Tech News

Hardware Roundup for Jan. 10

Posted on January 10, 2006 10:03 AM by Rob Williams

Today is the day that we finally see the release of the new top end Dual Core CPU from AMD. If you want to take a break from reading all of those reviews today, then here are some great ones to focus your attention on. If you think that Corsair only makes memory, then you must check out the COOL water cooling review at Overclockers Online today. They concluded that it was a great kit, especially for the price.

If you need some decent DDR2 memory, you should check out Phoronix look at the OCZ PC2-4200 1GB kit. They managed to run stable overclocked to DDR2-736MHz.. not shabby at all. I’m currently running a similar set, and it seems rock stable so far, so I can’t wait to take them for a nice overclocking run. If you are interested in seeing how the X1900 should perform in 3D Mark 05, then check out Hexus. If you have $1,100 just lying around, CrossFired X1900’s may be the way to go!

    Cases & Enclosures
  • Thermaltake Bach Media LAB HTPC – 3D Gameman
    Memory & Storage
  • Corsair 512MB Flash Voyager Flash Memory Drive – Rojak Pot
  • OCZ PC2-4200 1GB Gold GX XTC – Phoronix
    Motherboards & CPU’s
  • Intel 945P/G Mobo Round-up – Digit-Life
    Video Cards & Monitor
  • Next generation NVIDIA GPU details and 3DMarks – Hexus
  • RADEON X1900 Benchmarks – Hexus
    Press Releases
  • AMD Releases The World’s Ultimate Processor For PC Enthusiasts: The AMD Athlonâ„¢ 64 FX-60 Dual-Core Processor – Full PR
  • Novell Secures the Open Enterprise with New Linux Application Security Project – Full PR

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SLI coming to laptops soon

Posted on January 9, 2006 11:32 AM by Rob Williams

The concept is rather simple. You take two MXM graphic modules, plug them in one of those Desktop replacement machines and you can run SLI on your notebook. Nvidia will probably make the chipset that can accommodate SLI in notebooks and we have some reason to think this board is already finished. It is Nforce 4 SLI for notebooks.

If you at the desktop replacement type, then this is something you will likely be waiting for. I can’t wait to see how manufacturers will handle cooling two cards, because it won’t be easy. Source: TheInquirer.

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Samsung prepares Blu-ray, HD DVD combo drive

Posted on January 9, 2006 11:27 AM by Rob Williams

AT CES 2006, I was very much after the latest in the HD DVD and Blu-ray standards dispute. It’s a complete mess, just like the one we experienced at some five years ago at CeBit, when the DVD-R chaps squared up against the DVD+R chaps. It ended up as DVD+/-RW and every recorder that you buy today supports both discs. Now, we learn that Samsung will be the first manufacturer to release a device that is capable of playing both HD DVD and Blu-ray discs.

A combo drive is definitely the way to go, although there is really no sense right now. Hopefully we’ll see more Blue Ray and HD-DVD pop up soon. Source: TheInquirer.

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Adobe announces Lightroom

Posted on January 9, 2006 11:14 AM by Rob Williams

Adobe has unveiled a new high-end photography workflow program dubbed “Lightroom.” As a professional photography workflow app with a focus on RAW image processing and batch conversion, Lightroom is a direct competitor to Aperture, Apple’s first foray into professional imaging.

Sounds like a solid product, but it appears Apple is not too happy. Check out the full posting at Ars Technica.

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Optimus Keyboard May Launch February 1st

Posted on January 9, 2006 11:13 AM by Rob Williams

I’m a little skeptical, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. The Optimus keyboard, the one with the little OLEDs under each key, appears to be launching February 1, 2006. Truth? Hype? We don’t know yet, but we’ll keep you informed.

I’ll believe it when I see it; I’m doubtful we’ll see it hit the date. Who knows though, but this thing is really going to hurt some wallets! Source: Gizmodo.

