TweakTown and SteelSeries teaming up for Facebook giveaway
It's Christmastime, and we have teamed up with our friends at SteelSeries to give away an awesome stocking stuffer to one lucky fan. Just check out and like SteelSeries on Facebook and post a link to your favorite SteelSeries review on TweakTown in the contest post to get entered to win a SteelSeries Xai Laser mouse. Don't forget to like TweakTown on Facebook as well!
If you just can't wait for the contest to end to get your hands on this awesome mouse, SteelSeries is running an awesome special on the Xai for folks in the U.S. and Canada. The Xai's price has been slashed from $89.99 to $49.99 with the promo code BLNG12 at the SteelSeries web shop. Merry Christmas from your friends at TweakTown and SteelSeries!
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Arctic Cooling launches new Presenter 1 peripheral
I have never had a job where I had to give lots of presentations, but I did have a job once where I had to sit through a lot of them. It sucked. I really hated it when the presenter couldn't figure out how to work the remote and we ended up waiting while they tied to figure it out. You may be familiar with the Arctic Cooling company from their line of fans and other cooling products.
Arctic Cooling has unveiled a new device called the Presenter 1 Wireless Presenter that might be of interest if you are a person that has to give presentations a lot. The device looks like a remote control for your TV more than a computer accessory to me. It has a single round dial that controls the functions of your presentation.
The dial has buttons for escape, darken screen, play, previous/next slide, and for volume. The device also has a red laser pointer built in as well. It connects to your computer using an included USB dongle and it uses 2.4GHz technology. Power for the adapter is from three AAA batteries. You can pick one up now for $31.90.
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Viacom sells Rock Band company Harmonix
Any fan of music games will know the Harmonix name. This is the company that is behind the cool Rock Band franchise that has branched out from consoles and ended up on portable devices and more. You would think with the success of the Rock Band franchise Harmonix would be something that owner Viacom would want to keep a hold of.
You would be wrong. Viacom has announced that it has sold Harmonix off. Viacom has sold Harmonix to Harmonix-SBE Holdings LLC, which is an affiliate of Columbus Nova LLC. Columbus Nova LLS is an investment firm.
Harmonix apparently intends to continue supporting games it has on the market already. With MTV as part of the Viacom family, I wonder if the sale will affect the ability to get musicians to provide songs for the game.
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Best Buy will open early on the 26th so you can get the gadget you really wanted
With today being Christmas Eve you might think shopping has pretty much ended, you would be wrong. There are still hoards of people out there that wait until the last minute and then hit the malls. If you are expecting to get a gift card or gadget from Best Buy and it happens to not work or not be the one you wanted Best Buy will be opening early on December 26.
The store will open at 7AM so you can return, exchange, or blow that Christmas loot Santa left in your stocking. Best Buy will be offering some good deals that day too. You can get an HP AMD Turion notebook with 3GB of RAM and 320GB of storage for $399.99. If you got a bunch of home theater gear an all the remotes are making your head swim, you can get a deal on a cool universal remote too.
Best Buy will have the Harmony One from Logitech for $159.99, which is $90 off. That is one of the best remotes on the market. If you got a new iPhone 4 you can save 50% on some cases and certain Blu-ray movies will be offered for $12.99. Merry Christmas!
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Merry Christmas from all of us at TweakTown!
With the jolly Christmas season now embracing us all, you can appreciate that things will be a little quiet around here over the next week or so as the TT team takes a well deserved break with their families and loved ones after another highly successful year knocking out technology content like it's going out of fashion.
2010 has been another fantastic year for TweakTown. We've achieved and in many cases exceeded our expectations in delivering a new level of premium technology content to the people that matter most; you, our loyal readers.
Come 2011, we have even more exciting and bigger plans for the site to help keep things fresh and vibrant for you all, and we are confident you will welcome our additions and changes with open arms.
On behalf of the TweakTown team, we wish you all a very merry christmas. Let's look forward to another exciting year come 2011, beginning with the fun and frills of CES early into the new year!
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Christmas Eve Roundup
The latest happenings from around the web - December 24th, 2010
Systems
- Dell Vostro V130 Laptop @ BusinessComputingWorld
- Asus N53JF-XE1 Laptop @ Techreviewsource
- AMD Fusion powered Acer Aspire One 522 leaked (Update: Price, more specs) @ Netbooknews
Motherboard
- Intel LGA 1156 Motherboard 6-Way Roundup @ Neoseeker
- ASUS Rampage III Formula Motherboard @ Overclockers Club
Memory
- OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800/ 1600MHz Reaper Edition Ultra Low Voltage CL7 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ Testfreaks
- Crucial Ballistix DDR3 1866 RAM @ XSReviews
Video/Monitor
- Gainward GeForce GTX 570 GLH Golden Sample Graphics Card @ Hardware Heaven
- MSI N480GTX Lightning @ Tech Reaction
Audio/Media
- Eminent EM7080 hdMEDIA RT & EM7095 DVB-T @ Kitguru
- Roku XD|S Digital Video Player @ MissingRemote
- Denon AH-D510R Over-Ear Headphones @ Testfreaks
- MP4Nation Brainwavz M2 In-ears @ Techpowerup
- Popcorn Hour A-210 NMJ @ Hardware Bistro
Cases/Modding/PSU
- SilverStone 850 Watt Strider Gold Power Supply @ Pro-Clockers
- SilverStone SG05-450 SFF Chassis @ OCIA
Cooling
- GlacialTech Siberia CPU Cooler @ RWLabs
- Zalman CNPS9900 Max Heatsink @ Frostytech
Storage
- Corsair Force F40 RAID0 @ TechReaction
- Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 500GB @ tbreak
- Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 40GB SSD Single & RAID @ Hardware Canucks
Other
- Qpad 5K Pro Gaming Laser Mouse @ eTeknix
- Creative ZiiO Tablets and Zen Touch 2 hands on @ tbreak
- Epson WorkForce 635 All-in-One Printer @ Techwarelabs
- ARCTIC M551 Gaming Mouse @ Tech Reaction
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Mobile App of the Day: PopOut! The Night Before Christmas
Our Mobile App of the Day today is PopOut! The Night Before Christmas .
