Logitech Throws Trackball Fans a Bone, Launches Wireless Model
Logitech this week announced the launch of its Wireless Trackball M570, and don't bother calling it a comeback, because these suckers never left in the first place. Believe it or not, trackballs still command a fiercely loyal following, and the M570 takes its place as the flagship model in Logitech's trackball lineup. "Based on overwhelming demand from our dedicated trackball users, we’re delighted to announce the introduction of a new wireless trackball – the Logitech Wireless Trackball M570," said
Read More ...
Memorex Mirror For Photos Hard Drive Auto Backs-Up Contents
Memorex used to a name that everyone knew. And we mean everyone. They were just as popular as Polaroid or Sony in their heyday, but the brand has faded in recent years. But it hasn't vanished completely. It's still alive and kicking, and the company is introducing a new external hard drive today under the "Mirror" nameplate. The Mirror For Photos hard drive is designed to be carried around by photographers, automatically backing up their images. It requires a one-time software install to go about its business,
Read More ...
ViewSonic's NVIDIA Tegra 2-Based G Tablet In Action
Tablets certainly seem to be all the rage this year and it's likely that the holiday buying season will be rife with offerings from some of the major players. Folks just can't seem to get enough tablets these days, though the design concept has been around for years. And why not, somebody has to bring competition for the iPad. Now that the proper technology is available (capacitive touch screens, more capable low power CPUs, and OS user interface features) to enable a satisfying tablet experience,
Read More ...
iSuppli: AMD and Intel "Competing Furiously" for Market Share
To the average Joe, it might seem as though the knock-down, drag-out battles between AMD and Intel have slowed to what amounts to a thumb wrestling match by comparison, but market research firm iSuppli sees things a different way. According to iSuppli, even though both Intel and AMD maintained their market share positions in the global microprocessor business so far in 2010, this only reflects "intense competition" among the world's two top chip makers. "The static market share situation might suggest that the
Read More ...
OCZ Reveals Performance Oriented Ultra-Low Power RAM
Got memory? OCZ does, and plenty of it. And now they've got even more that requires even less power to operate. The company has just introduced next generation ultra-low voltage and extreme-low voltage DDR3 memory kits, with the new solutions offering power savings along with the stability that OCZ is known for. Both of these new kits are designed for the desktop. This enthusiast-grade memory complies with the latest JEDEC “DDR3L” low-voltage standards which ensures that system RAM runs cooler and
Read More ...
NZXT Introduces Sleeved LED Kit For Next Gen Modders
The case lighting trend has softened somewhat in recent years, but serious case modders still know that a job isn't done without a little flash. NZXT is offering a bit of help to those who are tired of the same 'ol, same 'ol, and the new Sleeved LED Kit offers a very new look in a very old game. Traditional lighting methods involve cold cathodes and even solid LED boards that take up additional case space, but this next generation of case lighting is tailor made for smaller cases and unconventional shapes. Basically,
Read More ...
comScore: Apple Loses Market Share Despite iPhone 4
Even with a spike from iPhone 4 sales, the iPhone lost ground to Android, according to a new comScore report. Despite the premiere of the new iPhone, Apple’s U.S. smartphone market share in the three months ending in July dropped by 1.3 percent while Android’s market share grew by an five percentage points. Apple generally sees a slowing in sales as the mid-summer timeframe approaches, with a new iPhone anticipated by consumers. Thus, and typically, Apple had been losing market share all year
Read More ...
Asus Reveals D525-Equipped Lamborghini VX6, WiCast And More At NYC Event
Asus laid down the gauntlet tonight in New York City, showing off to the media a few brand new things, a few fairly new things, and a few things that we had heard about before but never seen in person. Plenty of notebooks were on hand, along with the company's new streaming device. We won't waste time on the introduction, though, so let's dive right into a brand new notebook model. Asus WiCast and Blu-ray...a match made in heaven. The N53Jf is a stylish new mid-level machine that aims to provide a happy medium
Read More ...
Verizon Selling BlackBerry Curve 3G For Just $30 On Contract
How the times have changed. Just a couple of years ago, a new BlackBerry would cost you a couple hundred dollars, regardless of model. Now, Verizon Wireless is offering a new BlackBerry Curve for just $30 on a new 2-year contract. Just $30! And this is no stripped down BlackBerry; RIM's new Curve 3G utilizes one of the company's most popular designs, and they have added soft-touch sides and a textured back along with a full QWERTY keyboard. There's an optical trackpad in place of the old trackball design, dedicated
Read More ...
Microsoft Releases IE9 Beta; Do We Yawn or Pay Attention?
Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled its Internet Explorer 9 public beta to the world. However, with Internet Explorer market share continuing to drop, and drop, while Chrome and Firefox make major inroads the question is: do we care? As an end user, in the past, we really wouldn't care about an IE release. We moved first for Firefox, and as it became more bloated and unstable, and as Chrome extensions appeared, on to Chrome. Are things any different this time, and should end users care about IE9? Microsoft's latest
Read More ...
Intel's AppUp Store Launches, Along With E600 SoC Family
And here it is! Intel announced an app store for netbooks last year, but the company has been fairly silent on it ever since. At IDF in California, the Intel AppUp center for netbooks has been released, with new Adobe AIR applications, Microsoft Silverlight, and support from Asus, Best Buy, Croma and Dixons. In other words, Intel now has the partner support to really give this thing a go. App stores are a dime a dozen these days, but it actually sounds as if Intel may have some steam behind this one. The Intel
Read More ...
LaCie Introduces Two USB 3.0 Hard Drives: 2big and d2
Just a few days ago, the USB-IF proclaimed that 100 devices had been certified for use with USB 3.0. Now it looks like they won't have long before reaching their next milestone. LaCie, a leader in the storage industry with a knack for designing stylish drives that look quite a bit better than anything else in the sector, has just introduced two new products that incorporate the fastest version of USB. The first is the 2big USB 3.0, which a twin drive device that holds two 7200RPM hard drives and offers users
Read More ...
