Yeah, but can it run Crysis 2? Min system specs revealed
If you are a PC game that likes shooters and games with awesome storylines and game play, you are familiar with the original Crysis. The game was one of my all time favorites and I am really looking forward to the next installation, Crysis 2. Crytek has offered up the minimum system specs for the game so you can answer the "will it run" question early.
Crytek says that the game will require a web connection for activation. It will run on XP, Vista, or Windows 7 OS' and you need at least an Intel Core 2 Duo at 2GHz or an Athlon 64 x2 at 2GHz. Your rig will need at least 2GB of RAM and at least 9GB of free space on your drive. That is a lot of drive space needed.
Your DVD drive must be at least 8x, and you need an audio device that is DirectX 9.0c compatible. The real spec we want to know is the video card required. You will need an NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB or better solution or an ATI 3850HD with 512MB or better. The game will hit the US on March 22 and Europe on March 25.
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Download of the Day: uTorrent 2.2.0 Build 24402
Our Download of the Day today is uTorrent 2.2.0 Build 24402.
µTorrent is a small and incredibly popular BitTorrent client.
Micro-Sized Yet Feature Filled
Most of the features present in other BitTorrent clients are present in µTorrent, including bandwidth prioritization, scheduling, RSS auto-downloading and Mainline DHT (compatible with BitComet). Additionally, µTorrent supports the Protocol Encryption joint specification (compatible with Azureus 2.4.0.0 and above, BitComet 0.63 and above) and peer exchange.
Resource-Friendly
µTorrent was written with efficiency in mind. Unlike many torrent clients, it does not hog valuable system resources - typically using less than 6MB of memory, allowing you to use the computer as if it weren't there at all. Additionally, the program itself is contained within a single executable less than 220 KB in size.
Skinnable and Localized
Various icon, toolbar graphic and status icon replacements are available, and creating your own is very simple. µTorrent also has support for localization, and with a language file present, will automatically switch to your system language. If your language isn't available, you can easily add your own, or edit other existing translations to improve them!
Actively Developed and Improved
The developer puts in a lot of time working on features and making things more user-friendly. Releases only come out when they're ready, with no schedule pressures, so the few bugs that appear are quickly addressed and fixed.
The latest version includes the following changes:
Changes in Version 2.2.0 Build 24402
- Change: added new "Beyond the game" movie promo to installer
- Fix: Copy and paste in File list view fixed. (ctrl-A, ctrl-C, ctrl-V)
- Fix: privacy checkbox in general settings would have multiline text
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Deal of the Day: LG Optimus V Android Froyo 2.2 Cell Phone for Virgin Mobile for $149.99 with No Contract!
Our Deal of the Day today is the Radio Shack - LG Optimus V Android Froyo 2.2 Cell Phone for Virgin Mobile for $149.99 with No Contract!.
Offer: The net is abuzz about the new LG Optimus V Android Froyo 2.2 OS phone for Virgin Mobile. This device comes with a 3.2" HVGA capacitive touchscreen, 3G data, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.2MP camera, MicroSD slot, 802.11b/g WiFi, and more, and costs just $149.99 with no contact! Search for: OPTIMUSV to find it.
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LG to get it's G-Slate on, 3D viewing and recording, Spring availability
LG is set to launch it's Android-powered tablet, G-Slate, in Spring of this year. The G-Slate is powered by a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 32GB of internal storage, gyroscope and accelerometer and a stereoscopic rear-facing video camera which is capable of 1080p 3D capture and one of which doubles as a 5-megapixel still camera with LED flash.
Well, quite the spec-filled goody isn't it! It also has a third 2-megapixel camera up front for video chat over T-Mobile's HSPA+ network or alternatively, Wi-Fi. You'll need glasses to enjoy the 3D-goodness, the 1080p video output can be done over HDMI to an external display of your choice.
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Check-in with Google Latitude
Google have launched Google Maps 5.1 for Android which allows you to connect to a location to a real place by checking in there using Latitude. You can still use Latitude to automatically update and share your location, but check-ins let you add context to the location - like captions on a photo.
