- 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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NBC Unveils Deal with YouTube
NBC and YouTube have reached agreement for NBC to advertise and promote some of its shows on YouTube. The TV network is going to promote its fall lineup of shows by creating an official NBC channel on YouTube. Longer promotional video clips will made available from popular shows like “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Saturday Night Live” and “The Office.” Both companies will work together to try and produce ads that viewers will actually want to take the time to view.
What a completely natural thing to do. Threaten legal action on a website to remove an SNL clip that helps the shows popularity, then partner with the said site. Makes sense to me.
ATI Claims No Physics for "9 to 12 Months"
During ATI’s 2006 third quarter financial results conference call this morning, ATI CEO Dave Orton revealed to analysts that despite demonstrating physics processing earlier this year, actual retail availability will not be available for another “9 to 12 months.” Orton indicated that the technology was still undergoing testing and preparation. Interestingly, ATI indicated earlier that its physics technology was already on the market and needed only driver updates.
Does this mean that AGEIA has more time to strut their stuff, or does it mean that ATI is taking the smart road and not trying to rush anything? Either way, it will be interesting to see this evolve.
Google Launches Checkout
During a recent press conference, Google CEO Eric Schmidt indicated to reporters that the new service would not be a competitor to eBay and said that it would be “different” from PayPal. Checkout will be compatible with all major credit cards and Google is currently holding a special promotion with Citi. The company also indicated that Checkout will tie in with other programs like AdWords and AdSense — an ideal tracking and marketing combination for merchants it said.
I don’t think it really matters -what- they say it’s for… if it can be used in place of PayPal, it will be. Here’s to hoping that checkout really takes off.
MALIBAL(TM) Unveils New Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo Desktop Replacement Notebooks
Las Vegas, Nev., June 29, 2006 — MALIBAL, LLC, a world leader in innovative laptop design and development, today unveiled its new line of high-performance Intel® Core™ Duo laptops. Available immediately, the Satori Series™ features the latest in dual-core technologies, high-performance graphics and wireless connectivity.
You can read the full press release here.
Hardware Roundup for June 29
- Antec Solo Case – XS Reviews
- Maxtor OneTouch III Mini Edition – BIOS Magazine
Cases & Enclosures
- Kingston HyperX PC8000 2GB – Xtreme Computing
Memory & Storage
- ECS RS480-M Crossfire Xpress 200 K8 – PC Stats
Motherboards & CPU’s
- AeroCool PowerPanel – Think Computers
- Kodak Easyshare C300 3.2MP Digital Camera – Big Bruin
- Razer Krait Gaming Mouse – OCIA
- Seasonic S12 500w Power Supply – Virtual-Hideout
- Ultra X-Connect X2 550W SLI PSU – Driver Heaven
- XG Magnum 600W External PSU – Pro-Clockers
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- Asus 7900GT TOP and 7600GT Silent Graphics Cards – PC Perspective
- ATI Radeon X1600 round-up – Hexus
- HIS X1300 512MB HyperMemory 2 PCIe x1 – 3D Gameman
- Samsung SyncMaster 204B 20 Inch LCD Monitor – TweakNews
- XFX Overclocked GeForce 7950 GX2 – Hardware Secrets
Video Cards & Monitor
- Gamepyre Monthly Giveaway Sponsored By XFX – GamePyre
Etcetera, Complete Systems & Contests
CPU-z 1.35 Released
A brand new version of the popular CPUID program has been released with a few new updates… mainly for support.
- ATI RS350, RS400, RS480/RX480, RS482, RD580/RX580, RS600/RD600, RS690, RS700 chipsets support.
- ATI SB600 southbridge support.
- Intel P965 chipset support.
- Engineering samples Core based CPUs report.
- Windows Vista product line report.
You can grab the new version from the official site.