Intel Declares Contexual Awareness Will Drive The Future of Computing
Intel kicked off the third and final day of IDF 2010 with a keynote detailing the future evolution of devices it refers to as "contextually aware." This is far from the first time Intel has put a spotlight on the future of device design; we've covered several announcements in this vein over the past 12 months. According to Justin Rattner, CTO and Senior Fellow at Intel, context awareness will change the nature of how we interact with devices. Intel's goal is to create devices that can function more like personal
Read More ...
AMD's Demos Zacate Integrated Fusion CPU: Updated
AMD always hosts an event in the shadow of Intel's Developer Forum, so it wasn't surprising to hear the company was demoing its upcoming Zacate processor this week. Zacate is the codename associated with AMD's 18W dual-core APU and will target the $500 notebook market. The second chip, Ontario, is a 9W APU that'll chase after Atom's business. According to AMD's Director of Fusion Marketing, John Taylor, Zacate-class APUs are ideal platforms for what he calls "no-compromise cloud computing." Why's that? He's
Read More ...
Apple: Steve Jobs isn't a Ninja
For better or worse, the late Chris Farley from Saturday Night Live fame is still the great white ninja foretold by ancient legend (and Hollywood), and not Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO who reportedly said he'll never again return to Japan after airport officials wouldn't let him take ninja throwing starts aboard his private jet. That's according to a Japanese tabloid called SPA! Magazine, which reported the incident in its latest issue and ended up re-reported by Bloomberg. As the story goes, Jobs was going through
Read More ...
Nikon D7000 DSLR Now Available for Preorder
The rumor sites were all over this one, and usually when you see smoke, there's fire. That's certainly the case here, as Nikon has gone and officially outed its sizzling new D7000 DSLR with a 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, 39-point AF system, and 1080p HD movie recording with full time autofocus. "The D7000 DSLR creates a new class of Nikon camera by delivering exceptional quality, control, and an innovative feature set; this is a camera that enables DSLR users to achieve a true expression of their creative vision,
Read More ...
Your Best Practical Joke?
My neighbor is always messing with me. He teases me about my Toyota Truck, ("It's not a REAL truck like my Super Duty Ford!") and likes to try and joke me all the time.
I just put an ad in the local paper for a '55 Chevy 2-Door Sedan, all original, mint condition, for $600.00. I mentioned in the ad that I worked until 11PM and would only accept calls between 11PM and 3AM. I gave both the home and cell number in the ad.
This is a prank that another friend of his talked about one evening and I heard him. So he thinks that this other guy is responsible, and just went down to the paper to take an add out himself!
He said his phones have been ringing off of the hook for days!
What have you done?
Read More ...
NZXT Introduces Sleeved LED Kit For Next Gen Modders
The case lighting trend has softened somewhat in recent years, but serious case modders still know that a job isn't done without a little flash. NZXT is offering a bit of help to those who are tired of the same 'ol, same 'ol, and the new Sleeved LED Kit offers a very new look in a very old game. Traditional lighting methods involve cold cathodes and even solid LED boards that take up additional case space, but this next generation of case lighting is tailor made for smaller cases and unconventional shapes.
Basically, this new kit is a snake-light run of lights that emits a constant glow throughout the strand, and users can adjust the light brightness to low, medium, and high levels with red, green, blue, white, or orange kits. Best of all, it's not too expensive, with the kit going on sale later in the month for $9.99 (1 meter) / $14.99 (2 meters).
NZXT Debuts Sleeved LED Kit
Innovative designer of PC enthusiast accessories rethinks traditional case lighting
El Monte, CA – September 15, 2010 – NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to unveil a fresh approach to case lighting with the Sleeved LED Kit. Traditional lighting methods involve cold cathodes and even solid LED boards that take up additional case space. NZXT’s unique design pairs sleeved wires with a high density of LED’s, enabling enthusiasts to snake the lights between side panels and under components with ease. The end result is a beautiful glow throughout the case with a clean installation that doesn’t detract from the internal aesthetics. Users can adjust the light brightness to low, medium, and high levels with red, green, blue, white, or orange kits.
“We designed the Sleeved LED Kit to be a simple out of the box solution to add a little extra style and personalization to your PC with minimal effort and investment,” said Johnny Hou, Founder and Chief Designer at NZXT.
NZXT’s Sleeved LED Kit will be available at the end of this month for the MSRP of $9.99(1M) and $14.99(2M). For more information visit http://www.nzxt.com/new/products/case_accessories/sleeved_led_kit
About NZXT
NZXT is a global brand established in 2004 as a PC hardware company built on the dreams of gamers. Their unique lineup of award-winning gaming hardware is completely inspired by gaming culture with product designs driven by the worldwide community of PC Enthusiasts and gamers. Combining unique design and unparalleled performance, gamers can find quality hardware representing their own style and personality in NZXT. www.nzxt.com
Read More ...
AMD's Demos Zacate Integrated Fusion CPU: Updated
AMD always hosts an event in the shadow of Intel's Developer Forum, so it wasn't surprising to hear the company was demoing its upcoming Zacate processor this week. Zacate is the codename associated with AMD's 18W dual-core APU and will target the $500 notebook market. The second chip, Ontario, is a 9W APU that'll chase after Atom's business. According to AMD's Director of Fusion Marketing, John Taylor, Zacate-class APUs are ideal platforms for what he calls "no-compromise cloud computing." Why's that? He's glad you asked. Increasingly, we go online for collaboration and social interaction...Nowhere is this more evident than on social networking sites. These sites...often requirTaylor isn't just talking about Zecate as a client-side APU; he's coyly hinting that AMD's new low-power wunderkind will perform quite effectively in cloud server clusters. The IDF demo, however, wasn't just about words; AMD had testbeds ready to demo Zecate's performance against Intel's Core i5. Here's where things get...questionable.quite a bit of processing power both in the cloud and on the client. The client-side processing is in fact increasing as the experience becomes more visually engaging, in the browser and the internet applications, and in the media players.