Christmas Eve is here, so keeping in the spirit of the holidays we're taking a look at a Christmas classic. I know several families that have a tradition of reading "The Night Before Christmas" before tucking the kids into bed, and PopOut! has a fun and interactive version of the classic story available for the iPhone and iPad.
This virtual storybook features touch sensitive pull tabs, spin wheels, and other elements that add some extra fun to telling this story. There is an option to have the story read itself and the "Read to Me" function highlights words to help little readers improve their skills. The app costs $1.99 on iTunes, so pull up a chair, give it a download, and get ready for sugarplums to dance in your head.
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The future of FPS gaming is in this video
Well, the title is deceiving, isn't it. A funny "FPS IRL" video from Freddie Wong of "Behind the Scenes" fame. Give it a watch below:
It's a well done video, surprisingly made in just a week! The ending is actually quite good and I enjoyed the kill cam shots - they've done a good job.
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Facebook blocks j.mp links from use on their site
Tons of people every day use bit.ly to provide nice and short links to webpages that have obnoxiously long original links. Bit.ly also provides j.mp which is very similar, but Facebook is allowing none of these links to be used. If you try, you get this popup:
A Facebook spokesperson provided the following explanation to TechCrunch: "As part of our effort to keep Facebook and the people who use our service secure, we closely monitor the content shared on the site for spam and malicious content. At the time we blocked j.mp, more than 70% of j.mp links pointed to spam or other security issues. We are working with bit.ly to resolve the issue." Bit.ly uses several measures to try to avoid spam sites from being used in the service, but there's obviously only so much they can do. For now, if you must shorten site names, just go with the original bit.ly until this is all hashed out.
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Apple possibly looking to place antenna behind logo of future devices
As intensely popular as the iPhone 4 is, the antenna issues that plagued the phone was enough to turn many buyers away that didn't want to have to use a bumper to better their call signal. It looks like Apple is searching for ways to avoid this mess in the future with their latest patent filing.
According to the filing, it looks like Apple is attempting to find a way to install the antenna behind the Apple logo both on the iPhone and Macbooks. With this new "logo antenna," the device's signal should be unaffected by the way a user grips the phone on the sides. But what about the bighanded types that cover up this new logo antenna with the back of their hands? Apple has thought of this, haven't they? We'll have to wait and see.
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RumorTT: Microsoft to push PC gaming with Windows 8
Everyone talks about this - PC Gaming is dead/dying. It will always be here, but whether we get AAA+ titles that can only be played on PC and are not gimped or cut down because of console hardware limitations and their ports is the main argument.
Microsoft are stuck - they have on one hand the super successful Xbox 360, on the other, 100's of millions of Windows-based users. Windows 8 is meant to be a push in the right direction for gamers.
TechRadar have had an anonymous source say "Windows 8 will represent a real new push into PC gaming," followed by "Gaming will be a key component for the whole OS."
Now, that's fair enough to say that, but, what are the chances we see some PC-exclusives that scale up and down with hardware? People say it cannot be done, people use Crysis as an example. But, do you remember the Quake and Unreal days? Those games scaled well between crappy $50 VGA cards right up to 3dfx Voodoo 1/2 in SLI!
Imagine if Microsoft pushed PC gaming as their "this is what real gaming is" line.
Gaming needs to be split - PC gaming should turn into the BMW/Mercedes line of gaming, while still having cheaper systems play games, where consoles become your standard Ford or Toyota of gaming. It all comes down to, what do you expect from a $400 console compared to a limitless budgeted PC build?
I don't want my $5000 machine gimped by games ported from a $400 console, do you?
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AT&T introduces mobile billing for Android Market purchases
Up until now, T-Mobile was the only major U.S. mobile carrier to allow Android Market purchases to be paid for via direct carrier billing. Well move over guys, AT&T is now allowing direct carrier billing as well through their latest Android Market update.
That's right AT&T fans, no more Google Checkout needed for your app purchases. There's a 15 minute window where you can get a refund on a purchase without it hitting your bill. Not only can you pay via your bill, you'll also notice new categories in the Android Market like "Media & Video," "Music & Audio," "Business," and "Sports" among others.
