Tech News

Geforce 7900 GT has 7800 GTX 256 performance for $299

Nvidia will price those cards at around $299 or just a little bit higher in Europe. This means that Nvidia will sell a card clocked at minimally 450 MHz core or even higher, a 256 MB card with full 24 pipelines for a price of 7800 GT.

If the 7900GT is indeed going to be the price of the 7800GT counterpart, then that’s going to be one great deal. Check out the full posting at The Inq.

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Intel man accuses AMD of lying about dual cores

AMD had challenged Intel to a dual core fight but said Zeng Ming, Intel’s GM of northern China, results it had published were doubtful. Zeng said AMD had disseminated info about Intel’s dual core chip since last December.

Throwing around accusations, but they never accepted the duel with AMD when they offered it. So they are confident they could keep up, but never accepted the challenge. I’m sure. Check out the posting at The Inq.

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Sony, NEC to merge optical drive teams

Sony and NEC are to merge their respective optical drive divisions into a single ¥220bn ($1.9bn) jointly owned company, Sony NEC Optiarc, the two Japanese giants announced today. The move may pave the way for reconciliation between the two next-generation optical disc formats, Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.

This is a very interesting merge. It will be great to see what good comes out of it. Check out the posting at Reg Hardware.

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Gentoo Linux 2006.0 Released

Major highlights in the release include KDE 3.4.3, GNOME 2.12.2, XFCE 4.2.2, GCC 3.4.4 and a 2.6.15 kernel. This is also the first release with the Gentoo Linux Installer officially debuting on the x86 LiveCD, which will fully replace the Universal and PackageCD set. The LiveCD also features a fully-fledged Gnome environment. Later releases will include KDE support as well as a new LiveDVD.

You can check out the news release at the official site, and grab the downloads there as well. My LiveCD downloaded very quickly with the torrent, so you may want to take that route.

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Microsoft Unveils Windows Vista Product Lineup

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 26, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the product lineup of its upcoming Windows Vista™ operating system. Scheduled for release later this year, the Microsoft® Windows Vista product lineup will bring clarity to customers’ digital world by helping them easily accomplish everyday tasks, instantly find what they want, enjoy the latest in entertainment, improve the safety of their personal information, stay connected at home or on the go, and help ensure PCs are up-to-date, more secure and running smoothly.

Finally, some confirmation! You can read the full release here.

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Todd Hollenshead Q&A

WorthPlaying: With QUAKE 4 now released on both the PC and Xbox 360, do you feel you have met your expectations in terms of making a game that fans love?

Todd Hollenshead: The single player experience for both versions was extremely polished out of the box and a very well integrated continuation of the QUAKE II storyline. We love the world and fiction we set up with QUAKE II and will continue to expand on that even further with Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars. So I believe the game delivered there immediately.

Check out the full interview at Worth Playing.

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Choosing either a High Definition Plasma TV or DLP Projection set

If you’re thinking of acquiring a new TV for your den or living room, it probably goes without saying that you’d like to have a high-resolution television with a great picture. But which set to buy, and more, importantly, which type of television should you consider buying?

Check out the full look at Bona Fide Reviews.

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Hardware Roundup for Feb. 27

Driver Heaven is taking a look at some brand new modules from SuperTalent. For a company you may never heard of, the memory overclocks really well and is super stable. For more DDR2 flavour, Rojak Pot is taking a look at PC2-5300 speed Mushkin modules. Laptop Gamers is taking a look at the latest and possibly coolest keyboards from Logitech, the G15. If you consider yourself to be a true gamer, you must check out the review.

Cases & Enclosures
• NMEDIAPC HTPC 300 Case – Think Computers

Cooling
• Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 – Bjorn3D
• Gigabyte G-Power Lite CPU Cooler – XYZ Computing
• Swiftech MCW60 VGA Waterblock – OCIA
• Thermaltake RX K8 Silent Boost – TweakNews

Memory & Storage
• Mushkin 2GB XP2-5300 Black Dual Pack Pictorial – Rojak Pot
• SuperTalent T800UX2GC4 PC2-6400 2GB – Driver Heaven

Motherboards & CPU’s
• ABIT AW8 Evaluation – techFEAR
• ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe – Digit-Life

Peripherals & Power Supplies
• Bose TriPort Headphone – Design Technica
• Icemat 2nd Edition Gaming mouse mat – XS Review
• Logitech G15 – Laptop Gamers
• Samsung YP-T8Z Digital Audio Player – Overclockers Online
• Scythe Kamariki-2 550 Watt Quiet Power Supply – Pro-Clockers

Video Cards & Monitor
• NVIDIA Solaris SLI – Phoronix
• PCI Express Video Card Giveaway – XYZ Computing
• PowerColor X1300 HyperMemory 2 – Technic3D
• Samsung SyncMaster 930BF – Overclockers Club

Etcetera & Contests
• ARP-Zalman Survey Contest Winners – Rojak Pot
• ATITool 0.25 Beta 14 – techPowerUp!
• GoblinX Mini v1.2.2 (Linux) – Phoronix

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Corepad Deskpad XXL Review

Are you one of those people that love a big mouse pad? Then BOY have I got something for you to check out for review today. I used to like the smaller mouse pads, but I got a few larger ones for review and grew quite fond of them over time, but I have found one now that I just love. It is from Corepad, it is called the Deskpad XXL, and it truly is extra, extra large. C’mon check this big bad boy out…

Check out the full review at Think Computers.