It is because of that balanced cloud computing need: low power to stay connected longer, with enough local visual compute power for media rich activities, that “Zacate” is poised to be a fantastic no-compromise mainstream platform and ideal for cloud computing with highly-mobile form factors.
First, there's AMD Space Command, an unreleased HTML5-based title written by AMD. According to this gem of a title, the Core i520M maintains 23 fps while the Zacate consistently delivers 38-40 fps. There's every reason to stare dubiously at this benchmark, but the performance gap isn't crazy. Intel's integrated GPUs have long been the ill-fated henchmen to AMD's tank of ill-tempered sea bass, so there's nothing all that strange about Zacate's GPU outperforming Intel's Core i5.
AMD also includes comparisons between Zacate and Core i5 in City of Heroes: Going Rogue and in the psychedelic browser benchmark. According to AMD, Zacate is ~10x faster in Psychedelic and substantially faster in CoH:GR. The problem here is that the Core i5's browser benchmark score is exceedingly low relative to what other individuals have seen using the same test on older Intel hardware. As for Going Rogue, earlier AMD blog posts specifically note that the game has been optimized to run on ATI graphics hardware. That doesn't change the fact that Zecate may genuinely outperform Core i5, but we'd have preferred to see a neutral title as well.
While there's no proof that AMD sabotaged the Intel system (there could be an issue with the IE9 preview platform), the specialized nature and limited scope of the tests the company did show leaves us unable to conclude much of anything about Zacate. One thing we'd love to know is the extent to which the various tests rely on CPU performance. None of the tests AMD demonstrated were overtly CPU-centric. AMD has a history of skirting such tests with its existing products; omitting numbers for Zacate could be an early sign that new chip lags the Core i5 in CPU performance. That said, AMD seems to be driving the graphics point home firmly with respect to Zecate.
Update: Anand of Anandtech also thought the Core i5's numbers were a tad strange and revisited AMD's suite. The problem turns out to be the OEM's fault; the latest set of Intel drivers that will automatically install are dated 3/31/2010. Forcing a manual driver updated fixed Intel's low scores in the Psychedelic benchmark--but Zacate's lead in all of the existing benchmarks (plus a few more Anand installed and tested) held firm.
We also spoke to AMD, who highlighted the fact that the Zacate hardware is aimed at a $500 price point while the specific Core i5 laptop tested sells for $800-$900. AMD didn't avoid CPU benchmarks to hide a performance weakness on Zacate's part, but simply wanted to highlight the platform's strengths. We still don't know how Zacate compares to Core i5 in terms of CPU performance, but given the two different price points, the two may not compete much.
Read More ...
Microsoft Releases IE9 Beta; Do We Yawn or Pay Attention?
Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled its Internet Explorer 9 public beta to the world. However, with Internet Explorer market share continuing to drop, and drop, while Chrome and Firefox make major inroads the question is: do we care?As an end user, in the past, we really wouldn't care about an IE release. We moved first for Firefox, and as it became more bloated and unstable, and as Chrome extensions appeared, on to Chrome. Are things any different this time, and should end users care about IE9?
Microsoft's latest browsers have been more standards compliant, and that includes IE9, which fully embraces HTML5. Microsoft's latest browser iterations have trailed in terms of speed, and although Microsoft claims that IE9 has better JavaScript performance than previous versions, it's still slower than Chrome, at least according to these benchmarks. However, it's clear that Microsoft has finally made enough improvements in speed to make it a reasonable option: you're not going to feel like a snail compared to Chrome and Firefox, and in fact IE9 surpassed Firefox in some of the benchmarks. In fact, Microsoft is quick to point out that IE9 can even use your graphics card to handle page rendering and animation.
Your mileage, of course, will vary.
What does IE9 offer besides speed? Here are the new features:
Pinned Sites: you can drag sites to the Windows Taskbar and pin them there.
One Box: This feature combines the address bar and search box into a single edit control. Seriously, it's something Chrome has had since inception, and sadly the default search engine is Bing. That means that most folks will be forced to take an extra step (come on, you know it as well as we do) and switch to Google, but oh, well. You can also install Wikipedia, Amazon, Facebook and others through the Add-On page.
Additional Tab functionality: Just as with Chrome, you can now shut down a misbehaving tab separate from the rest of IE9. Tabs can easily be detached now, and when you do so, you don't lose your place --- content, even YouTube continue to render.
Download manager: We'll just add the word "Finally" here and leave it at that. Firefox, Safari, Chrome, they all had some sort of this type of functionality, so it's been long awaited.
IE9 looks to be a very good browser, or at least, it's shaping up that way. For the first time in a few version, it may in fact be a decent challenger to Firefox and Chrome. However, remember that IE 9 Beta is just that, still a beta. You may encounter bugs, so keep that in mind if you decide to try it.
Where to download? Come right here.
Read More ...
Asus Overclocking Competition: Life Is Better With LN2
Asus hosted an overclocking competition this past weekend and invited us out to see XtremeSystems, OC Alliance, and Team PURE vie for top honors and performance world records on both LGA1366 and 1156. I've got experience working with single-stage phase changers, which use air-conditioner compressors to cool a CPU down to roughly -50C, but liquid nitrogen-fueled overclocking is an altogether different kettle of fish. It's also firmly in the "don't try this at home", although the price of LN2 most likely makes this a moot point. 