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Mobile security becomes focus for many companies
Smartphones are becoming a lot more prevalent with the general public, and we are also asking them to do a lot more things. Store our contacts and all of their information, email, and tons of other things with data we probably don't want to share with the world at large. Getting the jump on hackers that may try to take advantage of how phone-centric our lives have become has become the focus of several mobile companies.
The Wall Street Journal outlined quite a few of the companies looking to put the lockdown on data theft. Verizon and San Francisco based company Lookout are working together with their BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile device remote backup and geolocation apps. RIM has announced BlackBerry Protect which can remotely put the lockdown or completely wipe a lost phone while also helping you find it. AT&T is even working with MobileIron and McAfee to open a mobile security lab in New York specifically to research malware, worms, viruses, and other developing threats. Mobile security is being taken seriously, and that's something I think we can all get behind.
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iPad 2 to be flatter, include better speakers?
More leaks are coming out about Apple's iPad 2 with one of them saying the next-gen iPad will have a smaller, slimmer, flatter case, all while including rear-facing, improved speakers.
According to a Japanese blog, an anonymous Chinese source has revealed that the new case shaves 3mm from the length and width which results in a slightly smaller bezel. The source says the 9.7" LCD display will remain.
The back is meant to be flatter (like the current iPhone 4) which would make it easier to use when placed on a table or flat surface. The report also says the iPad will include a front-facing FaceTime camera, as well as a rear-facing camera that is "the same quality as iPhone 4" and capable of shooting video.
Please Apple, please let this happen! Please give us a proper USB port too.
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42" Nexus S smartphone on display at Best Buy
Think your smartphone is just awesome, but would like a larger screen? A Best Buy in San Carlos, CA has taken the Nexus S to the extreme with their 42" screened monster display version on their floor to play with.
Now I'm pretty sure the older folks out there are going to say "heh heh, I remember when cell phones were actually that big." The giant Nexus S, powered by an actual life sized Nexus S with special video out capability, didn't seem to be quite as responsive as the original but is still fun to watch. This is a test run for Google, who says if the demo is successful more of these giant testers will roll out to more stores. Check out TechCrunch's demo video at the Source Link.
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DC Universe arriving on January 11, 2011
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) have given a release date for their highly-anticipated MMO based in the DC Universe, DC Universe Online. The game has reached gold master status and will be available at retail outlets for PC and PlayStation 3 on January 11, 2011.
DC Universe Online will cost $50 for PC and $60 for PS3 in the US - this will give you a 30-day game membership with monthly subscriptions costing $15 per month afterwards. SOE have said they will update the game regularly with new episodes featuring DC Comics characters, new instances and major "in-game events".
DC Universe allows players to create their own superhero (or villain!) and join forces with their favorite DC Comics characters to help save the universe.
"Creating DC Universe Online has been a massive undertaking, and we're excited to be that much closer to launch," Christopher Cao, Game Director of DCUO for Sony Online Entertainment, said in a statement. "We're grateful to our beta players for providing us invaluable feedback in these final stages that has enabled us to put the finishing touches on a fun and exciting experience when the game launches in January."
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Pioneer ships new 3D Blu-ray player line
I think it really sucks that there are still very few 3D Blu-ray flicks on the market today and it sucks even more that the really cool 3D flick Avatar can't be purchased at all without buying Panasonic gear to get the flick. If you still want a 3D Blu-ray player despite the lack of content on the market right now and you like the Pioneer brand the company is shipping its 3D players now.
The line includes the new Pioneer BDP-430, the BDP-41FD, and BDP-43FD players. All three of the players are 3D ready with HDMI 1.4a outputs. The devices come with wired Ethernet ports for connectivity and can be fitted with an optional WiFi adapter as well. All three naturally support Blu-ray 3D and use Pioneer PureCinema tech for upscaling standard resolution video to 1080p.
One of the cooler features that all three support is the iControlAV App. This app allows the iPhone or iPod touch to be used as a full function remote control of the players. The devices also support 36-bit deep color. The BDP-430 sells for $299, the BDP-41FD sells for $399 and adds a RS-232 port for custom installs and the BDP-43FD sells for $499 with better components and a rugged chassis.
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NewerTech unveils NuStand Alloy for iPad and Mac mini
It doesn't take long when you use the iPad a lot to realize that having to look down at the screen if you watch movies or read a lot can be a literal pain in the neck. There are a ton of stands on the market for the iPad to prop it up for you making it more comfortable to use. The latest stand to hit the market is from NewerTech. NewerTech makes all sorts of accessories for Mac computers and has for a long time.
The new stand is called the NuStand Alloy and is offered in version of the iPad and a version for the 2010 Mac mini computer as well. The iPad version of the stand is black and is sized to allow the iPad to be used in the stand while a thin case is installed. It has non-skid rubber feet and a rubberized black soft touch finish.
The stand holds the iPad screen in landscape or portrait modes at a 15-degree angle. You can pick it up right now for $24.99. The version of the stand of the 2010 mini is very similar with a silver rubberized finish. It has the same non-skid feet and won't scratch your computer at all. It sells for $24.99 as well.
