previous FPS games, Huxley is being developed with a focus on massive combat instead of one-on-one fights. Huxley’s space consists of the Persistent World, which is a living space that can accommodate a maximum of 5,000 people, and a battle area that accommodates up to 200 people. Players can hold parties to perform missions and quests through Persistent World.
This is a great interview if you want to learn more. I am skeptical of another MMOFPS, but this one has some serious potential. Not to mention wicked graphics!
Windows Vista Capable or Windows Vista Weakling?
We test three different retail computer systems sporting the “Windows Vista Capable” badges and tell you if it’s a gimmick to move systems or if you can really expect an acceptable user experience. We even throw in a bit of a preview of Vista’s features as well.
What exactly does it take to be a Vista qualified system? Well according to the PCs used here.. not too much. I am not really sure of the point behind running Vista on a budget PC. I mean, Vista must cost half of the what the PC does?
Lexar Recalls 66,000 USB JumpDrives
Peripheral and storage device maker Lexar, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission, has issued a voluntary recall of some 66,000 Lexar FireFly and 1 GB Secure II USB flash drives because the units could overheat and present a risk of burn, fire, or injury.
Who would have thought a simple thumb drive could potentially have a fire hazard? This is no joking matter though. If you own a Lexar drive, make sure to see if you have one of the recalled models.
Dell to release AMD PCs?
The deal between AMD and Dell is already done, as we reported some time ago. The companies are just looking for the best timing to tell the world+dog about the deal. Dell is the last big customer that explicitly refuses to buy AMD desktop CPUs but that’s all over now, according to a senior executive I talked to from AMD.
Once again, this comes from the Inq. This is one rumor I hope to see come true though. I don’t want to see it stop at the desktops though… Dell AMD laptops is what I’m waiting to see. Enthusiasts don’t buy Dell desktops. Come on!
Switch to Macs for virus free computing?
It was somewhat of an event when Sophos, the Abingdon, UK-based antivirus company, released a statement in their latest Security Report that urged people to switch to Apple Macintosh computers. According to the report, “the continued dominance of Windows-based threats has prompted Sophos to suggest that many home users should consider switching to Apple Macs, to shield themselves from the malware onslaught.”
I find it hilarious that an anti-virus company tells you to switch OS’s, when they make most of their cash from Windows based PCs. Though… if you play it safe you have nothing to worry about. Really.
Nintendo Gives DS Lite + Brain Age To President Bush For 60th Birthday
Check out this DS Lite + Brain Age pack Nintendo gave to President Bush for his birthday. That’s pretty neat, but I wonder if he’ll play it. With no sons in the house, we doubt there was a Nintendo or Sega Genesis to be found. Well, it’ll give him something to do when his iPod runs out of juice.
I can’t think of a more appropriate game, really. It will be interesting if he actually does play it..
AMD June 2006 Product Roadmap
AMD’s Athlon 64 FX lineup will get a few speed bumps within the next few months. The first speed bump will come next quarter in the form of the Athlon 64 FX-64. This part will be a Socket AM2 part and have a 125-watt TDP. It will presumably have a 3 GHz clock speed, as AMD likes to bump the clock speed of the Athlon 64 FX lineup in 200 MHz increments. The Athlon 64 FX-64 will be AMD’s desktop flagship processor until Q3’07 when the Athlon 64 FX-66 arrives. This part will have a 125-watt TDP as well and presumably be clocked at 3.2 GHz unless AMD has some other trick. It will be based on the 90nm Windsor core and not the upcoming 65nm Brisbane core.
According to the charts, we should be seeing some AMD 65nm action this quarter. Many of the ‘budget’ X2s with 2*1MB of Cache are replaced with 2*512Kb models. If you are looking to purchase a new AMD, it may be worth holding out for some of the 65nm models though.
eBay Bans Google Payments
eBay has added Google Checkout to the list of payment options banned on eBay. A recent update to the Accepted Payments Policy includes Google Checkout (click on ‘Show’ next to ‘Some Examples’ to reveal the list). More comments on this action can be found at the eBay Strategies Blog.
