Thursday, September 30, 2010

IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 29/09/2010


HotHardware
Eurocom Launches RAID 10 Notebooks With Vertex 2 SSD
Eurocom. You know the name. They're one of the most prominent gaming notebook makers on the planet, and their machines are generally larger and faster than anything else out. The company has just announced yet another innovation, with the launch of RAID 10 notebooks that utilize the quick 480GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD, a drive powered by the SandForce 1200 controller. That Vertex 2 drive will soon be available in all Eurocom Mobile Workstations and Mobile Servers, offering up to 250MB/sec on the read side and 240MB/sec
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Toshiba Sells E-books While Amazon Puts Kindle In A Browser
Don't get too excited when you hear the term "Kindle for the Web."  It's true that Amazon is making its Kindle book store visible through your browser but it's only letting you see previews, the first chapter of any given title. Meanwhile, Toshiba is also joining the ranks of e-book publisher with the launch of its store and free e-reader for Windows.  With Kindle for the Web, bloggers and website owners can embed a book preview into their sites (a function Google Books has offered for a year). They'll
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Antec Debuts LanBoy Air Open-Air Gaming Chassis
The custom gaming PC business is still booming, and people are still looking for ways to get creative and make their own builds unique. Antec has been a long-time case and power supply maker, and the company's newest chassis is definitely one of the more interesting ones that have been introduced in recent years. It's called the LanBoy Air, and it's an open-air chassis that is designed quite differently from most. The case uses top-to-bottom mesh construction, which provides for tons of airflow. There are also
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Free Phone Fridays to Hit Best Buy in October
Free phones on Fridays? That's what Best Buy announced on Tuesday at its Holiday Preview event in New York. Free Phone Fridays will run every Friday in October, and starts Oct. 1st. It's not just about lame devices either: one of the devices in the first group: the Samsung Fascinate on the Verizon network. Each Free Phone Friday will include a device from each of the big 4 U.S. carrier (T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon). This week's selections: Samsung Fascinate (Verizon) BlackBerry Curve (Sprint) HTC
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Acer's New Aspire Predator Gaming Rigs Get Sleek, More Powerful
When you think of major gaming PCs, you generally think of Alienware or Falcon Northwest. But Acer has been making a new for themselves with their Predator line of gaming PCs. These are huge, towering machines that have rather wild designs that are impossible to mistake. They also have impressive internals to go with 'em, and the company's new Aspire Predator AG5900-U3092 might be the slickest yet. It's equipped with a Core i7 CPU, up to 1.5TB of hard drive space, 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM, ATI Radeon HD 5850 graphics
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OCZ IBIS HSDL Solid State Drive Preview
As we've noted more than once here before, as NAND Flash technologies evolve, SATA will go the way of the dino. It's not going to happen over night but like its old, spinning hard drive counterpart, the writing is on the wall. The market needs new higher speed interfaces with lower overhead and more direct attachment to native system interfaces. OCZ has been trying its hand at developing PCI Express-based SSDs in an effort to address this requirement. They've been rolling out all new products like their Revo
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Roku Players And TiVo Premiere Gaining Hulu Plus Access
The Apple TV just started shipping to consumers this week, and there's no way to battle that like adding support for Hulu Plus. That's what has happened with the Roku line of media streamers today, as the company has landed a deal that will make Hulu Plus available on all Roku players. The Hulu Plus channel will be available via subscription to all Roku customers later this fall. This means that Roku now gives access to Hulu Plus, Amazon Video on Demand, MLB.tv, and many more. And yes, Netflix is included too.
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Kno Expands Offerings With Single-Screen Tablet