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Hoodie for your Blackberry = epic fail
There are all sorts of cool cases on the market for smartphones of all kinds whether you carry an iPhone, Android device, or a Blackberry. You can find a case that won't make people that see you carrying it want to beat you senseless. Just for the record, this hoodie carry case for your smartphone is a case that will make people want to beat you up.
I will go so far as to say if you buy this case for your smartphone, you should get a free punch to the testicles from Mike Tyson with it. The hoodie case has a strap to let you carry the thing over your shoulder like a purse. That strap makes this seem more focused on girls, and we can cut them a bit more slack for carrying this. That said I would still point and laugh.
The image shows a Blackberry inside the case, but it is universally sized to fit a bunch of different devices. The case measures 4" top to bottom and is 3.5" wide. It should fit the iPhone too. You can grab the thing up for $9 and only one (thankfully) is available on Etsy.
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Tron Guy banned from watching Tron: Legacy in his suit by local theater
Any adult male that likes to be known as Tron Guy and wears a homemade replica of the original Tron suit for the 80's flick isn't all there in my book. I bet Jay Maynard peed his Tron Underoos when he heard that Legacy was coming to theaters. As the story goes, Tron Guy called up a local theater in Michigan and told them he was coming to watch Tron: Legacy in his Tron suit.
The theater staff told him that he would not be allowed to watch the flick wearing his suit. Apparently, a middle aged, pudgy dude in a Tron suit is distracting. I took my son to see the flick last weekend when it opened and he liked it, though he asked me tons of questions and I didn't get to watch as close as I wanted.
It's a bit ironic that my son is nine and I was nine when the original flick came out at the theater. I still remember going to see it with my dad, maybe in 20-ish years when the third Tron flick comes out he can take his kid. Legacy has much better visuals (naturally) and it was a cool flick if you haven't seen it you should go.
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Kingmax unveils new nudist 2400MHz RAM with no heat sink
I like to see what's on the inside of my gadgets and hardware as much as the next geek as long as that doesn't mean I have to kill my gear. If you like gaming RAM for the speed and performance you probably know that each time a new set of RAM comes out it has increasingly garish and complex looking heat sinks to help keep it cool. Most of the heat sinks are for looks as much as cooling through. If you prefer your hardware to look like hardware with no aluminum or flashing lights Kingmax has your memory.
The company has just unveiled a new set of fast 2400MHz DRAM modules that have no heat sink. The RAM is designed for overclocking and is the only module that can operate at 2400Mhz without a heat sink according to the maker. The Nano Gaming RAM uses nano thermal dissipation tech to cool the chips.
The RAM promises bandwidth of 19.2GB/sec with 1.65v of power. Latencies are 9-11-9-27 and the maker promises the RAM is perfect for gamers. The Nano Gaming RAM series has modules with operating frequencies of 1600MHz, 2000MHz, 2200MHz, and 2400MHz that will work with different computer platforms. The 2400Mhz RAM is for Intel P55 chipsets.
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Intel's McAfee acquisition officially approved by FTC
Intel, mostly known for their work on the hardware side of the computer business, is one step closer to getting into cybersecurity with their announcement today that the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. has approved their $7.68 billion acquisition of McAfee. The deal was originally announced last August but had plenty of hurdles to jump to get approved and is still awaiting European Commission approval.
The acquisition of McAfee is an interesting one: Intel gets a huge team of cybersecurity experts to flesh out the possibility of hardware-based security features for their products, while McAfee gets insider knowledge of the hardware side and possibly a leg up on competing products. Having the Intel name behind their logo would definitely be a step forward. There's still no word yet on when we may see actual products coming from the partnership, but the future is interesting on both fronts when this officially gets through.
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Download of the Day: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.50.1
Our Download of the Day today is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.50.1.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove malware that even the most well known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to detect. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware monitors every process and stops malicious processes before they even start.
Key Features:
• Support for Windows 2000, XP, and Vista (32-bit only).
• Light speed quick scanning.
• Ability to perform full scans for all drives.
• Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Protection Module. (requires registration)
• Database updates released daily.
• Quarantine to hold threats and restore them at your convenience.
• Ignore list for both the scanner and Protection Module.
• Settings to enhance your Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware performance.
• A small list of extra utilities to help remove malware manually.
• Multi-lingual support.
• Works together with other anti-malware utilities.
• Command line support for quick scanning.
• Context menu integration to scan files on demand.
The latest version includes the following changes:
Changes in Version 1.50.1
- Fixed issue with the scheduler not performing realtime updates.
- Fixed multiple issues with product crashing during a scan.
- Fixed issue with log not saving on certain command line scans.
- Fixed various issues with Finnish, Italian, and Norwegian languages.
- Fixed formatting and misspelling issues in product help file.
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Deal of the Day: Samsung BD-C7500 Blu-ray DVD Player w/ 1GB Memory & Wireless LAN Built-in for $145.99 with FREE Shipping!
Our Deal of the Day today is the Buy.com - Samsung BD-C7500 Blu-ray DVD Player w/ 1GB Memory & Wireless LAN Built-in for $145.99 with FREE Shipping!.