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Tt Symphony Mini H2O Cooling Kit Review

Thermaltake’s quick connect hoses rock pretty hard. They are designed so that both sides are closed and sealed except when mated together. Remember how I mentioned that the Symphony Mini came shipped to us pre-filled? The only thing between a liter or so of coolant and the FedEx box were these quick connect seals. The hoses were not connected during packaging or shipping. If Thermaltake puts this much faith in a quick connect seal, I think that speaks volumes of how good it is.

Check out the full review at Overclocker Cafe.

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Aerocool ExtremEngine 3T Computer Case

In the world of computers, the notion of “bigger is better” does
not always hold true. In fact, for most things computer related, smaller is
better. After all, smaller for the most part means better efficiency and
that is very important when it comes to computers. With that said, Aerocool
still believes that some things are still better when they are bigger, such
as a computer’s cooling fan. It is with that belief that Aerocool
introduces their newest computer case, ExtremEngine 3T. Just how big are
the fans on the ExtremEngine 3T?

Check out the full review at A True Review.

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7900 GTX specification confirmed

A source has let us know the specifications for the upcoming 7900 GTX. The part will allegedly have the following specification; a core clock of 650 MHz; a memory clock of 2.0 GHz; 24 pixel pipes, not 32 as predicted early last year.

Check out the full posting at Pure Overclock.

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Gainward BLISS 6800 GS ‘Goes like hell’ 512MB Review

Gainward’s BLISS 6800 GS GLH is no reference board. Sure, the core headroom is still up to the gods, but the memory headroom will destroy the competition. I managed to clock the memory to 1480 MHz at its peak. Just try and do that on any other 6800 GS with 2.0ns memory, it just won’t happen.

Check out the full review at Pure Overclock.

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Xtrac Pads Mouse Mats Review

Most people that games have a mouse mat, whether it be a frosted glass beauty or a battered old Lara Croft thick foam edition. Some people even decide to go without a mouse mat. That was what I was doing until I was kindly sent a package containing Xtrac Pads finest…

Check out the full review at Pro-Clockers.

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Thermaltake Eclipse DV Case Review

If you’re looking for a one liner then it would have to be “I like this case”. The inclusion of combo DVD drive is a great idea. Not only will it save you a few bucks, but it frees up drive bay as well. The drawback with this is the single connection on the IDE cable. This means that you lose one drive off your board, but if you’re running SATA hard drives then it’s not a biggie.

Head on over to Overclocker Cafe for the full review.

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Crucial Ballistix DDR500 PC-4000 1GB Kit Review

Crucial Technology has been known for their quality memory, great prices, and fast shipping. Recently Crucial has a new high performance memory product line, which goes by the name of Ballistix. The Ballistix line of memory encompasses both DDR and DDR2 products, and emphasizes performance while still maintaining Crucial’s high standards of quality. The Ballistix modules are specifically built for performance enthusiasts who want to push the performance without worrying about data loss or corruption.

Check out the full article over at MVK Tech.

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Albatron 6600-512 Review

The 6600-512 by Albatron was meant to outperform the cards like the
GeForce 6800 and even rival the 6600GT. While it may come up a bit short if
those cards are overclocked, Albatron has provided an alternative solution
that will certainly cost less while maintaining an average level of
performance.

Check out the full review at Overclockers Online.

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Tuniq Symmetry 1 ATX Chassis Review

Certain features stand out as exceptional, such as the lower location of the external USB/IEEE Audio/Mic ports, and the how the door swings open to the right (as opposed to the left on most cases.) They also added a neat little gadget: an Analog Dial Meter.

Head on over to Virtual-Hideout for the full review!

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ECS PF5 Extreme Review

ECS Elitegroup has been in the motherboard business since
1987, and their design quality certainly shows with their PF5 Extreme.
The ECS PF5 Extreme packs in dual PCI Express slots, dual LAN
interfaces, ECSonic II, and a wealth of other exclusives with this
Socket LGA-775 solution, which is powered by Intel’s 945 Chipset.
However, just how well will it fair against alternative Glenwood and
Lakeport products? Today we have the ECS PF5 Extreme today to look at
how well this multi-colored solution performs.

Check out the full review at Phoronix.