The Rampage III board here is being prepped for subzero overclocking. The substance being applied is kneaded eraser. I've used mastic tape for the same purpose, but kneaded eraser is easier to apply, can be shaped to fit around socket components, and is less likely to contain small gaps that allow condensation to penetrate down to the motherboard. Mastic tape, quite frankly, is a pain in the butt to work with—imagine trying to seal the various nooks and crannies of a motherboard using thin, relatively narrow strips of tar that latch on to any surface they touch, fuse with previous stripes, resist cutting, and stretch. God help you if you actually plan to reverse the modification; mastic tape doesn't come off easy. The compound can be dissolved, but only if you're willing to invest in a lot of lighter fluid.
There are other ways to seal motherboards (neoprene and sealant solutions are also used), but the idea of a superior solution that uses inexpensive art supplies caught my eye. Low-temperature overclockers are generally the only people who go to the trouble of sealing a motherboard, but they aren't the only group that could benefit from the practice. While there's no need to seal a water-cooled motherboard (unless you've integrated a chiller unit), doing so could provide additional insurance against the possibility of a random leak destroying an awful lot of expensive equipment.
By the time the team was finished, the Rampage III was entirely covered with but the PCI Express slots and RAM visible.
It's impressive AND it's frozen. Two for one deal.
Asus' dual 5870 "Ares" video card...
Some of you had a hard time seeing the card outline in our article; we've included an outline that should help.
We've already discussed the Asus Ares, but the card is impressive enough to include an additional shot of it here. In a way, both the card and the overclocking event itself are examples of how rapidly computer technology continues to advance. In order to increase the GPU and memory clocks 15 and 20 percent, Asus had to bolt on a heavier cooler, beef up the card's power plugs, and bin a select number of parts that could tolerate the additional stress. In 2-3 years, we' will see midrange GPUs delivering equivalent performance with single-slot coolers and fairly quiet fans. (That's not to say we wouldn't like an Ares now.)
As for the main event, OC Alliance was leading the LGA1366 bracket as of Saturday evening, with a new world record (according to Asus) of 6.53 GHz. At 6.5 GHz these systems are running at nearly twice the speed of Intel's current highest-end Core i7s. We don't expect to see Intel cranking up its clocks in the next 24 months—those days are over—but Francois Piednoel, one of the Intel reps who attended the event, emphasized to us that improving single-threaded performance is still a focus at Intel. Francois acknowledged that it's much harder to extract additional IPC efficiency now than it was in years past, but the company is still committed to the goal. We don't expect to see any jumps that mirror the move from Core 2 Duo to Core i7 anytime soon, since pulling the memory controller on-die is a one-time benefit, but Intel is scarcely out of ideas.
Read More ...
iSuppli: AMD and Intel "Competing Furiously" for Market Share
To the average Joe, it might seem as though the knock-down, drag-out battles between AMD and Intel have slowed to what amounts to a thumb wrestling match by comparison, but market research firm iSuppli sees things a different way. According to iSuppli, even though both Intel and AMD maintained their market share positions in the global microprocessor business so far in 2010, this only reflects "intense competition" among the world's two top chip makers."The static market share situation might suggest that the second quarter was an uneventful quarter in terms of the competition between the two dominant microprocessor suppliers of Intel and AMD," said Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst for compute platforms research at iSuppli. "However, with the market undergoing rapid growth and fast technological development, the fact that the companies have largely retained their positions indicates they are competing furiously for every tenth of a point of market share."
We bolded the main point for emphasis, though we hardly need to. According to iSuppli's numbers, Intel's microprocessor market share barely budged from Q1 to Q2 of this year, rising slightly from 80.3 percent to 80.4 percent. AMD, meanwhile, dropped a partial percentage point from 11.7 percent in Q1 to 11.52 percent in Q2.
By themselves the numbers are pretty boring and tell the same story -- Intel dominates the CPU market and AMD is a distant second. But as iSuppli points out, the minor blips underscore just how intense the battle for market share has become.
Look around and you'll see this play out in the retail market. Every time AMD or Intel release a new processor, the other follows suit, or slashes prices for existing parts to steal the other one's thunder. AMD's affordably priced hexa-core chips, for example, undoubtedly played a part in Intel's decision to recently cut the price of its Core i7 950 processor by 50 percent, which now streets for around $300. The same thing happens at the lower end, too.
Read More ...
ViewSonic's NVIDIA Tegra 2-Based G Tablet In Action
Tablets certainly seem to be all the rage this year and it's likely that the holiday buying season will be rife with offerings from some of the major players. Folks just can't seem to get enough tablets these days, though the design concept has been around for years. And why not, somebody has to bring competition for the iPad. Now that the proper technology is available (capacitive touch screens, more capable low power CPUs, and OS user interface features) to enable a satisfying tablet experience, tablets are becoming "the real deal," or so to speak. In that vein, though we showed you the unveiling of NVIDIA's Tegra 2 low power processor last January at CES2010, only now are tablets built on the chip reaching the market. At Pepcom's Holiday Spectacular show in New York last night, we were treated to a rare viewing of ViewSonic's yet-to-be-released G Tablet. This is an NVIDIA Tegra 2-based 10-inch (1024X600) tablet running Android 2.2 aka "Froyo" (short for frozen yogurt). The device also has 1GB of system memory, 16GB of Flash storage (expandable to 32GB), a 1.3MP webcam, USB port, Mini HDMI, 802.11n Wireless and Bluetooth 2.1. ViewSonic's Adam Hanin took us for a quick test drive here...
Word is the device can manage up to 8hrs of battery life running full 1080p HD video content, up to 10 hrs for 720p and 10 - 12 hours for general purpose work or fun.
The G Pad is pretty darn thin and light (1lb even) too, with a solid combination of features and performance. Also, though there are no specific cellular service carriers for the device currently, there is a standard SIM card slot available on the G Pad, for future roll-outs perhaps. $529 and coming to a retailer near you around the end of October. Scuttlebutt says street prices could trend lower too. We like. We're hoping to get one in on the test bench here in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned.