Latitude can be set to automatically detect your location, but there are now some unique features like notifications. If turned on, it will check you in at a nearby place once you arrive, this stops you from forgetting to check in ever again. Automatic check-ins is quite self-explanatory as it will check you in automatically once you get there without having to touch your phone. Check-out does the opposite, it will check you out so your friends aren't left guessing whether you're there or not.
Because Latitude is built directly into Google Maps for Android, check-ins work across Latitude and Maps seamlessly. If you were to check into a store ar restaurant, you'll see it's Place page with reviews to help you order. If a friend checks in somewhere, you can go straight from their Latitude profile to its Place page to learn about it, open Google Maps Navigation (beta) which would then give you turn-by-turn directions to them, and more.
There's also a feature which allows you to check in at a favorite place to earn a special status there, you'll see you've become a "regular", "VIP" or "Guru" on it's Place page. Crazy!
There's more at the source.
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CityVille adds an additional 20 levels, 100 million players say thank you and water their plants
Zynga's CityVille is an unstoppable train that is just exploding out in all directions. It's the largest Facebook application ever and has only been around for just over a month after launching in December 2010.
Zynga have added 20 more levels to CityVille bringing the game up to a maximum level of 80. Currently I'm Level 31 (yes the game is addictive, I'm playing it because I told my mate that I'd beat him, haha). You might think this means nothing, but it's rumored that Zynga are paying Facebook $30 million per month for their 30% cut.
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Sony stumbles with latest PS3 firmware, no hard drive upgrades
In it's efforts to fight piracy and the jailbreaking gear that has come out lately, Sony has updated the PS3 to 3.56 firmware. The update has a glitch, it makes hard drive upgrades impossible on most PS3 models.
The problem seems to stem from Sony's latest update which was rushed, an explanation from a post on NeoGaf below:
The 3.56 patch is a tiny patch which simply add/changes files in the 3.55 software. This differs from most patches which download the entire firmware. Since part of the software on models with 16MB of flash memory is stored on the hard drive, those PS3's need to reinstall the software when upgrading the drive. PS3's with 256MB of flash memory store all the software in the flash memory so it isn't lost on a drive upgrade.
Anyway since 3.56 is a hot patch and requires 3.55 to be installed prior to updating, you can't install 3.56 on a new drive. You also could install 3.55 when upgrading if not for Sony's software version checks.
Sony will most likely patch the latest firmware and remove the current bug, it's just a matter of time.
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QNAP's latest Turbo NAS line features iOS streaming via WiFi and 3G
If you're the kind of person who wants to pump digital wares around your house (and now outside of your house via 3G) then the latest QNAP Turbo NAS range will suite you well.
QNAP's latest addition (known as the TS-x12 line) will include a Marvel 1.2GHz CPU, 256MB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet ports as well as the RAID and iSCSI support that the current QNAP Turbo NAS series include. But the change in these models is that they include iOS WiFi and 3G streaming to your various Apple iOS based devices.
As Neo would say "whoa".
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iPad and Android fighting for tablet market share
Apple lost a little part of the tablet-pie in 2010, they captured 75.3 percent of the worldwide market share for tablets. Android-based devices took 21.6 percent share according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
With this news, Apple have lost around 20 percent of the market share to Google when comparing Q3 to Q4 in 2010. Just three months ago Apple had 95.5 percent of the tablet market whilst Android-powered devices only had 2.3 percent. Despite the power struggle between Apple and Google, both companies are making some serious waves in the tablet market with this year being even bigger than the last.
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Epson PowerLite 905 and 915W projectors debut
Epson has projectors that are for mobile pros, education, and home theater fans in its line up and many of the offerings from the company are among the best in their classes. Epson has announced today that it has two new projectors going into the line aimed at education use. The projectors would work equally as well in the office and other settings too.
The new projectors are the PowerLite 905 and 915W. The projectors are similar with the differences being brightness and resolution. The 905 sells for $999 and has 3000 lumens of white and color light output with XGA resolution. The 915W has 3200 lumens of color and white light output with WXGA resolution and sells for $1099.