Offer: Buy.com has a fantastic price on the brand new Samsung BD-C7500 Blu-ray disc player. No one even comes even close to this $148.42 shipped price (next closest is $213). This current model is a stylish, ultra-slim (1.3" thick), player with Internet TV: downloadable widgets and apps like BLOCKBUSTER, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, Pandora and more. It also includes a wireless LAN adapter. The price only shows up at the final stage of checkout (you can still see it before you buy). Good while supplies last, though the last couple times it ran out very VERY quickly.
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Circuits could be implanted into money as an anti-counterfeiting technique
Changing the ink, the look, the holograms; banks have been doing a lot of work to stay one step ahead of counterfeiters. The next measure on the list? Electronic circuits stamped into bills that are scannable and traceable.
German and Japanese scientists have been working on a process that uses semiconducting organic molecules mixed with gold and aluminum oxide to crate transistors on the bills. At under 250 nanometers thick and requiring less than three volts of wireless electricity to be read, these circuits shouldn't change the feel or thickness compared to the bills you're currently carrying around in any noticeable fashion.
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Diamond Radeon HD 6970 XOC 2GB Video Card
Introduction
Samples from Diamond have been a bit few and far between, but we're glad to welcome them back with open arms. It wasn't hard to get my attention, though, as they waved a pre-overclocked HD 6970 in front of my face via email.
Diamond has managed to attack this model fast; faster than anyone else and we wonder if that meant a 10MHz increase on the core and a 50MHz QDR memory bump. Well, I'm going to give you a bit of a spoiler here and let you know they've done more than that to the clocks.
Before we find out just how high they've bumped the new top dawg from AMD, we'll first check out the limited package we've got on our hands before taking a closer look at the card and of course the clocks the card carries.
Once that's done it's time to get into the good stuff and see just what kind of performance increase Diamond are able to give us over a reference clocked card.
The Package
Diamond went to the effort to send us the card nice and early, so the package was a little bare. Fortunately we've got a shot of the retail package to show you. As for what's inside, we should have a manual, Driver CD and single Crossfire cable.
.... Read the full content in your browser!
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Titan Hati TTC-NC15TZ/KU(RB) CPU Cooler
Introduction
At this point the Fenrir Series of coolers from Titan have made a name for themselves and have had good results so far with this line of CPU coolers. My first look was at the Fenrir, then there was the black and gold Fenrir Evo, both of which did ok in testing and put Titan in contention for a share of the market. As with most successful cooler designs, evolutions of that main idea are bound to develop as time goes by, and we are going to be looking at just that today.
Keeping pretty much just the series name of Fenrir, this new cooler takes on a different shape and uses one less heat pipe than the two previous coolers with that naming. Essentially this cooler is using three heat pipes to do the work of the four of the initial design, but keeps the direct contact to the processor we are used to from Titan. As we get deeper into the review I will be sure to point out the differences and similarities of these coolers.
The key in this design is the pursuit of silence. The Hati from the Fenrir-family of coolers that we are going to be taking a look at today has a fan I have yet to see paired with a Titan Cooler. Not only does Titan offer a new silent fan for operation of the cooler, if you want to add another fan for lower temperatures, the Hati comes ready to go; all you need is the second fan. Let's have a look at the specifications, see what is and is not incorporated, and see just what the Fenrir-family Hati from Titan is capable of.
.... Read the full content in your browser!
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Micron Technology, Inc., Reports Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2011
Micron Technology, Inc., Reports Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2011
Micron Technology, Inc., (Nasdaq:MU) today announced results of operations for its first quarter of fiscal 2011, which ended December 2, 2010. For the first quarter, the company had net income attributable to Micron shareholders of $155 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.3 billion. The results for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compare to net income of $342 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.5 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, and net income of $204 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, on net sales of $1.7 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2010.
In the company's Memory segment (which excludes Numonyx and other non-reportable segments), revenue from sales of DRAM products was 19 percent lower in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 due to a 23 percent decrease in average selling prices partially offset by a 5 percent increase in unit sales volume. Revenue from sales of NAND Flash products was up slightly in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 due to a 20 percent increase in unit sales volume partially offset by a 15 percent decrease in average selling prices. The company's gross margin for its Memory segment was 26 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to 37 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, primarily due to the decreases in average selling prices, partially offset by decreases in manufacturing costs.
Cash flows from operations for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $732 million. During the quarter, the company invested approximately $570 million in capital expenditures and spent $635 million to retire debt. The company ended the fiscal quarter with cash and investments of $2.4 billion.
The company will host a conference call today at 2:30 p.m. MST to discuss its financial results. The call, audio and slides will be available online at http://investors.micron.com/events.cfm. A webcast replay will be available on the company's web site until Wednesday, December 21, 2011. A taped audio replay of the conference call will also be available at (706) 645-9291 (conference ID: 32359725) beginning at 5:30 p.m. MST today and continuing until 5:30 p.m. MST on Wednesday, December 29, 2010.
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets a full range of DRAM, NAND Flash and NOR Flash memory, as well as other innovative memory technologies, packaging solutions and semiconductor systems for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, embedded and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com
In the first quarter of fiscal 2011, the company entered into a 10-year patent cross-license agreement with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. ("Samsung"). Under the agreement, Samsung agreed to pay the company $275 million, with $200 million paid on October 8, 2010, $40 million due January 31, 2011, and $35 million due March 31, 2011. The license is a life-of-patents license for existing patents and applications, and a 10-year term license for all other patents.