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Hardware Roundup for Jan. 9

Posted on January 9, 2006 11:07 AM by Rob Williams

Happy Monday! Is the NV Silencer going the way of the dodo? NGO is taking a look at the brand new Accelero GPU cooler. It turns out that the cooler is so good, that no cons could be listed. If massive storage is your thing, then you may want to look at Trusted Reviews because they are reviewing a 500GB Seagate’s today. If you are in the market for a new PSU, then there are also three reviews there for your consumption.

    Cooling
  • World Exclusive Review: Arctic Cooling Accelero X2 VGA Cooler – NGOHQ
    Motherboards & CPU’s
  • Albatron K8SLi – Viper Lair
  • Gigabyte GA-K8N Pro SLI AMD Athlon 64 Socket 939 – OC Inside
    Video Cards & Monitor
  • ATI Radeon X1800 XT CrossFire Evaluation – Hard|OCP
  • ATI PowerPlay Benchmarked – PyroCPU
  • PowerColor X1600 XT & X1300 PRO – Bjorn3D

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Half-Life 2: Aftermath Dated

Posted on January 9, 2006 10:53 AM by Rob Williams

After reading an internet report which claimed HL2: Aftermath would be released on the 24th of April while HL2: Platinum would be available much earlier, on the 28th of January, I decided to e-mail Valve Software’s Doug Lombardi in order to ask for a confirmation:

We’re currently targeting April 24th for the release of both Aftermath and Platinum. Platinum will include HL2, HL2 DM, CS: Source, DoD: Source, and Aftermath.

I cannot wait to play this.. Source: Mod-HQ.

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Titan Eagle Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:31 PM by Rob Williams

Whether you choose the copper or the aluminum version, the Eagle is a
welcome replacement for the ineffective stock coolers that modern furnaces,
I mean, video cards possess. Now that we know Titan has yet another amazing
product in its lineup, I am ready to see what they have in store for us
next.

Check out the full review over at Overclockers Online.

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Sweex External 4 Port USB 2.0 Mini HUB Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:30 PM by Rob Williams

Sweex is a manufacturer of a wide range of affordable computer related products and its vision is, that it is the possibilities this technology has to offer that must be focal point rather than the technology itself. Sweex communicates about this in a clear language. It sees everyday uses that can be recognized by young and old alike. It simplifies a seemingly complicated, confusing technology. Sweex therefore offers a wide range of affordable and smart products, like the Sweex USB 2.0 Mini HUB.

Check out the full review at MVK Tech.

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Gigabyte GeForce 6600 DDR2 256MB SLI Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:15 PM by Rob Williams

Gigabyte GV-NX66256DP2 is NVIDIA’s latest GeForce 6600 series graphic card and we would like to conclude that it is another great value graphics card from NVIDIA. By changing the DDR to DDR2, the performance has been increased significantly. Futhermore, Gigabyte GV-NX66256DP2 is a totally silent graphics card using the Silent-Pipe cooling technology. Although it supports SLi, it is not really wise to run an SLi configuration as getting a single high end graphics card offers a better price versus performance ratio.

Check out the full review at PC Modding Malaysia.

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Power Color X800XL 256MB Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:14 PM by Rob Williams

Although ATI’s X1000 series graphics processors have stolen a
great deal of the attention off its predecessors, there remains no Linux
3D support at this time for these latest red solutions. However, for
Linux users with the present status of ATI’s proprietary drivers the
X800 remains a respectable solution for those not looking to fall to the
green team with their overwhelming Linux presence. Up on our review
block today we have the X800XL 256MB from the folks over at Power Color.

Check out the full article over at Phoronix.

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Commodore…Back With A Vengeance!

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:10 PM by Rob Williams

Some of you may not know the name Commodore, but for me it brings back many memories. I really got my start in all this computer stuff with the Commodore Vic-20; I can say that it changed the way I looked at computers and how I felt about them. Sure I used and owned other computers, but when I got the Vic-20, that’s when my love for computers became an obsession. Today we had the chance to take a look at the ‘new’ Commodore company. Bob and Alex, being much younger than I, really couldn’t appreciate or understand my excitement and enthusiasm at going to the meeting with the Commodore reps for our private little showing of their newest products. I’m sure some of you out there that are reading this can possibly understand how I felt about this meeting.