I guess the question is… who didn’t see this coming? It’s no surprise that eBay/PayPal has a monopoly on their hands, which sucks because consumers will continue paying PayPals rediculous rates. Maybe we will see Google sue?
Tech Buzzwords Added to Dictionaries
With technology buzzwords becoming so commonly used in daily life, Webster and Oxford have both begun to include some new terms in their latest editions. Some of their newest additions include: adware, biodiesel, codec, digicam, google (as a verb), geocaching, hacktivism, mash-up, rewriteable, ringtone, spyware, and texting.
They really know how to stay current. I’m fine as long as they don’t add l33t or 0wn3d in there.
AMD Announced Estimated Sales for Second Quarter
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — July 6, 2006 — AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced that sales for the second quarter ended July 2, 2006 are expected to be approximately $1.215 billion – a 52 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2005[1] and a nine percent decline compared to the first quarter of 2006. The company’s prior guidance for the second quarter anticipated overall sales to be flat to slightly down seasonally from the first quarter of 2006.
You can read the full press release here.
Hardware Roundup for July 7
- ICute 0508ULA Computer Case – Overclockers Club
- POWMAX 3304 Black mATX Case – 3D Gameman
Cases & Enclosures
- Spire VertiCool & DiamondCool – Driver Heaven
- Spire VertiCool II CPU Cooler – ThinkComputers
- Sunbeam Silent Whisper – Gideon Tech
- Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II (Chipset Cooler) – MadBoxPC
- Zalman CNPS8000 Low Profile Heat Pipe CPU Cooler – BigBruin
- Zalman VF700-AlCu LED VGA Heatsink – FrostyTech
Cooling
- Corsair Twin2X2048-8500C5 2GB DDR2 – Virtual-Hideout
- Enermax Intelligent Backup – Pro-Clockers
Memory & Storage
- Das Keyboard II – XYZ Computing
- Enermax Aurora Aluminum Keyboard – Virtual-Hideout
- Logitech’s G3 Laser Mouse – Extreme Tech
- MSI StarCam 370i – Hexus
- Razer Krait – GotFrag
- Super Talent 2GB MEGA Screen MP3 Player – techFEAR
- USB Headset MS-TECH LM-120 – Technic 3D (German)
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- ATi makes a “Cool” move – NGOHQ
- Galaxy Geforce 7900 GT – Pure Overclock
- HiS Radeon X1600 Pro 128MB Single & Crossfire- Guru3D
- HIS X1300 512MiB HyperMemory x1 PCIe – Hexus
- Inno3D GeForce 7300GT DDR3 SLI – PC Modding Malaysia
- PowerColor X1900 GT – Bjorn3D
- Sapphire X800 GTO AGP 256MB Video Card – PC Apex
Video Cards & Monitor
- Averatec 4155 Ultra-Portable Widescreen Laptop – BIOS Magazine
- YouTube, Microsoft’s Bad Week, Dell XCS Concept PC, and Samsung’s New Cameras – Digital Trends
Etcetera, Complete Systems & Contests
NVIDIA G80 has 32 Pipes
It turns that the fancy Nvidia G80 chip taped out, and in working silicon stage it will have 32 pixel Shaders and, as predicted, have 16 vertex and geometry Shaders. Nvidia wants to stick with a two to one ratio and assumes that the games of tomorrow will need twice as many pixels than they will need vertices and geometry information.
Since this comes from the Inquirer, this is all speculation. 32 Pipes is along the right line though, so it’s not really surprising. The doubling of the Vertex Shaders is interesting though.