The People Behind DirectX 10—Part 1: Microsoft
When DirectX 10 rocks your PC with the release of Windows Vista early next year, it will come courtesy of a trio of forces: The graphics card companies obviously play a huge role, as do the game developers, but DirectX is Microsoft’s baby. Ultimately it is up to Microsoft engineers to work together with IHVs (the independent hardware vendors that build the graphics cards) and game developers (aka ISVs—independent software vendors) to define the API.
This is a fantastic look into the minds of the people behind DirectX. It’s a rather lengthy read, so grab a cup of coffee.
2006 Intel Desktop Motherboard Roadmap
Intel is expected to launch a dozen new motherboards based on the upcoming 965 Broadwater family of chipsets. The upcoming boards will be based on Broadwater G965, Q963 and Q965 chipsets scheduled to launch the last week of July. Also launching the last week of July is Intel’s Digital Home Bridge Creek platform which will also be named Viiv 1.5.
The roadmap is chock full with upcoming releases. It looks like version 2 of the Bad Axe board is only a month or two away..
White House Demands Encryption for Sensitive Data
Stung by a series of data losses or disclosures at federal agencies over the past month, the White House is requiring all agencies to follow new guidelines when allowing employees to carry sensitive data on laptops or access the information from afar, according to the Washington Post. From the article: ‘To comply with the new policy, agencies will have to encrypt all data on laptop or handheld computers unless the data are classified as “non-sensitive” by an agency’s deputy director.
I like where this is going. Not only will a standard password be required to access a remote database, but a keycard will also be needed. Then after 30 minutes of activity, the connection will be severed. The real question is… what took them so long to figure out how things should be done?
From the Desk of Mark Jacobs (Mythic)
When we first learned about EA’s acquisition over Mythic, questions and rumors spread about the future of DAoC. Well, Mark Jacobs fills us in.
Folks,
It has been an exciting time at Mythic in the last few weeks, to say the
least. But as you know saying the “least” is not my style, so I will say a
little more:
1) It is business as usual here at Mythic. I have already commented on
WAR, but let me say officially that there are no plans, implied plans or
even, maybe if plans for DAoC going away. I can’t say much more than what
has already been said (we’re announcing our expansion pack plans next
month, the Roundtable is going on as scheduled), because I am still
talking with EA about the business details and our future plans for
Camelot.
2) The deal with EA was one that was carefully considered, and one that I
am very proud of being able to present to our company. I’ve been around a
long time and seen a lot of things in this industry, and I am confident
that this deal was the right thing for Mythic, the employees, our
investors and most importantly our Camelot players. As I have said many
times in the last week, all the key guys I’m talking with at EA are
long-time players (and fans) of DAOC!
3) Did I say “our players”? You bet. Mythic makes great games, but without
great people to play them we would be just another game company or as I
said many years ago, I’d be wearing a paper hat, name-tag and asking
people “Would you like fries with that?”
There isn’t anything else that can be said right now, unfortunately. I
have always prided myself on being open with the community, so you can
believe that as soon as there is more to know, you will know it. Right now
what we know is that the future is bright. Thank you all for being part of
our past, and our future.
Looks like players have nothing to worry about.. yet at least. It’s safe to say that DAoC will be around a while longer.
Ultra Products Releases New Line of Uninterrupted Power Supply Units
FLETCHER, OHIO – June 28th, 2006 – Ultra Products, a global leader in technology solutions, has introduced a new line of Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS) featuring 1025VA, 1500VA and 2000VA models, easy-to-use monitoring software, and a $125,000 limited warranty against any damaged equipment. The new UPS units are ideal for anyone running a small server, workstation, or powerful PC.
You can read the full release here.
Multiprocessor Performance Benefits of AMD Opteron Recognized…
DRESDEN, Germany – June 28, 2006 – At the 21st International
Supercomputer Conference today, AMD (NYSE: AMD) announced that several
AMD Opteron(tm) processor-based systems are listed among the world’s
highest-performing supercomputers, as determined by the TOP500
Organization (www.top500.org). The AMD Opteron processor, via its
Direct Connect Architecture featuring HyperTransport(tm) technology,
delivers superior performance and scalability for cluster and
multiprocessor computing in commercial and research environments. These
performance advantages are leading to increased market penetration
across all sectors of the worldwide server market during the last three
years, including such industries as financial services, energy, and
digital media, as well as university and government installations.