I had no idea that Commadore still existed, but the name sure does bring back memories to me blowing up my Commadore 64. This is a great article showing some very different products which will hopefully help keep the company name alive. Check it out Think Computers.

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AlphaCool NexXxoS NVXP-3 6800/7800 GPU Block Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:07 PM by Rob Williams

The section of the block that sits over the core is griddled to aid the water to pick up the heat better, this has two side inputs and a outlet, this ensures that water is always over most of the GPU area then gets drawn to the middle outlet.

Check out the full article at Xtreme Computing.

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Logitech Wireless Headphones for MP3 Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 1:04 PM by Rob Williams

From this angle, we have a much better look at the 3.5mm male headphone jack. If you notice, there is a gap to the right of the headphone jack. The entire headphone jack unit can actually slide from either the left or right, depending on what is convenient for the device you are connecting to. Logitech provides a small locking mechanism to keep the jack in place.

Check out the full review over at OCIA!

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The Quest for Lag Free Gaming

Posted on January 8, 2006 12:58 PM by Rob Williams

In this article,
we explore what can we do to avoid lag, stuttering, and performance –
memory wise.
It looks like 2 GB is a must if you want to run games at the highest
details, but we think the
major improvement of having 2 GB (or even 4 GB) of memory is not performance
or lack
of stuttering. It’s game loading time – far shorter for newer games.

Check out the full article right at Tech-Hounds.

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Thermaltake CL-P0200 Silent 939 K8 Cooler Review

Posted on January 8, 2006 12:45 PM by Rob Williams

None of us are strangers to the Thermaltake name. They have being around for a decent amount of time now. They have their name on everything from cases to water-cooling kits. But today we will be looking at one of their products from their heatsink lineup. In my quest to build a quiet for yet powerful SFF machine, the one thing that I knew I would need was a good heatsink that cooled well and did not make much noise. Enter the Thermaltake Silent 939 K8 cooler. Will it do the job let’s see.

Some TT coolers are pretty wild looking, but this one has a touch of class. To see how well it does in some tests, check out the review at Pro-Clockers.

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CES 2006 Day 2: The Digital Experience

Posted on January 6, 2006 11:42 AM by Rob Williams

The Digital Experience is the second press only event prior to the opening of the show on January 5th. Some of the most innovative companies gather at this event to get the attention of the attending press members at CES. Here’s what we saw…

Check out some great new products at Future Looks.

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CES Day 1 @ AMD Zone

Posted on January 6, 2006 11:35 AM by Rob Williams

AMD Zone has many Day 1 pictures up today, which you can check out here. There are *many* products I can’t wait to learn more about here, especially the OCZ Phase Change.

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Quad SLI showcased by Dell and NVIDIA

Posted on January 6, 2006 11:31 AM by Rob Williams

Dell have thought up a use for that massive 30 inch TFT of theirs. They’ve teamed up with NVIDIA at CES to showcase the biggest thing to hit PC graphics since SLI… Quad SLI.

Can anyone say overkill? Read about it at Hexus.

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OCZ’s new phase-change cooler

Posted on January 6, 2006 11:30 AM by Rob Williams

OCZ, best known for their high performance RAM products, is entering the performance cooling market with its new phase-change cooler, the Cryo-Z. HEXUS can exclusively reveal details on the new product.

Wow, this is quite a spin from memory! Check it out at Hexus.

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New Logitech Cordless Desktop Designed for Mac, Delivers Laser Precision

Posted on January 6, 2006 11:26 AM by Rob Williams

LAS VEGAS — CES — Jan. 4, 2006 — Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI), the world’s leading manufacturer of cordless computer peripherals, has introduced the Logitech® Cordless Desktop® S 530 Laser for Mac, a cordless keyboard-and-mouse combination that accentuates the elegant simplicity and style of today’s best-selling Mac® computers and provides premium controls
to enhance the experience of using a Mac.

Check out the full press release here.

