IT News HeadLines (HardOCP) 22/09/2010

Czechs Halt Google's 'Street View,' Cite Privacy
Another government putting a halt on Google's Street View? Czech. The Czech Republic has refused to grant Google permission to expand its "Street View" because the mapping feature invades peoples' privacy, the government's privacy watchdog said Wednesday. The Czech Office for Personal Data Protection has been investigating the issue since April, and last week it did not give Google Inc. the necessary registration for "Street View" in the eastern European country but did not explain why. Comments
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Using Android is Like 'Peeing in Your Pants'
And the quote of the day is brought to you by Nokia, Android and the letter P. Anssi Vanjoki, outgoing head of Nokia's smartphone division, likens mobile phone makers that adopt Google's software to Finnish boys who"pee in their pants" for warmth in the winter. Temporary relief is followed by an even worse predicament. Comments
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Microsoft to Expand Multiscreen Entertainment Services
Microsoft Corp. today announced the further international expansion of Zune, its digital entertainment service. This fall, Zune will expand its music and video footprint and bring the free Zune software, Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass1 music subscription service and enhanced features on Zune.net to new markets, providing a comprehensive entertainment experience on Windows-based PCs, on the go with Windows Phone 7 and in your living room through Xbox LIVE. Comments
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GIGABYTE X58A-UD5 Motherboard
Want to know what it takes for a motherboard to earn an [H] Editor's Choice Gold Award? Read our evaluation of the GIGABYTE X58A-UD5 motherboard and you'll find out. The X58A-UD5 is one of the latest boards in GIGABYTE's refresh of its Intel X58 chipset board line. The board improves upon an already solid design, adding support for the newest Intel based processors and the much touted SATA 6G and USB 3.0 technologies. Has Gigabyte built us overclockers a better X58 motherboard? Comments
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The DIY Coilgun
You know that "do not try at home" disclaimer stuff you always hear before doing something dangerous? This guy didn't listen (thankfully). Comments
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Caller ID Says "Phone Scam"
You know things are bad all over when phone scammers don't even try anymore. Damn shame they blurred out the scammer's number. Comments
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NVIDIA Reveals Fermi's Successor
NVIDIA's CEO has just revealed a few details on Fermi's successors. There isn't a whole lot of info other than names and dates but it's something. Here's a bit from the news item: "hundreds of engineers" are already hard at work on Codename Kepler, expected to go to production this year and ship in 2011. Kepler's based on a 28nm process, we're told, and will thankfully deliver an estimated 3 to 4 times the performance per watt compared to Fermi, and hopefully run cool. Comments
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Interpol Worried About Spike in Extremist Websites
The head of Interpol, speaking at the conference of world police chiefs, says that the number of extremist websites has skyrocketed. Makes you wonder where the RIAA ranks on that list. The chief of Interpol says the "skyrocketing" number of extremist websites is making it easier for terrorists to recruit middle class youth around the world. Noble said the number of extremist websites tracked by police was 12 in 1998 and 4,500 in 2006. Comments
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Havok Physics Demo at IDF 2010
I missed this Havok Physics demo given at IDF 2010 in San Francisco while I was on vacation last week. Thankfully forum member AMD Gamer spotted it and posted it in this thread. Check this out:
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Fan-Made Half-Life CG Movie Trailer
Holy cow! Someone needs to make this a reality (without charging $30 for it though). Comments
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Report Claims Higher Consumer Satisfaction with PCs
A new report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index says that higher consumer satisfaction with PCs and other electronics may signal a rebound in consumer demand. You can view the chart here and the press release here (pdf). Customer satisfaction improves for major household appliances and is at or near all-time highs for personal computers and bigticket consumer electronics such as televisions, according to a report released today by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Amid recent news of weak durable goods growth and the continued uncertainty of the housing market, the ACSI results may provide a glimmer of hope for future demand for these durable products. Comments
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AMD Introduces New Six Core and Expanded Desktop Processor Lineup
AMD today announced new arrivals to its processor line giving more reasons than ever to upgrade to the visual experience of a new PC featuring VISION Technology from AMD. These processors join AMD's award winning AMD 8-series chipset and ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 series graphics for PCs that combine stunning high definition video and 3D graphics with multi-tasking performance. The AMD Phenom™ II X6 1075 processor slots in just below our flagship 1090T model, offering high-end features like Turbo CORE acceleration technology and six-core performance for less than $250. The AMD Phenom™ II X2 560 Black Edition processor is an affordable alternative for enthusiasts looking for performance tuning capabilities for more performance or lower power consumption. Comments
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GIGABYTE X58A-UD5 Motherboard Review
The X58A-UD5 is one of the latest boards in GIGABYTE's refresh of its Intel X58 chipset board line. The board improves upon an already solid design, adding support for the newest Intel based processors and the much touted SATA 6G and USB 3.0 technologies. Has Gigabyte built us overclockers a better X58 motherboard?
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