Kno announced a single screen version of its tablet textbook. Kno combines a touchscreen tablet with digital textbooks, course materials, web access, digital media, and note taking capabilities. With the single screen version, Kno is hoping to reach students that may not be interested in or able to purchase the dual screen model. The company plans to ship both the single and two-screen tablet textbooks by the end of this year. Kno Breaks New Ground with the World’s First Single Screen Tablet Textbook Kno
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Acer Packs Entertainment Features Into Updated Aspire Notebooks
Acer has really been on a roll lately. First, we learned about the new TimelineX notebooks, then we heard about the Aspire AS8943G notebook which targets gamers. If neither of those options entices you, perhaps the company's updated Aspire AS5742G, AS5745 and Aspire AS7745 notebooks will. These notebooks target users who desire multimedia and mobility with options that include NVIDIA 3D Vision technology, Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors, Blu-ray drives, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 420M graphics. Acer
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Zotac Blu-ray HD-ID34 Nettop / HTPC Review
Zotac recently launched a couple of revamped ZBox nettops, that feature a new, sleeker design and integrated Blu-Ray drive, the ZBox HD-ID33 and HD-ID34. The only difference between the two models is the included / not included RAM and hard drive; the ID33 is better suited to DIYers who may already have a spare 2.5" HDD and SO-DIMM laying around, while the ID34 ships with a 250GB 5400RPM drive and 2GB of RAM. There's also NVIDIA's next generation Ion (Ion 2) inside, which means that 1080p playback and some light-duty
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GameCrush Goes Live; Pay to 'Interact' with PlayDates
GameCrush, which has been in private beta testing since March of this year, has gone live. It's an obvious idea since most gamers are men: get them to pay to hook up online with attractive women and use their joysticks, er, play video games with them. To be clear, the PlayDates, as they are called, can be men or women. They can make as much as $20 an hour, according to the site's press release. Meanwhile, gamers, seeking to play (ahem) with these PlayDates pay $0.60 a minute. Additionally, developers of games
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Verizon, EU Give Thumbs-up to Bug Labs' Open Source Hardware
Bug Labs sells open source hardware modules that lets you build just about any kind of gadget you can imagine. Last week the New York startup got a big helping hand from (who-would-believe-it?) Verizon. At the same time, it finally got the full OK to sell its wireless modules in Europe. Verizon Wireless announced plans to partner with Bug Labs as part of the Verizon Wireless' Open Development Initiative (ODI). ODI-approved devices have access to the Verizon network so developers can test their 3G functionality.
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OCZ IBIS HSDL Solid State Drive Preview
We never seem to tire of new SSD technologies. The storage subsystem has long been the primary bottleneck with respect to general computer system responsiveness. And as a result, the explosion of Solid State Drives in the market is indicative of the ground-breaking performance gains the average SSD offers over traditional hard drive technology. As dyed-in-the-wool speed freaks, we're always on the lookout for products that offer the type advances the SSD has offered and we're sure the average
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Zotac Blu-ray HD-ID34 Nettop / HTPC Review
Nettops are not nearly as popular as their mobile contemporaries, i.e. netbooks, arguably due to the lack of any significant horsepower within the tiny machines. Up until now, most nettops have been good for little more than basic Office duties, Web surfing, and occasional 720p (max) movie playback. There's a fine line that has to be walked with a nettop; there's far too little space to shove a Core i3 or better CPU in there, and besides, companies are trying to keep pricing at reasonable levels.
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Intel VS. AMD @ $249.99...Which CPU Would YOU Choose?
The local Fry's has been advertising an AMD 1090T six-core processor for $249.99, but they are also offering the Intel i7 950 quad-core processor for the same price! Decisions decisions. I'm in no position to buy at this time, but I'm curious as to which YOU guys would choose!