Other features of the two are common like HDMI inputs, 16W speakers, and mic inputs. The projectors have plug and play capability for showing presentations from a computer. They can be turned on and off from a wall switch and the projectors have a 1.6 x optical zoom. Both of the projectors will ship in March around the country online and in stores.
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Sony cyber-shot HX100V and HX9V digital cameras debut
Digital cameras are sort of like apps for smartphones in that there is a camera for just about every need. You can find lots of entry-level digital cameras for people shopping based on price, there are also lots of cameras covering all other needs from mainstream up to super zoom and interchangeable lens cameras.
Sony has announced a pair of new cameras that fall into the higher-end of the point and shoot market. The new cameras are the HX100V and the HX9V. The two are both super zoom offerings that share many of the same features. The cameras are both 16.2MP cameras with Exmor CMOS sensors. They both have Sweep Panorama feature, and both have a 3-inch rear LCD.
They are also both able to record 1080p HD video at 60 fps and shoot 3MP still photos while recording video as well. The difference between the two boils down to zoom range. The HX100V has a 30x zoom lens and the HX9V has a 16x optical zoom lens. The HX100V will sell for $450 and the HX9V will sell for $350 with both hitting the Sony Style store in February.
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Gigabyte unveils two new NVIDIA GT 440 video cards
Gigabyte is one of the more popular computer hardware makers in the industry with a variety of mainboards and video cards that range from entry level to high-end enthusiast offerings. Today Gigabyte has unveiled a pair of new entry-level video cards using the NVIDIA GT 440 GPU. The video cards include the GV-N440TC-1GI and GV-N440D3-1GI.
Both of the cards use the same GT 440 GPU that supports DirectX 11, 3D, CUDA and a lot more. Both of the cards have D-sub, DVI, and HDMI connectivity. The N440D3 has 1GB of DDR3 RAM inside that is clocked at 1800MHz. The core clock for the GPU is 830MHz and the shader clock is 1660MHz.
The N440TC has 512MB of TurboCache GDDR5 RAM onboard had a clock speed of 830MHz. The RAM is clocked at 3200MHz and the shaders are clocked at 1660MHz. Both of the video cards are RoHS compliant and the GPUs use 40nm technology. Pricing and availability on the cards is unknown at this time.
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Google accuses Bing of "recycling" search results as their own
Google and Microsoft have gotten into a little spat and this time it's over their search engines. According to Google, Microsoft's Bing is "recycling" search results from Google through use of Internet Explorer and the Bing Toolbar and putting them up as their own. This is one of the many examples provided on the Official Google Blog:
Amit Singhal, a Google search engineer, stated in the blog that Google inserted the page as the top result of the jumbled search words and found that Bing's search popped the same page afterwards. While Google is not straight up accusing Microsoft of copying results, it's pretty much being said in more polite terms. Google is asking Microsoft to stop, but Microsoft is denying all of this to this point.
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LG Optimus 3D details begin leaking
LG is being pretty coy when it comes to their upcoming 3D smartphone. The Optimus 3D has been rumored to have everything from a dual core Tegra 2 processor to a 3D camera. Then there was Phandroid's possible leaked photo of the device:
LG's only official stated specs are that the display will be 3D without the need for glasses and the device will have HDMI and DLNA connectivity for content sharing. The unveiling will be on February 14th at the Mobile World Congress, so 3D lovers will have to wait a couple weeks to fall in love with the new device.
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Android phones now #1 in the world
With so many different Android devices flooding the worldwide smartphone market, it was only a matter of time before Google became the king of the mountain in popularity. According to sales figures last quarter, Android sold 32.9 million handsets which dethroned Nokia's Symbian as the king of the smartphone OS mountain.
While the more expensive Android devices like the EVO and Epic are the first devices that come to mind when you think Android, Google has made it clear that they are trying to make Android accessible for even the feature-phone market with devices like the Optimus One. This could put a further dent in Nokia's worldwide phone sale dominance, and leave companies like RIM further behind. This isn't even counting Android's presence in the tablet game, which with upcoming devices will gain Google even more of a stranglehold on the mobile device market if Honeycomb is as cool as advertised.