ViewSonic also had an assortment of their other gadgets on hand as well, including a digital picture frame with on-board camera, capable of converting your old paper photos to digital media, along with a combination pocket camcorder and projector all-in-one device.
The picture frame was a novel sort of device that, though simple in concept, is the kind of thing you wish you thought of yourself. The ProjectorDV would make R2 proud; It's able to record videos of Obi-Wan live on Jedi location and then re-project that video immediately at 720p via DLP technology. The force definitely seems to be with team ViewSonic lately. Even a Wookie would find something to appreciate from ViewSonic's Q4 offering this year.
Read More ...
Memorex Mirror For Photos Hard Drive Auto Backs-Up Contents
Memorex used to a name that everyone knew. And we mean everyone. They were just as popular as Polaroid or Sony in their heyday, but the brand has faded in recent years. But it hasn't vanished completely. It's still alive and kicking, and the company is introducing a new external hard drive today under the "Mirror" nameplate. The Mirror For Photos hard drive is designed to be carried around by photographers, automatically backing up their images. It requires a one-time software install to go about its business, and afterwards, it'll auto-backup each time it is plugged into the computer. It works on both Mac and PC, and is available in three sizes, 320GB, 500GB and 640GB, or an estimated capacity of 64,000, 100,000 and 128,000 high-resolution photos.
Pricing is as follows: $79.99 for the 320GB, $99.99 for the 500GB and $119.99 for the 640GB.
New Memorex® Mirror for Photos Simplifies Photo Backup
New Time-Saving, Hassle-Free External Hard Drive – Automatically Backs Up Photos, Reducing the Fear of Lost Memories
OAKDALE, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today’s consumers are looking for simple technology solutions that allow them to swiftly and safely back up their ever-growing digital photo collection. With a quick, one-time software installation, the Memorex Mirror for Photos external hard drive automatically backs up photos when connected to the computer without having to open numerous settings, dialogs or having to navigate multiple menus.
“Mirror for Photos provides even non tech-savvy users with a quick, simple and maintenance-free method for backing up and protecting precious memories.”
Mirror for Photos is a fast, smart and maintenance-free method of backing up photos and takes the guesswork out of protecting one’s precious memories. Its built-in software automatically runs each time the device is connected to a PC or MAC, finds photos and backs them up. This eliminates the hassle of manually backing up photos each time they are uploaded on a computer. A unique monitoring feature detects when new photos are present and reminds the user to connect Mirror for Photos.
“As people’s digital libraries continue to grow, they understand how critical it is to preserve those moments, yet are often intimidated with the notion of backing up,” said Jess Walton, Memorex brand manager. “Mirror for Photos provides even non tech-savvy users with a quick, simple and maintenance-free method for backing up and protecting precious memories.”
Mirror for Photos’ compact, space-saving design – at 3x5x1/2 inches – also eliminates the need for power cords, thanks to its simple USB-bus powered connection. The product’s user-inspired packaging also boasts easy-to-understand icons that convey product features, attributes and applications.
Memorex Mirror for Photos is available in three sizes, 320GB, 500GB and 640GB, or an estimated capacity of 64,000, 100,000 and 128,000 high-resolution photos* respectively. Mirror for Photos (320GB model) is currently available at Toys“R”Us. Suggested retail prices for capacities are:
* $79.99 for the 320GB Mirror for Photos
* $99.99 for the 500GB Mirror for Photos
* $119.99 for the 640GB Mirror for Photos
Read More ...
Apple: Steve Jobs isn't a Ninja
For better or worse, the late Chris Farley from Saturday Night Live fame is still the great white ninja foretold by ancient legend (and Hollywood), and not Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO who reportedly said he'll never again return to Japan after airport officials wouldn't let him take ninja throwing starts aboard his private jet.That's according to a Japanese tabloid called SPA! Magazine, which reported the incident in its latest issue and ended up re-reported by Bloomberg. As the story goes, Jobs was going through a security check at Kansai International Airport when a scan picked up ninja stars he had purchased in Japan while on a family vacation.
Jobs tried to reason with officials that it wouldn't make sense for a person to try and hijack his own plane, and when his reasoning fell on deaf ears, he vowed never to return to Japan, according to the report. But did this really happen?
"Steve did visit Japan this summer for a vacation in Kyoto, but the incidents described at the airport are pure fiction," said Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple. "Steve had a great time and hopes to visit Japan again soon."
Maybe, maybe not. According to Bloomberg, a spokesman at Kansai airport did confirm that a passenger using a private jet was stopped at the end of July for carrying "shuriken," which is the Japanese word used to describe ninja throwing stars and other types of concealed handheld blades. But whether or not it was Jobs, the spokesman couldn't say due to privacy policies.
Read More ...
How Can Eyefinity Change Your Life? Presented by ASUS, HH, and AMD
It's that time again, HotHardware fans! It's time for us to give away some HOT new gaming gear! This time around, we have have teamed with the folks at ASUS and AMD to give away not one, but two awesome prizes, with some extra weekly prizes thrown in for good measure. The full scoop on how to enter and what you can win is detailed below. Good luck!“How Can Eyefinity Change Your Life?” - Contest Presented by ASUS, Hot Hardware, and AMD!
To celebrate all the new possibilities that ATI Eyefinity technology introduces, ASUS and AMD are trying to find out more about how Eyefinity can change your life!
We’ll be giving away an awesome ASUS Matrix 5870 graphics card and three 23” inch LCD monitors as the top prize, and many more prizes (including weekly random draws for entrants). This is a contest you don’t want to miss out on, and all you have to do is submit a creative story, picture or video explaining how Eyefinity can change your life, and what you would do with Eyefinity if you had it right now.