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OCZ IBIS HSDL Solid State Drive Preview
As we've noted more than once here before, as NAND Flash technologies evolve, SATA will go the way of the dino. It's not going to happen over night but like its old, spinning hard drive counterpart, the writing is on the wall. The market needs new higher speed interfaces with lower overhead and more direct attachment to native system interfaces. OCZ has been trying its hand at developing PCI Express-based SSDs in an effort to address this requirement. They've been rolling out all new products like their Revo Drive that we looked at recently and the new device we'll be looking at here today. The new OCZ IBIS SSD utilizes a proprietary serial interface that the company has coined "HSDL" for High Speed Data Link and it offers up to 20Gb/sec peak bandwidth over an industry standard SAS connector, which is over three times that of next gen 6Gbps SATA technology. Journey on for all the details and a performance profile of a prototype we've been testing here in the lab...

OCZ IBIS HSDL Solid State Drive Preview

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Many Computer Users Skip Routine Maintenance
It probably comes as no surprise, but it seems most people ignore routine computer maintenance and only think about it when disaster strikes. You know, like falling victim to more than 3,000 viruses. At once.

A survey done of Staples "EasyTechs," indicated that more than 80 percent of the chain's customers don't bother with routine maintenance and most of the problems they call in the techs for could have been prevented.

The problems the techs found included the personal record number of viruses cited above as well as some much, much ickier ones:
  • Enough dust inside to fill the tech's hand-held vacuum
  • A family of cockroaches living quite comfortably, thankyouverymuch
  • A bee's nest. Yes, a bee's nest. You know, those flying things that go "bzzzz" and sting you? A nest of those.

The techs suggested some easy tips for users that could potentially result in the techs having less work to do, but possibly getting fewer bee stings:
  • Keep your antivirus software up to date. Only a third of the 105 techs reported their customers had the current versions.
  • If you have a Windows computer, use Windows Disk Cleanup to safely get rid of temporary files.
  • Keep your computer in a well-ventilated area and clear out any dust or dirt that's gotten into the case.
  • Defragment your hard drive regularly; it organizes your hard drive to maximize your performance
  • Check regularly for updates to your OS, whether it be Windows, Mac, Linux or other, and make sure you download any security patches.
  • Back up stuff that's hard or impossible to replace - photos, music, important files - on an external hard drive or flash drive. More than 85 percent of the techs said virtually none of their customers backed up data.

One word - vacuum. It could save your PC's life...
In other words: Don't be like most people and wait for your computer to crash and die an ignominious death before seeking help.

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GameCrush Goes Live; Pay to 'Interact' with PlayDates
GameCrush, which has been in private beta testing since March of this year, has gone live. It's an obvious idea since most gamers are men: get them to pay to hook up online with attractive women and use their joysticks, er, play video games with them.

To be clear, the PlayDates, as they are called, can be men or women. They can make as much as $20 an hour, according to the site's press release. Meanwhile, gamers, seeking to play (ahem) with these PlayDates pay $0.60 a minute. Additionally, developers of games used on the site get rev share, as well.



In addition to securing a live one-on-one gaming session, you can chat live with online PlayDates. They show up on the site with red borders around their images. Obviously, some are a little more provocative with their images, such as Lavelle (above). On the other hand, LethalCupcake looks downright studious.


 There are a number of Flash-based games integrated into the site, but GameCrush says it currently any game in a Player or PlayDate’s online multiplayer library, "including open-ended games, co-op games and competitive games. "

GameCrush was demonstrated onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield in San Francisco Tuesday, and one of the obvious questions that came up was if this could a video game version of ChatRoulette. The company was quick to note that GameCrush users aren’t anonymous, and that banning of IP address and other sorts of remedies exist.

When launched in March, the site had "flirty" or "dirty" game sessions. Now, GameCrush has created four gaming zones to help define the type of interaction between Players and PlayDates. These zones include:
  • The Arcade - Fun is the name of the game. Nice and chill.
  • The Arena - For serious gamers. Butt-kickings handed out left and right.
  • The Academy - Learn tips and tricks from experienced PlayDates.
  • The Edge - Not for the faint of heart. This could get interesting (More detail: IGN describes this zone as for players looking for something risque).
Read the company's press release below:


GameCrush 2dot0 Launch Release_FINAL_092810

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Free Phone Fridays to Hit Best Buy in October
Free phones on Fridays? That's what Best Buy announced on Tuesday at its Holiday Preview event in New York. Free Phone Fridays will run every Friday in October, and starts Oct. 1st. It's not just about lame devices either: one of the devices in the first group: the Samsung Fascinate on the Verizon network.

Each Free Phone Friday will include a device from each of the big 4 U.S. carrier (T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon). This week's selections:
  • Samsung Fascinate (Verizon)
  • BlackBerry Curve (Sprint)
  • HTC Aria (AT&T)
  • Samsung Gravity 3 (T-Mobile)

Except for this initial week, the weekly deals will be announced in stores and online, including Best Buy Mobile’s Facebook page and Twitter account, at 1 p.m. CT on Thursday. The free phones require a new, upgrade or add-a-line activation with a two-year agreement. Not that you expected it, but there will be no rain checks.