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Palit GeForce GTX 560 Ti Sonic Video Card in SLI Review
Introduction
Already impressed with what a single GTX 560 Ti is able to offer, it seemed like it was time to see what two of them did for us. For a long time we've known SLI scaling has been excellent and the GTX 460 in SLI was just an absolute beast of a combination, as you had two cards that offered more performance than a single GTX 480, while at the same time offering it at a cheaper price.
The particular cards we're dealing with are some 900MHz clocked ones in the form of the Palit GTX 560 Ti Sonic. Since we haven't looked at the card from Palit, we'll be of course looking at what's going on in the package department first up.
Once that's done, we'll take a closer look at the card itself, cover the out of the box clocks that Palit are offering and also double check that SLI is up and running. Once that's done it's time to get into the fun stuff and see what kind of performance we've got on offer from the setup.
We'll be comparing the setup today to a number of AMD Crossfire setups, so it'll be indeed interesting to see what kind of performance NVIDIA is able to offer us. First, though, we have to get stuck into the package.
Package
No surprises with a fairly bare package; you can see everything is fairly self-explanatory.
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ADATA HM-1200 1200W Power Supply
Introduction
ADATA has always been a well known manufacturer of memory and storage products. In early 2010, the company announced that it was entering the power supply market with the introduction of the Horus series of power supplies. The HM series comes in five different flavors ranging from 500W all the way up to 1200W, providing something for just about everyone. Today we have their HM-1200 on the bench to see how their first entry into the power supply market performs.
The ADATA HM-1200 promises to provide you with just about all the power you could ever use, even with dual processors and multiple GPU's in a single system. The 1200W of power is split between a pair of 12V rails and some seriously beefy 5V and 3.3V rails. To make full use of the 1200W, ADATA offers up a hefty amount of cables and connectors that will make sure you can power systems where cases are packed to the max with drives, GPU's and more.
Specifications, Availability and Pricing
The ADATA HM-1200 utilizes dual 12V rails rated for 50A each which will provide the full 1200W the power supply offers by themselves. Both the 3.3V and 5V rails are capable of 30A of power as well, which will keep power hungry and overclocked systems quite satisfied.
As you would expect with ADATA's top of the line power supply, it has every feature that you could ask for. All voltage, current and power protections are present in the HM-1200. Both modular and native cables are fully sleeved and the power supply is rated for 100% continuous output at 50C.
ADATA has managed to achieve an 80Plus Bronze rating for the HM-1200, meaning the power supply should be at least 82% efficient throughout all of our testing. The HM-1200 also boasts SLI certification, but not labeled as CrossfireX Ready even though it is more than capable of supporting Crossfire.
Availability for the ADATA HM-1200 power supply is quite poor. The usual online stores such as Newegg and Tiger Direct don't stock the unit. A check on ADATA's website shows several other merchants that supposedly carry the power supply, but even searching on the listed sites will reveal nothing.
Turning to a quick Google search, you can find the power supply listed at a handful of places in Europe which can be had for as low as £149.99 excluding VAT. This works out to be about $239 USD which makes it competitively priced compared to other 1200W power supplies available on the market. ADATA backs up your purchase with a 3-year warranty for the HM-1200.
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ASUS Introduces New High-End DirectCu II Series Graphics Cards
ASUS Introduces New High-End DirectCu II Series Graphics Cards
ASUS has launched an entire range of DirectCU II-enhanced graphics cards that include the latest technologies from both AMD and NVIDIA GPU rosters. On the AMD side, ASUS offers the HD 6970 and HD 6950 graphics cards with DirectCU II while for NVIDIA, the GTX 580, GTX 570 and new GTX 560 Ti all ship with the advanced cooling technology.
Based on ASUS DirectCU, which uses copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core for up to 20% cooler performance, DirectCU II adds a custom cooler that uses twin 100mm fans for a massive 600% increase in airflow on HD 6970, HD 6950, GTX 580, and GTX 570 DirectCU II cards. ASUS has also launched the GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP graphics card with dual 80mm fans for the best performance in its segment through doubled air power.