To the delight of all gamers, ASUS graphics cards provide incredible gaming experiences by offering Dirt 2 and exclusive S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat game bundles that bring out the best in DirectX11 and Eyefinity. Additionally, EAH5000 Series graphics cards deploy Voltage Tweak technology for complete overclocking and overvolting authority. This enables users to raise GPU voltages for up to 50% performance boosts over reference design—extremely smooth moves in games and in heavy computing tasks guaranteed!
Performance tuning demands suitable cooling to handle the extra pressure and heat. ASUS thermal innovation on EAH5870 and EAH5850 is certainly no exception.
For Matrix 5870, the ASUS-built board features a custom extra large dust-proof fan guaranteeing greater longevity, through 22% more air pressure and pure copper fins exceeding reference cooling requirements by 13%. As for the EAH5850 DirectCU TOP, two specially-designed 8mm flattened copper heat pipes contact the GPU directly for up to 20%* better heat dissipation during gameplay as well as 35%* quieter performance than any other reference design board.
There is no doubt this setup will be the envy of all your friends, and with ASUS powering it, you know it’ll be a ultimate gaming machine.
Prizes are as follows:
We’ll be giving away an awesome ASUS Matrix 5870 graphics card and three 23” inch LCD monitors as the top prize, and many more prizes (including weekly random draws for entrants). This is a contest you don’t want to miss out on, and all you have to do is submit a creative story, picture or video explaining how Eyefinity can change your life, and what you would do with Eyefinity if you had it right now.
To the delight of all gamers, ASUS graphics cards provide incredible gaming experiences by offering Dirt 2 and exclusive S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat game bundles that bring out the best in DirectX11 and Eyefinity. Additionally, EAH5000 Series graphics cards deploy Voltage Tweak technology for complete overclocking and overvolting authority. This enables users to raise GPU voltages for up to 50% performance boosts over reference design—extremely smooth moves in games and in heavy computing tasks guaranteed!
Performance tuning demands suitable cooling to handle the extra pressure and heat. ASUS thermal innovation on EAH5870 and EAH5850 is certainly no exception.
For Matrix 5870, the ASUS-built board features a custom extra large dust-proof fan guaranteeing greater longevity, through 22% more air pressure and pure copper fins exceeding reference cooling requirements by 13%. As for the EAH5850 DirectCU TOP, two specially-designed 8mm flattened copper heat pipes contact the GPU directly for up to 20%* better heat dissipation during gameplay as well as 35%* quieter performance than any other reference design board.There is no doubt this setup will be the envy of all your friends, and with ASUS powering it, you know it’ll be a ultimate gaming machine.
Prizes are as follows:
- 1st Grand Prize: (1) one ASUS Matrix 5870 graphics card, and (3) three 23” ASUS LCD monitors with (1) one DisplayPort to DVI dongle
- 2nd Place Prize: (1) one ASUS EAH5850 DirectCU TOP graphics card
- Random weekly prize draws: Battlefield Bad Company 2 Steam Key, AMD Backpacks, and more!
- May 28, 2010, 11:59 EST
- June 4, 2010, 11:59 EST
- June 11, 2010, 11:59 EST
- June 18, 2010, 11:59 EST
How to enter:
Create a story (no essays please!), picture (real photograph, Photoshop or render) or video about how Eyefinity can change your life and post your entry to this forum thread. Feel free to host your pictures and videos on other websites (Imageshack for pictures or YouTube for videos) and just post the links here.
Create a story (no essays please!), picture (real photograph, Photoshop or render) or video about how Eyefinity can change your life and post your entry to this forum thread. Feel free to host your pictures and videos on other websites (Imageshack for pictures or YouTube for videos) and just post the links here.
Rules and Regulations:
- Must have a valid mailing address that does not require courier delivery in person.
- Winners will be picked from all eligible entries received by 11:59 EST June 20, 2010
- Winners will be announced by 11:59 EST June 23, 2010
- You may submit as many entries as you like, but may only win one prize.
- By submitting an entry you permit ASUS, HotHardware and AMD to use your entry in their own and other marketing materials and showcase your work freely.
- HotHardware, AMD and ASUS will do everything in their power to ensure speedy delivery of all prizes; however delays may occur in shipping.
This is a great chance for to you to win a sweet, ultra powerful, totally immersive ASUS-powered ATI Eyefinity setup. Now get your creative juices going, we’re looking forward to seeing unexpected and amusing entries from you! Good luck!
Read More ...
Asus Reveals D525-Equipped Lamborghini VX6, WiCast And More At NYC Event
Asus laid down the gauntlet tonight in New York City, showing off to the media a few brand new things, a few fairly new things, and a few things that we had heard about before but never seen in person. Plenty of notebooks were on hand, along with the company's new streaming device. We won't waste time on the introduction, though, so let's dive right into a brand new notebook model.
Asus WiCast and Blu-ray...a match made in heaven.
The N53Jf is a stylish new mid-level machine that aims to provide a happy medium between style, portability, power and battery life. It has a Core i5 CPU, B&O audio, USB 3.0, NVIDIA's Optimus graphics switching, Intel Turbo Boost and a GeForce GT425M graphics unit. If you need something a little smaller, the Eee PC 1015PEMn might be the ticket. This 10.1" netbook features the new Atom N550 dual-core CPU, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11n Wi-Fi, the company's "Seahshell" design scheme, a chiclet keyboard, enlarged touchpad and a bright blue casing. Not mentioned in tonight's release was the Lamborghini VX6, a drop-dead sexy little machine with a 12.1" HD display, an Atom D525 CPU (dual-core), next-gen NVIDIA Ion GPU, and Optimus graphics switching. Too HOT to touch, but not to photograph!
Hello, gorgeous! The Lambo VX6.