Socket AM2 Forward Compatible With AM3 CPUs
The most recent AMD roadmap is also very clear to state AM3 “supports either DDR2 SDRAM or DDR3 SDRAM, but not on the same motherboard.” This is great news for upgraders, as there is a very clear upgrade path: CPU, motherboard, and then memory. This also infers that AM3 CPUs will have both DDR2 and DDR3 support on the integrated memory controller. DDR3, like DDR2, has 240-pin, but the two formats are not pin-compatible.
It apears that the biggst change will be the HT3.0, but other than that it will be quite similar to AM2. There are also no immediate plans to base AM3 on the LGA socket, which would have been nice.
Steam client update released
There have been a slew of updates released to the Steam system, one that specifically will improve RO load times on older machines. Various small fixes have been attended to also though. To update, simply restarted your Steam.
- Added new filesystem for use with Red Orchestra – users will be automatically converted on launch. Improves load times in Red Orchestra on low-end systems
- Improved Steam startup time
- Reduced CPU usage/processing time during downloads
- Improved content download rates
- Optimized downloads to skip unused files
- Updated reliability and usability data collection
- Localized country names in purchase wizard
- Fixed case where downloader could stall
- Fixed case where the steam:// protocol handler wouldn’t get restored on launch
- Fixed purchasing issue if the user had an expired logon ticket
- Fixed rare crash when browsing for servers
- Fixed cybercafe’s not being able to use the ‘Do not save personal information on this computer’ settings option
Australia Wants to Regulate Internet Streaming
After an incident that occurred on a popular television show’s internet stream, the Australian government has once again demonstrated that it simply does not understand the internet by indicating that they intend to regulate streaming video. I wonder what these geniuses plan on doing with porn streamed from Europe?
What won’t Australia do? Streaming internet video is not going to be an easy task. It would be so much easier if they let people simply watch what they want to watch though…
Apple to Unveil New Leopard OS in August
Looks like Apple is going to reveal its new cool and fast Mac OS code-named “Leopard” in the upcoming World Developer’s Conference in August. Good news for Apple! And terrible news for Microsoft. If “Leopard” is really what it claims to be, i.e. fast and efficient in sharp contrast to slow and resource hungry Windows Vista, we certainly would see Apple’s remarkable market share gain next year.
It may be fast and efficient, but it’s still not going to run all the Windows programs we’ve come to rely on. Especially games. It will be interesting to see how it turns out though.
TDK Reveals Blu-ray Media Rated at 6X Write Speeds
With the bulk of Blu-ray writers launching at 2x write speeds, a higher speed media seems a little premature. However, TDK brought Blu-ray media rated at 6x to the 8th Annual Data Storage Expo in Japan and expects to launch media rated at 4x before the end of 2006. The 6x media is a single layer 25GB Blu-ray disc which probably won’t reap benefits until 6x drives come out. We are guessing we won’t see 6x drives until at least later this year or early 2007 given the launch trends of previous optical standards.
Whoever here has a Blu-Ray recorder, raise your hand. Seriously, it seems like we are really getting ahead of ourselves. At least with this type of production, things will be well underway when prices come down.
Samsung Shipping Production GDDR4
The new GDDR4 memory has a data transfer rate around 2.4Gbps on a 32-bit bus. Samsung is shipping the new 80nm memory in 512MB configurations, which is likely configured in 16×32 layouts. Samsung also claims that this 2.4Gbps GDDR4 showed a 45% power savings when compared to 2.0Gbps GDD3. The reduction in power is clearly a welcomed trend
Though impressive, Hynix has already produced even faster DDR4. Regardless, it’s good to see it being finally shipped out.
Apple Introduces New $899 iMac
Apple today has introduced a new model of its iMac that will truly replace its aging eMac. The new iMac is most identical to the current 17-inch iMac, except for several minor specifications. Firstly, the new unit still ships with an Intel Core Duo processors running at a base speed of 1.83GHz. This is in line with the current 17-inch iMac, which costs roughly $400 more.
I’ll be the first to say it… who cares? $900 still seems high when we are talking about the mass amounts of PCs.. err Macs that schools would need.