The new DirectCU II graphics cards also include exclusive ASUS Super Alloy Power technology, which uses a unique alloy formula in power components such as chokes, capacitors, POSCAPs and MOSFETs to ensure a 15% performance boost, 35°C cooler operation and 2.5 times longer lifespan. In addition, ASUS overvolting utility Voltage Tweak allows gamers to realize the full potential of their PC's graphics performance with an easy to use and intuitive user interface.
The newly-arrived GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II graphics card from ASUS uses specially-selected TOP GPUs clocked at 900MHz by default, representing a huge 80MHz overclock over reference. This indulges hardcore overclocking demands out of the box, something gamers around the world eagerly anticipate.
Product highlights
• ASUS exclusive cooling technology DirectCU has pioneered the use of 100% copper heat pipes that come in direct contact with the GPU core, removing the metal shielding usually used between the core and the cooler in traditional graphics card designs. Compared to reference graphics cards, DirectCU models have shown up to 20%* lower temperatures under load.
• New DirectCU II technology is an evolution of the DirectCU concept. In addition to the copper heat pipes, it includes a custom cooler fitted with two 80mm or 100mm sound-dampened fans. Unlike other graphics card cooling systems that sacrifice fan size and airflow to maintain quiet operation, the quality engineering of DirectCU II technology makes it capable of deploying two large fans that still remain quiet and unobtrusive. Testing has shown DirectCU II results in up to 600% greater airflow and up to 20%* cooler operation than respective reference designs. This massive increase in cooling translates into an immediate performance gain, as the card can take on heavier loads. Users can also overclock the hardware further thanks to higher tolerances and lower temperatures.
• Super Alloy Power technology is based on proprietary research and development of a unique alloy formula in critical power delivery components. Used in chokes, capacitors, POSCAPs and MOSFETs, Super Alloy Power technology boosts graphics card performance by 15%*, lowers operating temperatures by 35°C, and lengthens lifespan by 2.5 times when compared to reference designs. With added POSCAPs providing the most efficient power supply possible, DirectCU II graphics cards gain 28%* greater stability during overclocking.
• All of the new DirectCU II graphics cards cater to the needs of power users wishing to experiment with radical overclocking and performance enhancement. Each ships with exclusive overvolting utility Voltage Tweak, which allows modification of the card's power delivery for up to 50% faster clock speeds.
• The ASUS GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II TOP features specially-selected and factory overclocked cores for maximized performance at 900MHz, an 80MHz gain over generic core clock speeds, which guarantees premium overclocking experiences for gamers.
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ASUS Proactively Responding to the Intel-identified Sandy Bridge Chipset Design Error
ASUS Proactively Responding to the Intel-identified Sandy Bridge Chipset Design Error
Intel on January 31, 2011 announced the detection of a design error in the new Sandy Bridge-based Intel 6 Series support chip, also known as Cougar Point. The shipment of existing Sandy Bridge products has been suspended by Intel, and the production of an updated support chip has commenced. The design error affects only the support chip, and not 2nd generation Intel Core processors such as the i5 and i7.
Acting on our philosophy and promise of inspiring innovation and persistent perfection, we've created a comprehensive response to this development to safeguard the best interest of ASUS customers around the world. We will provide total warranty services to maximize computing and usability, as each ASUS product is delivered with an uncompromising quality pledge. This includes the hassle-free return and/or replacement of all affected ASUS products. We're doing all this effective immediately - and as a first step, shipments of current ASUS Sandy Bridge-based products have been halted. The suspension covers all distribution and retail channels — ASUS only sells quality-assured products, at all times and across all product segments.
For all customers who already own any ASUS product affected by the design error identified by Intel, simply visit this page for detailed warranty and service hotline information. We'll be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have regarding this issue, as well as provide information on future updates to Sandy Bridge technology.
ASUS notebook and desktop products are covered by a warranty service that addresses the design error, with both swap and sales return offered as options to customers.