The otherworldly NX90Jq was also on hand. This is easily one of the oddest looking notebooks we have seen in recent years, primarily due to the huge speakers that flank the LCD. It was designed by David Lewis of David Lewis Designers, and it relies on two speakers from Bang & Olufsen, two touchpads, a monster 18.4" LCD, a Core i7 CPU, up to 1.28TB of storage, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, GeForce graphics and a huge case. If that's too outrageous for you, the more sensible 13.3" U33Jc is far more typical, if not a bit familiar. The ultraportable was showcased with a Core i3-370M processor, NVIDIA G310M graphics, a bamboo shell, integrated WiDi wireless streaming technology and NVIDIA's Optimus for graphics switching.
Lambo VX6 top lid
The WiCast EW2000 1080p video streamer also stole the show, offering model agnostic streaming between a PC and TV with <1ms of lag. It uses Amimon's WHDI technology, and it's suitable for streaming even Blu-ray movies from PC to TV. Speaking of Blu-ray, the SBC-06C1S-U external Blu-ray optical drive looks like a real winner for notebook users who wish to add BD support for their travels, particularly netbook owners who own a machine that lacks an ODD internally. It can read BD-R discs at speeds up to 6X, write to BD-R discs up to 6X and also functions as a 6X DVD-RW drive for use on legacy media. In addition to complete Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD read and write capabilities, the SBW-06C1S-U provides support for 3D Blu-ray playback if you have the right display and glasses.
WiCast Transmitter
While we're on the topic of LCDs, the ML228H display was also revealed. It's a 21.5" screen with a really radical base and overall design. Asus calls the stand a double ring Ergo-Fit II stand, designed to swivel and pivot as to not put strain on your neck. It has a full HD resolution, 2ms response time, LED touch control buttons, LED backlight technology and 250cd/m2 of brightness. Closing things up on the release night is the C73Jw, a machine we have heard about before but is fully prepared to be heard from again. This gaming monster has a Core i7 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, THX audio, USB 3.0, up to 1TB of storage space and an incredible GeForce GTX460M GPU with 1.5GB of GDDR5 video memory. Talk about being ready for tomorrow's first person shooters!
Lambo VX6 interior
Pricing and release information wasn't readily available for the group, but some of these units should be making landfall shortly. It's shaping up to be quite the holiday season, and Asus is definitely bringing the goods.
Lambo VX6, looking sleek
ASUS Unveils a Lineup of Innovative Products at Pepcom Holiday Spectacular!
-- ASUS displays the latest PC technologies featuring uniquely styled Notebooks
and Netbooks, LCDs and the WiCast EW2000 1080P Video Streamer--
Fremont, CA (September 15, 2010) - ASUS, a market leader in personal computer products, is displaying several of its latest offerings at the Pepcom Holiday Spectacular! in New York City. ASUS is known for elevating innovation into an art form and this is especially true of its latest mobile computing products. Highlights of the show include the following products:
ASUS NX90Jq
Atelier craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology seamlessly meld together in the luxurious ASUS NX90Jq notebook. Designed by award-winning designer David Lewis of David Lewis Designers, the NX90Jq is a study in sublime contrasts, featuring a polished aluminum exterior and palm rest that match beautifully to the matte-black keyboard and dual touchpads. Two speakers featuring Bang & Olufsen ICEpower® technology flank an 18.4" display reminiscent of high-end consumer flat screen televisions. Exclusive ASUS SonicMaster technology helps ensure that all audio is reproduced as flawlessly as possible. The NX90Jq also offers a unique way to interact with the system, in the form of dual touch pads. These work in concert with the Rotation Desktop software to provide users with an intuitive DJ-like control. Featuring the latest in Intel® Core™ i7 and NVIDIA GeForce® technologies plus up to 1.28TB* of storage space and 8GB* of DDR3 memory, this work of modern art also has the power to replace your desktop.
ASUS U33Jc
The U33Jc is a 13.3" notebook featuring one of the most elegant designs ever developed by employing natural bamboo on the cover and keypad area for a sophisticated look and touch. By employing this natural material in a unique way, ASUS has perfectly combined traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. The U33 Bamboo notebook boasts the industry's most innovative technologies, such as Intel's® Core i3-370M processor and NVIDIA's® G310M discrete graphics chipset. In addition, the U33 Bamboo notebook is equipped with USB 3.0 connectivity for high speed transfers along with Intel's WiDi wireless display technology that enables users to transfer high-definition images and audio to external displays. Energy savings are provided by Intel Turbo Boost technology, NVIDIA Optimus auto-switch technology and ASUS' exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology.
ASUS N53Jf
The ASUS N53Jf represents a new definition in style, portability, and entertainment performance. Featuring next generation NVIDIA® GeForce GT425M graphics along with an Intel® Core i5 processor and ASUS Sonic Master audio technology the N53Jf is your best choice for a portable entertainment platform. The exclusive ASUS SonicMaster technology is a new audio standard focused on providing professional surround sound. Co-developed with acclaimed Bang & Olufsen ICEpower and based on the efforts of ASUS’ Golden Ear team, SonicMaster completely reinvents the way audio is treated and reproduced on notebooks. Users further benefit from the implementation of several additional technologies on the new N Series notebooks, including USB 3.0, NVIDIA Optimus auto-switching technology and Intel Turbo Boost for additional processing power when needed.
ASUS Eee PC 1015PEMn
The 10.1" 1015PEM is the perfect PC due to its travel friendly size and stylish design. It features the new Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor for improved performance and prolonged battery life. Besides its elegantly seashell-inspired design the Eee PC 1015PEM is feature laden with Bluetooth 3.0* and 802.11n wireless for the fastest connectivity speeds available in a netbook. User comfort is a priority at ASUS and the 1015PEM does not disappoint with an ergonomically designed Chiclet keyboard and a large touchpad perfect for working on a spreadsheet or conversing with friends and family on your favorite social networking site.