We would expect the iPhone 4 to not make this promotion, but Best Buy does say that each week will feature "at least one high-end, in-demand smart phone." We'll take a wild guess and say the Fascinate is this week's in-demand phone (certainly not the BlackBerry Curve).

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xbox slim having problems?
My old xbox recently broke after 3 good years of use so my dad was nice to buy me a xbox slim. The slim has slightly better vents, but it also has a much faster cpu. Of corse more power usally means more heat and the new cpu creates alot of heat. This hasnt happened to me yet but many people are reporting over heating problems.
xbox-360-slim-reod-heat-ventilation-problem-auto-shut-down
You would think.....hope microsoft would fix obvious problems like this ( maybe increase fan size or increase box size for more room). The new system is has many cool features with it but if i cant turn on the system without it overheating they're pretty pointless. The xbox shuts down before damage is done yet you cant play untill it cools down some.
The new nickname is red eye of death.
New Xbox 360 Warns You Of Possible Doom
Going to see if i have any fans laying around to help cool my box down. Hopefully my box dosnt have the same fate.

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Acer Packs Entertainment Features Into Updated Aspire Notebooks
Acer has really been on a roll lately. First, we learned about the new TimelineX notebooks, then we heard about the Aspire AS8943G notebook which targets gamers. If neither of those options entices you, perhaps the company's updated Aspire AS5742G, AS5745 and Aspire AS7745 notebooks will. These notebooks target users who desire multimedia and mobility with options that include NVIDIA 3D Vision technology, Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors, Blu-ray drives, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 420M graphics.
Acer Unveils New Aspire Notebook PCs Packed with Entertainment Features Including Advanced NVIDIA 3D Capabilities and Optimusâ„¢ Technology
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acer America today announced its new lineup of entertainment-driven notebooks, offering advanced performance features including the latest in 3D viewing technology, Blu-ray and branded discrete graphics. Geared for consumers who want to enjoy multimedia and mobility, the updated Aspire AS5742G, AS5745 and Aspire AS7745 notebooks series are available for U.S. customers at retail and e-tail outlets with prices beginning at MSRP $749.99 for the 15.6-inch Aspire 5742G, $649.99 for the Aspire AS5745 and $799.99 for the 17.3-inch AS7745.
 “Consumers desire the best of both worlds when buying a new notebook PC, including advanced productivity and outstanding entertainment capabilities that may be enjoyed anywhere, anytime,” said Preeta Anil, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. “The new Aspire notebooks uphold Acer’s strong tradition of combining innovation with value by delivering leading-edge technology at a price that’s accessible to many consumers.”
Mobile Performance for Work and Advanced 3D for Play
Bringing entertainment to a new dimension, the Aspire AS5745DG offers the latest in 3D viewing and display technology, allowing images and games to literally pop from the screen. The AS5745DG brings 3D movies and games to life with stunning realism thanks to the superb combination of the most advanced 3D technology, fast Intel® Core™ i5 processors, and powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 420M graphics, which accelerates applications to make visual effects more realistic.
Utilizing NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ technology, the AS5745DG notebook features true 120Hz LCD technology to deliver a full-resolution 3D experience. The notebook’s 15.6-inch Acer CineCrystal™ HD widescreen display (1366 x 768 resolution) paired with advanced active 3D shutter glasses with a built-in IR receiver, deliver left and right images on alternating frames to the user, while each eye continues to see a full 60Hz signal. This allows each eye to receive the full resolution of the display with wide viewing angles, rendering premium 3D optics with added depth to on-screen visuals, text and objects.
A complete 3D entertainment center, the AS5745DG features Acer Arcade™ Deluxe to convert 2D to 3D images with a single click. Customers can enjoy the latest 3D movies with Dolby® Home Theater® v3 surround sound or engage in action-packed gaming, with many PC games easily transformed into stereoscopic 3D right out of the box. Customers can also use the notebook’s HDMI port to connect to HD displays and TVs to create cinema-quality entertainment in the living room.