For motherboards, we've confirmed with Intel that the Cougar Point design error does not affect SATA ports 0 and 1. Additionally, ASUS has been a pioneer in including extra SATA 3Gb/s and SATA 6Gb/s ports beyond Intel specifications on a wide range of motherboards. These ports are not affected by this design error, offering customers an option for uninterrupted computing. However, we're also offering you the option of returning any possibly affected motherboard for a swap or sales return. All warranties for affected motherboards will be reset to give you enough time to carry out any exchanges.
ASUS has also started an initiative to contact customers regarding this issue, and we'll cover all channel partners, distributors and registered buyers of affected ASUS products. As mentioned above, you may opt to return any affected products to ASUS for a swap or sales return.
We'll post updates through our official website and other channels regarding any developments or fixes to Sandy Bridge products. Thank you for your understanding, support and cooperation, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
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T-Mobile and LG Mobile Phones Unveil the T-Mobile G-Slate With Google, Delivering a Premium Mobile HD Entertainment Experience on a Tablet
T-Mobile and LG Mobile Phones Unveil the T-Mobile G-Slate With Google, Delivering a Premium Mobile HD Entertainment Experience on a Tablet
The 4G Android 3.0 Tablet Enables 3D and HD Capture, Viewing and Sharing
BELLEVUE, Wash., and SAN DIEGO — Feb. 2, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and LG Mobile Phones today unveiled their Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb)-powered tablet, the T-Mobile® G-Slate™ with Google™ by LG. With a brilliant, high-definition (HD) 8.9-inch, 3D-capable multi-touch display, the T-Mobile G-Slate delivers a groundbreaking mobile entertainment experience, including the ability to record 3D and full HD video.
Expected to be available this spring, G-Slate is built for speed on America's Largest 4G Network™ and is the first tablet in T-Mobile's pioneering G-series of devices, which began with the world's first Android-powered smartphone just over two years ago. The first 4G tablet from T-Mobile and LG, the G-Slate is powered by Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), the latest version of Google's Android platform, which is optimized for tablets. In addition, the G-Slate will be among the first tablets to feature 3D capabilities including built-in support for 3D graphics, enabling consumers to capture and share their own 3D videos and experience 3D HD content right on the device with the aid of 3D glasses.
?The G-Slate represents the next chapter in T-Mobile's rich history of Android innovation,? said Brad Duea, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. ?Tablets enable users to take with them the rich Web and entertainment experiences they have at home, and this will radically shift the way people interact with and consume content while mobile. The G-Slate delivers a powerful combination of premium mobile HD entertainment and T-Mobile's lightning-fast 4G mobile broadband network.
?We are excited to introduce the T-Mobile G-Slate by LG, which offers consumers an engaging new way to communicate, entertain and stay connected,? said Tim O'Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile Phones. ?Bringing consumers the latest in revolutionary HD tablet technology and an Android platform perfectly optimized for tablet use, G-Slate provides a unique multimedia experience.
The sleek, lightweight G-Slate can easily be held upright in one hand for reading an eBook or magazine, watching streaming TV or browsing the Web while on the go. Featuring a rear-facing stereoscopic video recorder with 1080p for HD video capture and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, the G-Slate makes it easy to capture moments on video or with a photo. With the front-facing camera, customers can video chat with friends and family over T-Mobile's network or Wi-Fi with Google Talk™. The G-Slate also supports 720p HD on-device video playback and HDMI output to show 1080p content on 3-D and HD displays. With a NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor with dual-core CPU and full Adobe® Flash® Player support, the G-Slate enables quick and seamless browsing of rich Web content, multitasking and gaming. The G-Slate will also provide a superior entertainment experience when streaming live TV or downloading music and videos with lightning-fast speed over T-Mobile's 4G network.
In addition, the G-Slate includes 32 GB of internal memory and features a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer and adaptive lighting for the latest applications and the ultimate gaming experience.
T-Mobile's 4G network, America's largest 4G network, has expanded into more than 100 major metropolitan areas, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide.