(2) On October 28, 2010, the company entered into separate privately negotiated purchase and exchange agreements under which it repurchased $91 million in principal amount of its 4.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2013 ("4.25% Notes"), repurchased $176 million in principal amount of its 1.875% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 ("Existing 1.875% Notes") and exchanged $175 million of the Existing 1.875% Notes for $175 million in aggregate principal amount of new 1.875% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027 ("New 1.875% Notes").
The New 1.875% Notes are convertible under certain circumstances, at the holder's option, at an initial conversion rate of 91.7431 common shares per $1,000 principal amount. Upon conversion, holders will receive cash up to the principal amount, and any excess value will be delivered, at the company's election, in cash, common stock or a combination of cash and common stock. Holders of the New 1.875% Notes have an option to require the company to purchase the notes on June 1, 2017, and in certain other circumstances, at a price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount of notes plus accrued and unpaid interest.
In connection with the repurchase transactions, the aggregate carrying amount of debt (including unamortized discount and issuance costs) of $232 million was redeemed for $328 million in cash (including fees). As a result of this loss on the repurchase transactions and the effect of the exchange, the company recognized a non-operating loss of $111 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Including the effects of the repurchase and exchange transactions and other scheduled repayments, the company reduced its debt by a net amount of $544 million during the first quarter of fiscal 2011.
Other non-operating income in the first quarter of fiscal 2010 included a gain of $56 million recognized in connection with an issuance of common shares in a public offering by Inotera Memories, Inc. ("Inotera") — an investment accounted for by the company under the equity method. As a result of the issuance, the company's interest in Inotera decreased from 35.5% to 29.8%.
(3) Income taxes in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 included a charge of $33 million in connection with the Samsung agreement. Taxes in fiscal 2011 and 2010 primarily reflect taxes on the company's non-U.S. operations and U.S. alternative minimum tax. The company has a valuation allowance for a substantial portion of its net deferred tax asset associated with its U.S. operations. Taxes attributable to U.S. operations in fiscal 2011 and 2010 were substantially offset by changes in the valuation allowance.
(4) On December 17, 2010, the company acquired Hewlett-Packard Company's interest in TECH Semiconductor Singapore Pte. Ltd., ("TECH") a consolidated joint venture of the company, for $38 million. As a result, the company's ownership interest in TECH increased from approximately 87.1% to 90.3%.
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MSI launches R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition Graphics Card
MSI launches R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition Graphics Card
Internationally renowned graphic card and mainboard manufacturer MSI today officially launches the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition graphic card equipped with the latest AMD Radeon HD 6850 GPU. Apart from being the first Radeon HD 6850-based graphic card supporting triple over-voltage functions, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with the 6+1 power system to improve power supply quality and stability. Also the critically acclaimed Cyclone thermal solution can reduce the GPU temperature by up to 14°C and lower noise by 4dB versus the reference design under full-speed operations. MSI also introduces the exclusively developed P/S Switch for users to adjust fan speed between the Performance Mode and Silent Mode. The former emphasizes an enhanced cooling power; while the latter stresses on quiet operations.
With the P/S Switch, power users can switch from one mode to another to meet their needs at different times. In terms of materials, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with the latest Military Class II materials exclusively from MSI. In addition to the Hi-C tantalum caps and solid caps, these include the SFC high-performance choke to ensure the best power supply quality and stability. Overall, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is one of the most powerful Radeon HD 6850-based graphic cards with the most functions and highest quality.
Triple Over-voltage and 6+1 phase power system
The R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is the first Radeon HD6850-based graphic card supporting triple over-voltage function. With the MSI-exclusive OC software, Afterburner, users can easily adjust the voltage of the GPU, RAM and VDDCI. When compared with other graphic cards of the same level, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition has more OC potential. Additionally, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with a more robust power system compared to other graphic cards of the same level. When compared with the reference design, the 6+1 power system can enhance OC stability and unleash the full potential of the graphic card.
MSI-exclusive Cyclone thermal solution
The R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with the MSI-exclusive Cyclone thermal solution. With the nickel-plated pure copper heat-sink, the heat generated by the GPU is efficiently transported to the fins on both sides via the heatpipes. The 9 cm diameter temperature-controlled fan generates powerful airflow that disappates heat effectively off the GPU. When compared with the reference design, the Cyclone can effectively reduce the GPU temperature by 14°C and lower noise by 4dB! Maintaining a balance between cooling efficiency and quietness, the Cyclone brings power users a low-temperature and quiet work environment.
Performance/Silent Modes for picky power users
Considering the diversity of graphic card users, MSI has developed the exclusive P/S Switch function for users to adjust fan speed between the Performance Mode and Silent Mode. The former emphasizes an enhanced cooling power that can significantly reduce GPU temperature to keep the graphic card at the optimal working condition, while the latter stresses on quiet operations for users to keep noise minimal while playing games or watching a movie. As both modes deliver excellent cooling performance, even the pickiest power users can always keep the environment under control according to their needs.