ASUS WiCast EW2000 1080P Video Streamer
ASUS’s newest product, the WiCast EW2000 offers wireless streaming of 1080P media with almost no latency (<1ms) in a stylish and compact design. Featuring WHDI (wireless home digital interface) technology the WiCast EW2000 offers a simple plug and play setup from your supported PC, set-top box, or game console to a TV or projector via HDMI. Once connected the user can enjoy a 1080P Blu-ray movie or play a game on their Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 on an HDTV or even display a presentation via a projector to their co-workers without lag or line of sight problems. The WiCast EW2000 transmitter can be powered by a traditional AC power outlet or dual USB ports on your notebook, which means it can be used at home or on the go without a problem.
ASUS SBC-06C1S-U
ASUS's newest external USB Blu-ray optical drive affords users the ability to enjoy high-definition content while on the move. It can read BD-R discs at speeds up to 6X, write to BD-R discs up to 6X and also functions as a 6X DVD-RW drive for use on legacy media. In addition to complete Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD read and write capabilities, the SBW-06C1S-U provides high definition Blu-ray playback in immersive 3D. It can also upgrade existing 2D content to 3D via the included Cyberlink PowerDVD software, which adds depth to media in real time. The SBW-06C1S-U will output lossless Digital EX and DTS-HD encoding in 5.1 channels to ensure powerful surround sound from the latest media titles. Its slim profile lends itself well to both horizontal and vertical placement and thanks to the USB connection; no dedicated power adapter is required, as the drive gets powered directly by the connected PC. This makes carrying and deploying the SBW-06C1S-U wherever a computer can be used even easier.
ASUS ML228H LCD
Just 16.5mm thick, the new 21.5" ML228H LCD from ASUS is strikingly thin and features an innovative double ring Ergo-Fit II stand. It offers full HD resolution of 1920x1080, an ultra-fast 2ms response time, LED touch-sensor control buttons and wide viewing angles with Smart View technology. Featuring a mercury-free LED backlit panel and up to 55% better power consumption than standard CCFL based LCD monitors the ML228H is eco friendly. It also boasts a superior 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio and up to 250cd/m2 of brightness, making it an exemplary LCD both in terms of design and performance.
ASUS Republic of Gamers G73Jw
The new ASUS ROG G73Jw excites your visual senses with design cues inspired by the Lockheed F117A Nighthawk stealth fighter. It features a matte black exterior, cutting edge design, and dual angular 'heat exhausts' located at the back of the notebook. At the heart of the G73Jw lies the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processor, up to 8GB DDR3 system memory, 8-channel HD audio with EAX 5.0 compatibility, THX Trustudio, on-the-fly overclocking, ambient lighting, USB 3.0 and up to 1TB of storage space for incredible gaming and multitasking performance. As a DirectX 11 compatible gaming notebook, the G73Jw delivers state-of-the-art graphics via an NVIDIA GeForce™ GTX460M with 1.5GB of GDDR5 video memory. The G73Jh also brings a more comfortable gaming experience to mobile users, with a tapered design for a more ergonomic wrist posture along with a cool palm rest area thanks to the rear venting design.
Read More ...
comScore: Apple Loses Market Share Despite iPhone 4
Even with a spike from iPhone 4 sales, the iPhone lost ground to Android, according to a new comScore report. Despite the premiere of the new iPhone, Apple’s U.S. smartphone market share in the three months ending in July dropped by 1.3 percent while Android’s market share grew by an five percentage points.Apple generally sees a slowing in sales as the mid-summer timeframe approaches, with a new iPhone anticipated by consumers. Thus, and typically, Apple had been losing market share all year long, but many expected that to change with the iPhone 4's release. However, things didn't exactly work out that way.
In fact, of the top 5 smartphone platforms, only Android grew; RIM dropped 1.8 percent while Microsoft dropped 2.2 percent, and Palm remained stable. The respective market shares were RIM at 39.3 percent, Apple at 23.8 percent, Android at 17 percent (but up 5 percent), Windows Mobile at 11.8 percent, and Palm at 4.9 percent.
Bernstein Research analysts Toni Sacconagh and Pierre Ferragu think that Android's installed base could exceed that of the iPhone in a little over 5 quarters. That's installed base, not just market share.
The problem, the analysts said in a Wednesday research note, is that although Apple has a big advantage over Android in terms of carriers 154 vs. 59, they lack deals with the largest carriers. While people say that an Apple deal with Verizon could kill Android, that's a silly assumption. Android is one carrier in one country, and not the country with the largest possible customer base. That honor would fall to China and India.
However, Apple also lacks deals with China Mobile (largest in China), Vodafone Germany, NTT DoCoMo, to name just a few large carriers eschewed by the Cupertino company.
It's still unclear, however, that simply making more carrier deals will be enough to stem the Android tide. It's not just about carriers, it's also about variety of handsets. Apple will never, unless it radically changes things, have more than two different form factors a year to sell. Many people like individuality, and a different handset than their neighbor. That's something Apple isn't going to be able to overcome.
Read More ...
New rapid fire weapon being made available to minors!
New rapid fire weapon being made available to minors!
60 Rounds available to fire with each one of them.
Read More ...
New RAM did "not"solve the problem
I put in 4 brand new sticks straight from the plastic and the computer will still not post. I'm thinking my last resort is to remove the Q9550 with the BETA driver and put in the old E6400 2.13 core 2 duo and see if that will get it going. I tried to hold down the "Insert" key but I cannot get the keyboard to even activate. The mouse and everything is non active. If changing out the processor does not work I will just say it's a bad motherboard.
Thanks for all the advise and help though guys.
Read More ...
No comments:
Post a Comment