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Hardware Roundup for Jan. 6

Posted on January 6, 2006 10:59 AM by Rob Williams

There’s lots of great reviews going around today. If you are into bizarre products, then you may want to check out Overclockers Online because they are reviewing a mouse with a microphone in it. You heard right, and yes, it’s wierd. Byte Sector is taking a look at the new P XE 955 which rolls in at a stock 3.46GHz. He didn’t manage to get a huge OC out of it, and for the price you would hope you could.

Rojak Pot is taking the new 4GB Corsair Voyager drive for a spin, which we also tested last month. For a good CrossFire board, check out Bit-Tech today for their review of the MSI RD480. The board is pretty good overall, but requires you to use S-ATA drivers to install Windows! If you are looking for a killer racing wheel, then head over to TweakPC for a roundup for four.

    Memory & Storage
  • Corsair 4GB Flash Voyager – Rojak Pot
    Etcetera & Contests
  • How Manufacturers Test Heatsinks & Thermal Compound – Frosty Tech
  • HP Color LaserJet 3000 – Trusted Reviews
  • Samsung SPP-2040 Colour 4″x6″ Photo Printer – PC Stats

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Iowa company wins $11B spam judgment

Posted on January 5, 2006 10:38 AM by Rob Williams

A Clinton-based Internet service provider was awarded an $11.2 billion judgment against a Florida man for sending millions of unsolicited e-mails advertising mortgage and debt consolidation services.

The lawsuit, filed in 2003 by CIS Internet Services owner Robert Kramer III, also prompted earlier judgments against companies in Florida and Arizona worth more than $1 billion.

Wow this is not a small number! How screwed is this guy? Check out the full release here. Source: Hard|OCP.

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ASUS and Lamborghini Join in Comprehensive Partnership

Posted on January 5, 2006 10:37 AM by Rob Williams

Taipei, Taiwan; January 3rd, 2006 – ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (ASUS) and Automobili Lamborghini today announced a comprehensive partnership that merges advanced information technology and automobile heritage. The result is the stunning Lamborghini Notebook Series that inherits all the striking traits of a true Lamborghini.

Available in both yellow and black, the Lamborghini Notebook Series is the ultimate representation of technology and automobile fusion and a true mobile computing revolution. With design details and special mirror painting finish, the Industrial Design team at ASUS has successfully produced an exceptional innovation that, with the look alone, exudes power, speed, strength and beauty.

The small teaser shots are certainly not enough; I can’t wait to see full fledged images of this. Check out the full PR right here.

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Hardware Roundup for Jan. 5

Posted on January 5, 2006 10:36 AM by Rob Williams

CES is now in full swing, so we should be seeing many reports as the days pass. Already some websites are posting information of what’s new, so be sure to scour through them. In reviews today though, including a fan controller over at Bjorn3D. It looks like it can do it’s job well, but despite being a fan controller… there is not much controlling to be had. Also in the modding dept. is the Matrix MX610 LED display. With this, you can display system temperatures, fan speeds or anything else you can think of. If you are looking for a killer mousepad to support your gaming habits, you may also want to check out Got Frag today for their roundup.

    Cases & Enclosures
  • Cooler Master Stacker 830 Full Tower – System Cooling
  • Raidmax Sagitta Gaming Case w/450W PSU – 3D Gameman
    Memory & Storage
  • Maxtor DiamondMax 200GB Hard Drive – OC Mod Shop
    Motherboards & CPU’s
  • ASRock 939NF4G-SATA2 – PC Stats
  • BIOS Optimization Guide Rev. 8.7.1 – Rojak Pot
    Video Cards & Monitor
  • ATI All In Wonder 2006 PCIe – Motherboards.org
  • PowerColor X800GTO 128 MB PCI-E – Tech-Mods
  • Sansun Thermal Monster Fan Controller – Bjorn3D
    Etcetera & Contests
  • Epson Stylus D88 Photo Edition inkjet printer review – A1 Electronics
  • Gateway CX200X Tablet PC – Design Technica
  • Novell Raises the Bar for Linux Collaboration and Development – Full PR

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