Quality advancement: Military Class II materials
To pursue quality and stability excellence has always been the unchanged goal of MSI, and the Military Class standard has won heated support and trust from power users. Taking a step forward, MSI launches the Military Class II standard. This includes the Hi-C tantalum caps with lifespan 8 times longer than solid caps, the SFC high-performance choke which supplies 30% more power, and the all solid caps with a lifespan up to 10 years. With such components, the quality and stability of graphic cards are maximized.
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New video cables with hard-to-find lengths offer greater flexibility for building technology solutions
New video cables with hard-to-find lengths offer greater flexibility for building technology solutions
StarTech.com's new lineup of A/V cables allows for more cost-effective and efficient connections of HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA and DVI devices,
Northampton, UK - Dec 15th, 2010 - StarTech.com, a leading manufacturer of hard-to-find connectivity and technology parts is proud to announce the launch of a new line of video cables with unique lengths. These cables are custom-designed for devices that support high-resolution and high-definition performance (DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, DVI) and work perfectly with video splitters and switches.
While cables for DVI and DisplayPort devices are offered at connection ranges from 1 to 50 feet, HDMI cables are available at lengths up to 80 feet, with VGA cables reaching up to 100 feet while maintaining full quality and signal integrity. Many cables also feature specialized, angled connector ends that allow for connections in tight spaces while preventing cable strain.
Keith Rodrigues, Senior Product Manager for StarTech.com noted "The special design of these cables is a perfect example of StarTech.com's commitment to providing our customers with an unmatched selection of hard-to-find connectivity solutions. While many other companies only offer a few options of cable lengths, our customers are able to get the exact type of cable they want in the exact length they need it. The benefits are not only price but also efficiency, as they don't pay for extra cable length they don't need, or have to deal with unnecessary clutter. The cables also carry a lifetime performance guarantee, which ensures that customers get the quality and reliability they need to build first class solutions."
Video Cables available in unique lengths include:
VGA Cables: 13 lengths available (1,3,6,10,15,20,25,30,35,50,55,75 and 100 foot lengths)
HDMI Cables: 13 lengths available (1,3,6,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50 and 80 foot lengths)
DVI Cables: 10 lengths available (1,3,6,10,15,20,25,30,40 and 50 foot lengths)
DisplayPort Cables: 10 lengths available (1,3,6,10,15,20,25,30,35,50 foot lengths)
To find more information about StarTech.com's full line of hard-to-find cables visit the cable section of StarTech.com's website at www.startech.com or use the ConXit Connection Wizard which can be found at www.startech.com/conxit.
They are available directly from StarTech.com as well as from distribution partners Dabs.com, Misco.co.uk, Insight and Amazon.co.uk, and are distributed by Ingram Micro and ENTA.
For more information about this announcement, please contact Andrew Stephen at 1-800-265-1844 ext. 1248 or astephen@startech.com.
About StarTech.com
StarTech.com is an ISO 9001:2008 Registered Manufacturer of hard-to find connectivity and technology parts including A/V products, computer parts, cables and server management solutions. Founded in 1985, StarTech.com has locations in the United States, Canada, Europe and Taiwan, servicing a worldwide market.
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The world first 2400MHz DRAM Module without Heatsink has been unveiled
The world first 2400MHz DRAM Module without Heatsink has been unveiled
KINGMAX launched DDR3 Nano Gaming Ram 2400MHz
The world-famous DRAM module manufacturer KINGMAX presented overclocking DDR3 2400MHz Nano Gaming RAM. It is the unique and the only one DRAM module can be operated at 2400MHz without conventional heat sink. Instead of adding conventional heat sink, Nano Gaming RAM adopts the nano thermal dissipation technology(NTD Tech)to improve thermal performance by 10%. Its bandwidth can reach up to 19.2GB/sec under low voltage which means the performance will be more conspicuously improved in 3D shooting games that involve more rigorous requirements for speed.
Heat dissipation is always the key issue for the stability of system operation.
Particularly in overclocking or 3D games, high temperature may easily cause the instability of operation. Targeting the overclocking and game market, KINGMAX DDR3 Nano Gaming Ram adopting NTD Tech increases the effect of heat radiation, it not only keeps the working temperature far lower than conventional heat sinks, but improves thermal dissipation performance by 10%, thereby effectively maintaining low temperature and high stability. In other words, only NTD Tech can replace conventional heat sinks and only Nano Gaming Ram can allow overclocking enthusiasts and gamers to feel free to challenge the overclocking limit.
KINGMAX Nano Gaming Ram not only has excellent thermal dissipation performance, but reaches 2400MHz and provides high speed transfer bandwidth up to 19.2GB/s with low voltage 1.65V and CL value 9-11-9-27. It exhibits great effects of 3D games. Besides that, Nano Gaming Ram has ASIC chip embedded for anti-counterfeiting purpose design to prohibit counterfeiting. Meanwhile, it supports dual channel platform of Intel P55 chipset (2200MHz above), to reach 100% system compatibility and stability, to fully satisfy the high quality requirements of overclocking and game masters.