Beyond 3D enjoyment, the Aspire 5745DG provides multi-purpose computing performance along with plenty of ways to access, store, share and enjoy their digital files and applications. The spacious 500GB hard drive can store a vast library of music, video, photos, spreadsheets, documents and email. An integrated multi-in-one media reader enables a convenient connection to peripherals and electronic devices, while the four USB 2.0 ports provide ample connections to peripherals and consumer electronics.
The Aspire AS5745DG notebook’s integrated 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED wireless technology and Gigabit Ethernet facilitates smooth and trouble-free Internet access. The Acer Crystal Eye 1.3 megapixel HD webcam enables high-quality video chats and VoIP with friends, family and work associates. The notebook’s ample 9-cell battery also enables hours of untethered mobile entertainment enjoyment.
The new Acer Aspire AS5745DG will be available at select online retailers beginning in late October with prices being at MSRP $999.99.
New HD Notebook Tech Features for Better Cinematic Playback and Productivity
In addition to the 3D model, the Aspire AS5742G, AS5745 and AS7745 lines offer an attractive range of features including NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology, Blu-ray drives and quad-core processing on select models.
For serious multitaskers, content creators or multimedia enthusiasts, the Aspire AS5742G features NVIDIA’s Optimus™ technology, a hybrid graphics engine which intelligently optimizes a notebook to provide outstanding graphics performance, all while extending battery life for longer enjoyment. Completely automatic and performed behind the scenes, NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology seamlessly selects either UMA or discrete graphics, based on the application. Users will not detect or have any interruption while enjoying applications and games.
The Aspire 5742G notebooks are housed in textured mesh black covers, while the Aspire AS5745 and AS7745 notebook lines come in a handsome, thin-and-light industrial design with a glossy black cover. With LED-backlit display options to suit entertainment needs and provide outstanding visual experiences, the AS5742G and AS5745 Series sports a 15.6-inch high-definition (HD) widescreen display (1366 x 768 resolution), while the AS7745 Series touts a 17.3-inch HD+ widescreen display (1600 x 900 resolution).
The Aspire AS5742G and AS5745 Series offer up to a 500GB(1) hard drive for storing a vast library of music, video, images, movies and games. The notebooks are powered by the latest Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processors, which enable even the most demanding users to multitask quickly and easily. Notebooks with Intel® Core™ i5 or Core™ i7 processors boast Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, which automatically speeds up the processor when the PC requires extra performance.
The Aspire AS7745 Series also touts discrete ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5650 graphics option, which infuses videos, movies and games with dramatic detail, vivid color and realism. Powered by Intel® Core™ i7 quad-core processors, the AS7745 allows users to economically configure 8GB of system memory via four 2GB memory modules or the maximum system memory with 16GB via four 4GB memory modules. The notebook also packs a giant 500GB(1,3) hard drive and support for a second hard drive, giving ample room for a huge library of movies, music and more with up to 1TB of storage capacity.

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Zotac Blu-ray HD-ID34 Nettop / HTPC Review
Zotac Blu-ray HD-ID34 Nettop / HTPC ReviewZotac recently launched a couple of revamped ZBox nettops, that feature a new, sleeker design and integrated Blu-Ray drive, the ZBox HD-ID33 and HD-ID34. The only difference between the two models is the included / not included RAM and hard drive; the ID33 is better suited to DIYers who may already have a spare 2.5" HDD and SO-DIMM laying around, while the ID34 ships with a 250GB 5400RPM drive and 2GB of RAM. There's also NVIDIA's next generation Ion (Ion 2) inside, which means that 1080p playback and some light-duty gaming should theoretically be no problem...

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Acer's New Aspire Predator Gaming Rigs Get Sleek, More Powerful
When you think of major gaming PCs, you generally think of Alienware or Falcon Northwest. But Acer has been making a new for themselves with their Predator line of gaming PCs. These are huge, towering machines that have rather wild designs that are impossible to mistake. They also have impressive internals to go with 'em, and the company's new Aspire Predator AG5900-U3092 might be the slickest yet.