You can read the full release right here.
GeIL Ultra DDR2 PC2-8500 1066+ MHz Module
The highest performance DDR2 memory module available to the market today, GeIL introduce to you the all new DDR2 1066 Plus Ultra Series with default safe-mode specification set at 1066MHz, CAS 5 enhanced for Intel platform. However, slip a pair of these bad boys on the latest AMD AM2 platform, boost the voltage to 2.5V and a whopping 1.2GHz is reached with the ultra low CAS of 4.
What else can be said but wow? CAS 4 at 600MHz is a sweet deal. Right-Click, Save As to grab the official release in PDF format.
Major EVEREST Ultimate Edition 2006 Update for the PC Enthusiasts
LAVAL, CANADA, June 27, 2006 – Lavalys Inc., a leader in IT management solutions for both individuals and enterprises, announced today the next milestone in PC diagnostics and benchmarking software with the introduction of EVEREST Ultimate Edition (EVEREST UE) version 3.00. This release is available in 34 languages and contains significant enhancements to the company’s flagship product.
You can read the full press release here.
The Movies: Stunts and Effects Review
While there are indeed MANY improvements to the film making mechanics due to the inclusion of new sets, buildings, props, and of course stunts, they only add to the game. While they can enhance a movie, they cannot re-define a movie – after all, there is no need to have stunts to make a 5 star movie, and there is no actual benefit in the box office or the charts for using them. What I’m trying to say is that rather than re-define, or at least augment the gameplay mechanic, Lion head has given players something which seems like a tacked on aside. Now, don’t get me wrong – if you loved the original (and still play it!) then hell, get yourself this expansion pronto.
Check out the full review at GamePyre.
Novell Delivers Preview Edition of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Free Download
WALTHAM, Mass. – June 27, 2006 – Novell has released a special preview version of its new SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 platform. Available for free at http://www.novell.com/prerelease , customers and other interested parties can now download pre-release versions of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 to experience their cutting-edge innovation and sophisticated functionality firsthand. Novell will officially release the server and desktop products later this summer.
You can read the full press release here.
Hardware Roundup for June 28
- Ultra Aluminus Case – XYZ Computing
Cases & Enclosures
- AlphaCool XP-Light CPU and NB-SLI Water Blocks – Virtual-Hideout
- nMedia Icetank – Overclockers Online
- Noctua NH-U9 Heatsink – Hi-Tech Reviews
- Thermalright HR-05 Chipset Heatsink – PC Modding Malaysia
Cooling
- Maxtor OneTouch III Turbo Edition – BIOS Magazine
Memory & Storage
- ASRock 775XFire-eSATA2/A/ASR i945PL – PC Stats
- ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe – NeoSeeker
Motherboards & CPU’s
- Brando Optical USB Mouse With 2 USB Port Hub – Bona Fide Reviews
- Logitech Wireless Desktop S510 Media Remote – Overclockers Club
- OCZ GameXStream 700W – Phoronix
- Power Supplies 101: A comprehensive guide – Motherboards.org
- SilverStone 750 Watt ATX Power Supply – Guru3D
- Xgear Multimedia Gaming Headset – Bjorn3D
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- Asus EN7950GX2 – GeForce 7950 GX2 – HotHardware
- ATi Catalyst 6.6 with Control Panel – NGOHQ
- Catalyst 6.6 Comparison – Technic3D
- Inno3D GeForce 7600 GST 256MB DDR3 – Guru3D
Video Cards & Monitor
- Alienware Aurora m7700 – Atomic Gamer
- ASUS A8N-SLI Giveaway – TechDomain
- Everex StepNote LM7WE – techFEAR
- Kingston Giveaway – Just a few days left! – Cache-Community
- Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2 – Rojak Pot
- Motorola SLVR L7 – ByteSector
- Sondigo Sirocco – Digital Trends
- Sytrin VGA Cooler Giveaway – TechDomain
Etcetera, Complete Systems & Contests
DoD: Source Colmar Trailer
Valve has sent us a new trailer for the map Colmar which launches tomorrow alongside Jagd. If you haven’t already, you can whet your appetite by reading our preview of the new updates here.