Nano Gaming Ram series include 1600MHz, 2000MHz, 2200MHz and 2400MHz for different kind of Motherboard and CPU matches. All products have passed not only 100% rigorous tests before ex-factory delivery, but CE (EU), Intel's XMP certifications and RoHS. KINGMAX memory modules have been well acclaimed by consumers due to their excellent compatibility, stability and outstanding overclocking performance. KINGMAX provides worldwide lifetime warranty service to exemplify its persistence on premium quality and insistence on flawless customer service. For more information, please visit KINGMAX official website at http://www.kingmax.com/
Features of KINGMAX DDR3 2400MHz Nano Gaming Ram:
- Support Intel P55 Chipset
- Adopting Nano Thermal Dissipation Technology
- ASIC chip embedded for anti-counterfeiting purpose
- Lead-free production process
- TinyBGATM technology adopted: with advantages as compact size, well heat dissipation and low EM interference
- 100% product compatibility and stability
- High data transfer performance for overclocking enthusiasts and hardcore gamers
Specification of KINGMAX DDR3 2400MHz Nano Gaming Ram:
- 240-pin DDR3 2200MHz
- CAS Latency: 10
- Bandwidth: 17.6GB/sec
- Voltage: 1.5~1.8v
- Capacity: 4GB (2GB*2)
- Worldwide lifetime warranty
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Colorful graphics cards are welcomed as their individualized designs
Colorful graphics cards are welcomed as their individualized designs
Today, this innovative company announces a special product,a high-end pocket HIFI player, and uses a sub-brand "Colorfly".
Pocket HIFI is a customized product for the advanced audio. Colorfly C4 is a mobile audio player but could achieve unprecedented HI-FI quality. It has 24bit/192KHz sould quality, which can exceed the CD audio standard in reproduction quality. It equips Cirrus Logic D/A and resampling chip, an ultra low jitter clock, and provides SPDIF output and high-performance digital audio output.
The headphone amplifier support 200mA output in Colorfly C4, frequency response is very flat with normal load. When load less than 32 ohm, it will affect the frequency response of low-frequency output, due to the headphone amplifier used 220uF output coupling capacitor.
Based on the classic style, Colorfly C4 has a pretty impressive sight, The wooden enclosure, the vintage finishing on the faceplate, the pro-grade ALPS slider for volume control, to the medieval-gothic emblem on the back. The product is available for all the enthusiasts on the planet, the price is 599EURO with local VAT.
For the details of Colorfly, press here (http://colorfly.colorful.cn/).
Key Features:
MAX AMPLITUDE:
3.5 jack ouput 620mV
6.3 jack ouput 2000mV
THD+N RATIO(44.1Khz FS,16ohm,32ohm:
1Khz 0.004%(-87db)
15Khz 0.014%(-76db)
100ohm,300ohm load conditions)
15Khz(S RC En- able) 0.0022%(-90db)
CROSSTALK 32ohm load >75db
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO: 108db
Clock jitter: 1.5ppm
Support 24Bit/192Khz
Files Playback: Yes (support 16bit/24bit sample rate from 16KHz-192Khz Files)
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Thermaltake introducing the Toughpower 1350W power supply
Thermaltake introducing the Toughpower 1350W power supply
Thermaltake's Toughest Ever
Thermaltake, leading PC power supply and computer components brand, launch their all new 80 Plus Silver certified Toughpower 1350W power supply with up to 91% efficiency. Offering 8 PCI-E connectors, the Toughpower 1350W is ready for all current multi-GPU setups ranging from NVIDIA 3-Way/4-Way SLI to AMD CrossFireX configurations. The additional double-forward switching circuitry provides highest reliability by reducing power loss considerably, while the DC-DC converter further increases highest efficiency levels. The Toughpower 1350W maintains an ultra tight DC regulation thereby supporting the C6 CPU mode and hybrid graphics card power saving mode through its ZERO LOAD (0W) design.
The dual+12V rail design allows excellent performance under all types of system loading, in combination with 100% 105 ? / 212 ? Japanese electrolytic and solid state capacitors allow for decisively improved over-clocking performance, longer life time and increased reliability as well as stability even under higher operating temperatures, frequencies and currents. An 8pin CPU and a 4+4pin CPU connectors enable support for dual CPU gaming and mission-critical server applications. Cool performance and quiet operation is provided for by the ultra silent 14 cm fan with an automatic intelligent fan speed control.
Built-in industrial grade protection circuitries to protect the power supply from over current, over voltage, under voltage, over power, over temperature as well as short circuitry, make the Toughpower 1350W the safest choice of its kind.
In short, the Toughpower 1350W is guaranteed to deliver 1350W continuous power 24/7 @ 50 ? with up to 91% efficiency under real world load conditions in a multi-GPU setup. The Toughpower 1350 is designed for professional gamers with high demand of efficiency, stability and reliability.
To learn more about it go to:
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info.aspx?PARENT_CID=C_00001659&id=C_00001660&name=Toughpower+1350W&ovid=n
About Thermaltake
The Thermaltake Group, based in Taipei, Taiwan has been established iin 1999. It currently consists of four major brands. Thermaltake Technology is mainly focusing on PC DIY components such as chassis, coolers and power supplies. LUXA2 is the exquisit luxury accessory brand for Apple lovers. Tt eSPORTS is targeting gaming enthusiast with periperals such as gaming mice, keyboards and headsets. With Tt Apollos the Thermaltake Group also has their own profession esports team, which is rapidly gaining in popularity.
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