It's equipped with a Core i7 CPU, up to 1.5TB of hard drive space, 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM, ATI Radeon HD 5850 graphics with 1GB of discrete video memory, ATI Eyefinity Technology and full support for Microsoft DirectX 11. It also has a combo/DVD super-multi optical drive, 12 total USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, three audio jacks, an Ethernet port, display port and two DVI ports. There's also plenty of room for expansion, be in new hard drives or PCIe cards.

The more mainstream AG7750 cranks down the internals somewhat, but it's still fairly powerful compared to the competition. It uses a GeForce GTX470, 7.1 audio, Core i7-930 CPU and a total of four SATA HDD slots. The Acer Aspire Predator AG5900-U3092 has a MSRP of $1,349.99 and the Acer Aspire AG7750-U3222 has a MSRP of $1,999.99, making them both somewhat affordable given the high-end nature.

ACER FIRES UP A WIDER RANGE OF GAMERS WITH EXPANSION OF ASPIRE PREDATOR SERIES

Gaming arsenal now includes slick mainstream model in addition to radical powerhouse

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28, 2010 – To suit a new tier of combatants, Acer, the world's second largest vendor in the PC market,(1) rounded out its Acer Aspire "Predator" gaming desktop PC line-up with a new mainstream model. Now gamers can choose from the high-end Aspire Predator AG7750-U3222, a monster machine built to thrill hard core enthusiasts or the Aspire Predator AG5900-U3092, engineered to excite mainstream gamers with its powerful, yet affordable configuration.

Both models are strong in style and specs, which include Intel® Core™ i7 quad-core processors and 1.5TB(2) hard drives. They're also highly scalable, allowing the integration of many advanced components and gaming peripherals for battle.

"We're now offering two killer Predator models with the goal of satisfying a wider range of gamers," said Steve Smith, senior business manager of consumer desktops for Acer America. "Not everyone needs the most extreme gaming rig, so we designed the AG5900, a more mainstream alternative to our premium AG7750. The AG5900 boasts excellent core features, such as a high- speed processor, excellent graphics and tons of memory to hobble the competition at an affordable price."

Aspire Predator AG5900: A Sharp Shooter – Mainstream Price/Performance
The newest model in the Predator line, the Predator AG5900-U3092 sports a clean and sophisticated exterior that shrouds a powerful set of features. A modern black chassis features dramatic orange accents and an eye-catching vent design. For easy access, the power button, four USB ports as well as headphone and microphone jacks are conveniently angled on the top of the system along with a storage tray for storing and charging smart phones, digital cameras and other devices. Handy cable management is provided via intuitive grooves in the storage tray that allow different sizes of cable to snap in between, which prevents tangling and having to fumble around to find loose cables. It also has four hard drive bays, two of which are easy-swap, enabling extra hard drives to be inserted without opening the box. Users just push on the protective door and the hard drive slides out on a tray.

The AG5900 is ready for battle with 8GB DDR3 SDRAM and an Intel® Core™ i7 870 processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, which heightens performance and increases energy efficiency by allowing near-zero power consumption for inactive cores. A huge 1.5TB(2) SATA hard drive can store a gigantic library of the most graphic intensive games and multimedia available. ATI Radeon™ HD 5850 graphics with 1GB of dedicated memory, ATI Eyefinity Technology and full support for Microsoft DirectX® 11 delivers rich, realistic visuals for explosive HD gaming. Also, dynamic high-def 5.1-channel audio infuses games with heart-pumping sound.

This system is outfitted with a multi-in-one card reader and a combo/DVD super-multi optical drive for enjoying the most cutting-edge HD games. For those wanting to invest in future upgrades, the AG5900 is easily expandable with an available 5.25-inch optical drive bay, three open 3.5-inch HDD bays as well as two open PCI Express x1 slots and a standard PCI. There is a host of connectivity options including 12 total USB 2.0 ports (four on top, eight in back), an HDMI port, three audio jacks, an Ethernet port, display port and two DVI ports. To simplify transport, the system comes with a handle.