You can download it here.
20" LCD Monitors: XXL Displays
In short, except for one monitor from Sony – priced at over $1,000 – none of the 16:10 monitors we tested was satisfactory for video use. It was for this reason that we approached this new spate of tests with a certain apprehension, while trying to keep an open mind. And admittedly, manufacturers’ attitudes are changing – at least, some of them. We had a few pleasant surprises while testing for this article, thanks in particular to the new S-MVA panels that are becoming more common. So if you’ll just step this way…
This is a good roundup of a few widescreen LCD’s. I have never been a fan of 16:10, but these monitors don’t look too bad. With 1680*1050, it would look sweet for gaming.
TechSpot in Spanish opens its doors
We are proud to announce the beta launch of TechSpot in Spanish. Just like the original TechSpot does, we plan and hope to deliver the best computer and technology information through this new portal which will target all spanish speaking countries.
Grats to TechSpot on the new launch! You can check out their Spanish site at http://www.techspot.com/espanol/.
Microsoft to launch code-sharing site
The CodePlex site will be a venue for Microsoft to provide programmers with tools available under its Shared Source licenses. These licenses allow people to view the source code of products, the software giant said. The site, which had been in beta testing, is meant to foster more interaction between Microsoft and programmers with technical information and software, it added.
They don’t seem to have plans to include the code from larger program offerings, but at least this is a start.
‘Emotionally Aware’ Computers Coming Soon
A London exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition will feature a computer system that is “emotionally aware” and is able to read human facial expressions. The computer, developed by researchers from the Royal Society, is able to track 24 facial points. Twenty facial movements — head nods and eyebrow movements included — are already identifiable. The computer will analyze facial expressions to try and read the user’s thoughts.
Now this is classic. What’s for the future? Trying to hold back your tears so as to not upset your PC?
Google to Test PayPal Rival
Google is set to introduce a test version of its GBuy online-payment service as early as this week, presaging a shake-up in the online-payments market now dominated by eBay’s PayPal, the Wall Street Journal reports. From the article: ‘Here is how the service will work: Consumers who search for items like “shoes” or “strollers” on Google’s search site will see text ads with a symbol or icon designating advertisers that accept GBuy payments.
Bring it on! If GBuy proves worthy at all, then the consumer will win. It’s a great time to launch a service, because so many people are fed up with PayPals ridiculous fees.
Identity Theft at Work
I believe lack of understanding is the main security issue with
identity theft; therefore, I gave a presentation to my company recently. In
it I mentioned how easy it is to steal someone’s identity at work. My hope
was that employees would fear for their own identity and have a better
understanding of why they need to support our security policies.
This is a great article that anyone could benefit from. Identity theft is become so widespread, nobody should be sitting back ignoring it.
Corsair Expands Popular XMS PRO and XMS XPERT Product Families with New DDR2-800 Low Latency Offerings
Fremont, CA (June 27, 2006) –Corsair® Memory, the worldwide leader in design and manufacture of high performance memory, today announced the introduction of two new DDR2-800 low latency 2GB kits. Designed with the advanced users in mind who demand performance, aesthetics and functionary in one package, the new TWIN2X2048-6400C4PRO and TWIN2XP2048-6400C4 memory kits are optimized for the current AMD® socket AM2 platform and the upcoming Intel® platform.
You can read the full press release here.