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Thermaltake Tide Water (VGA Liquid Cooling Module)

The Thermaltake Tide Water (VGA Liquid Cooling Module) is the first of its kind. Currently there is nothing like it on the market. With modern Video Cards getting faster and faster, they can get really hot. At default speeds this is fine, but if you are overclocking, something else is required. This is a perfect option for anyone needing to get their Video Card’s core to its peek performance. Watch the Video to find out more…

Check out the full video review at 3D Gameman.

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Quad Full High Definition Display: 3840×2160 of Ultra-HD Goodness

HDTV not sharp enough for you? The world’s third-largest LCD flat-panel supplier, Chi Mei Optoelectronics of Taiwan, developed a 56-inch flat panel display capable of resolution that’s four times higher than garden-variety HDTV. Quad Full High Definition (QFHD) is the next step in high-rez display technology, and this 56-inch flat panel can handle it, cranking out 3840 x 2160 pixels of ultra-high-definition goodness.

Just when I thought my HDTV was cool. This is seriously impressive but not really for the home user.. yet. Check it out at Gizmodo.

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HD DVD to Screw Early HDTV Adopters

Apparently the folks who designed the Advanced Access Content System (AACS)for the new HD DVD formats have decided to stick it to the early HDTV adopters. If your set used the older component video, expect to watch your new HD DVD at a quarter of the resolutions. To thwart piracy of course.

All I can say is, ouch. It will suck if you were an early adopter. It will suck even more if this copy protection is broken quickly, which is always a possibility. Check out the full read at Slashdot.

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Logitech Brings New Levels of Control to Adobe Creative Suite 2

ORLANDO, Fla. — PMA — Feb. 23, 2006 — Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) and Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: ADBE) today announced the results of a collaboration to provide creative professionals and design enthusiasts new levels of control when using Adobe® Creative Suite 2 (CS2) and standalone CS2 applications: the NuLOOQ™ Professional Series. The new Logitech product line comprises the NuLOOQ navigator™, an innovative device used in conjunction with a mouse and a keyboard to manipulate images and documents, and the NuLOOQ tooldial™, customizable on-demand interface software that provides quick access to design tools. Both are designed for use with the Mac® versions of Adobe Creative Suite 2, Adobe Illustrator® CS2, Adobe InDesign® CS2, and Adobe Photoshop® CS2.

Read the full press release here.

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Google Desktop 3: Convenience vs. Privacy

Google recently released an update to its desktop search product, Google Desktop 3. It offers several different features which add both a convenience factor and privacy issues. I am going to be looking into these, seeing how they relate, and if the convenience is out weighted by the privacy issues. If you are using (or are considering using) Google Desktop’s newest version I would highly suggest you take some time and read this article before you make the decision for yourself.

It’s rare for Google to release an app that doesn’t have security risks, or at least lately. Check out the full article over at Big Bruin.

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Hardware Roundup for Feb. 24

Even though the 7900GTX is just around the corner, Pure Overclock has news about a Gainward 512MB “GLH” card that is so overclocked, it may just beat out the 7900GTX before it’s even released! XYZ Computing is taking a look at the new Western Digital Raptor X hard drive. If your laptop is making your lap hot, then check out the review at Virtual-Hideout. The lapinator comes in various sizes, and I had no idea such a product existed! For a worklog on a wicked new case mod, head over to CaseModGod. This one is simply amazing.

Cases & Enclosures
• AplusCase GL2 HTPC Case – Technic 3D
• CM Stacker 830 – Trusted Reviews
• XKROMA ATX Chrome Case – Think Computers

Cooling
• Danger Den Water Cooling Kit – Extensive Mods
• Scythe KAMA-BAY Bay Cooler – Pro-Clockers

Memory & Storage
• Kingston 256MB microSD Card – Rojak Pot
• Western Digital Raptor X WD1500AHFD Hard Drive – XYZ Computing

Peripherals & Power Supplies
• Asus DRW-1608P2 DVD Burner – PC Mech
• Lapinator vs. Lapinator Plus Laptop Desk Comparison – Virtual-Hideout
• Sunbeamtech Solar Illuminated Keyboard – Gideon Tech
• Ultra Products X-Finity 600W – PC Apex

Video Cards & Monitor
• Gainward rumour a 7800GTX 512MB ‘GLH’ in the works – Pure Overclock
• GeCube Radeon X1800XT 512MB – Bit-Tech
• Powercolor: From X1600 XT over X1800 XL to X1900 XTX – TweakPC
• PowerColor X1900 XT – Trusted Reviews

Etcetera & Contests
• Hell’s Illusion: Project Lament II – Case Mod God
• NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS Giveaway Contest Results – Rojak Pot
• The 2006 Best of Web 2.0 – Design Technica
• XSR Competition – PowerColor X1300 128mb HyperMemory 2 PCIE graphics card – XS Reviews

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