Aspire Predator AG7750: Tricked Out From the Top Down
The Predator AG7750-U3222, Acer's premium gaming system is cutting edge from the inside out, featuring a bold design and advanced performance features. Boasting a NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX470 with NVIDIA® SLI™ technology, this dynamic system can scale performance by combining multiple NVIDIA graphics solutions in a 3-way SLI-certified motherboard, which can run up to three GPUs simultaneously for the ultimate in realistic visuals. NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX470 also enables the system for 3D gaming. Users can add an Acer GD245HQ/GD235HZ 3D monitor for a fully immersive experience with NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ wireless glasses and advanced software, which transforms hundreds of PC games into stereoscopic 3D. Combine these benefits with high-definition 7.1-channel audio with EAX (Environmental Audio Extensions) 5.0 for immersive surround sound and it's gaming nirvana.

A force to be reckoned with, the Predator AG7750 is packed with an Intel® Core™ i7 930 quad-core processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and 12GB SDRAM. The two-part liquid cooling system keeps the system cool even during intense gaming sessions.

Three additional easy-swap hard disk drive (HDD) cages allow up to a total of four Serial ATA 3 G/bs high-capacity hard disks to be added with up to a 2TB(2) capacity per single drive for a total storage capacity of up to 8GB(2). Users can save games, movies, music and more on the local disks, which can be easily swapped or removed for transport.

The dramatic orange and black desktop boasts a mechanized front cover that can be raised up and over the front of the chassis to provide convenient access to a multi-card reader, USB and audio ports.

The Predator AG7750 has an optical drive and is easily expandable with an available 5.25-inch optical drive bay and a variety of open PCI Express slots, including two PCI Express x16, two PCI Express x1, one PCI Express x8 and a standard PCI. The AG7750 also offers a host of connectivity options including 11 USB 2.0 ports (five in front, six in back), IEEE 1394, two eSATA ports, two Ethernet ports, two DVI-D ports (up to six with three graphics cards), five audio jacks and various others.

Pricing, Availability and Warranty
The new Acer Aspire Predator models are available now at leading technology and electronic retailers and come with a one year parts and labor limited warranty and toll-free technical support. The Acer Aspire Predator AG5900-U3092 has a MSRP of $1,349.99 and the Acer Aspire AG7750-U3222 a MSRP of $1,999.99.

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Kno Expands Offerings With Single-Screen Tablet
Kno announced a single screen version of its tablet textbook. Kno combines a touchscreen tablet with digital textbooks, course materials, web access, digital media, and note taking capabilities. With the single screen version, Kno is hoping to reach students that may not be interested in or able to purchase the dual screen model. The company plans to ship both the single and two-screen tablet textbooks by the end of this year.
Kno Breaks New Ground with the World’s First Single Screen Tablet Textbook
Kno Continues the Pace of Innovation in Integrated Learning with a Smaller Version of the Kno
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TechCrunch Disrupt Conference -- Kno, Inc., the groundbreaking tablet textbook and dynamic learning platform, today announced its further commitment to the education market with a single screen version of its tablet textbook. The single screen version extends the breakthroughs and functionality of the dual screen version announced in June.
“Kno fundamentally improves the way students learn,” said Osman Rashid, the CEO and Co-Founder of Kno, Inc. “We are driven to innovate in a category that has been static for too long. Even though the Kno pays for itself in 13 months, the smaller up front investment of the single screen version will allow more students to use our learning platform.”
Kno, short for knowledge, is a transformative learning platform that blends a touch-screen tablet, digital textbooks, course materials, note-taking, web access, educational applications, digital media, sharing and more into a powerful and engaging educational experience that is not available on any other tablet or eReader today.
“From day one, we designed the Kno with flexibility in mind,” said Babur Habib, CTO and Co-Founder of Kno, Inc. “We developed the product to have multiple configurations and meet different student needs. The single screen maintains the elegance of our fluid, intuitive interface while capturing the richness and ‘page fidelity’ of the original textbook.”
The company plans to ship both the single and two-screen tablet textbooks to consumers by the end of 2010. Pricing and pre-order announcements will be made in the coming months.

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