Beginning today, T-Mobile's network is also delivering 4G speeds to Albany, Augusta, Columbus and Macon, Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn., in the South region as well as in Champaign, Ill.; Lansing, Mich.; and Rochester, Minn., in the Midwest. In addition to the expanding its 4G footprint, T-Mobile has aggressive plans to double the speed of its 4G network in 2011. T-Mobile expects that 140 million Americans in 25 major metropolitan areas will have access to these increased 4G speeds by midyear.
Visit the T-Mobile G-Slate product page to register for updates.
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Motherboards Based on Intel® 6 Series Chipsets
-- Notice: Motherboards Based on Intel® 6 Series Chipsets --
GIGABYTE Acknowledges Intel's Alert for Regarding 6 Series Chipset
Los Angeles, CA- February 1, 2011 - GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and other computing hardware solutions, today announced that GIGABYTE has been alerted by Intel about a 6 series chipset design error. GIGABYTE is working closely with Intel® to minimize the inconvenience to customers and retail stores with regard to related issues.
A recent statement from Intel indicates that they expect full 6 series chipset volume recovery in April, 2011. GIGABYTE will produce and deliver new motherboards with the updated Intel 6 series chipset when the new chipsets become available. GIGABYTE prides itself in having the highest service quality in the industry, and as such we will resolve this issue with minimal impact on our customers.
Additional information will be added to the official motherboard website and the GIGABYTE Tech Daily blog as the situation develops.
About GIGABYTE Upgrade Your Life
GIGABYTE, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, is known as a global leading brand in the IT industry, with employees and business channels in almost every country. Founded in 1986, GIGABYTE started as a research and development team and has since taken the lead in the world's motherboard market. On top of motherboards and graphics accelerators, GIGABYTE further expanded its product portfolio to include notebook and desktop PCs, digital home entertainment appliances, networking servers, communications, mobile and handheld devices, servicing every facet of people's lives at home or business. Everyday GIGABYTE aims to "Upgrade Your Life" with the most innovative designs and impeccable quality and services. Visit www.gigabyte.us for more information.
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Intel® 6 Series Chipset Problem - End Customer Q&A
Intel® 6 Series Chipset Problem - End Customer Q&A
Q: What exactly is the problem of Intel 6 Series Chipset?
A: The problem has been stated that after a period of usage, the SATA2 ports on Intel 6 Series B2 stepping chipset motherboards might experience some performance loss or decrease. This issue will apply to all Intel 6 Series Express chipset based motherboards. However, it will not be an issue for systems that connect to any SATA3 ports (refer to your GIGABYTE User Manual for the layout/location of the SATA3 ports). For more information please refer to "Alert for Intel® 6 Series Express Chipsets
and Intel® Xeon® C200 Chipsets users" which release by Intel, Jan 31st, 2011.
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/CS-032263.htm
Q: What models have been affected by this issue?
A: All GIGABYTE P67/H67 series motherboards embedded with the B2 stepping 6 Series Express
Chipsets are affected.
Q: What action should be taken if I own/purchased a GIGABYTE 6 Series motherboard?
A: GIGABYTE stands behind all our products, and is committed to the highest quality product and customer support services. We recommend you return your product to your place of purchase for a refund. GIGABYTE is working with our vast network of distributors, and retailer/online dealers to streamline refunds with minimal inconvenience to end customers.
Q: Does GIGABYTE offer a swap policy for GIGABYTE 6 Series motherboards?
A: GIGABYTE will do it's best to reduce any disruptions. Corrected product will be available near the end of April (pending Intel production schedule). We encourage all customers to return their affected product for refunds now. Those customers electing to keep the current flawed motherboard and wait two months for a similar replacement motherboard will need to register, and sign a release waiver form. Contact GIGABYTE Customer service department for this option. (email: services@gigabyte-usa.com, or phone (626) 854-9338, option 4)
Q: When will the replacement be available?
A: According to Intel's production plan, the 6 Series B3 stepping Express Chipset will be available in volume by April. GIGABYTE will then, based on Intel's shipping schedule, produce new motherboard models.
For further information or inquires of the GIGABYTE 6 Series motherboard, please contact your local distributer or visit the GIGABYTE website at http://www.gigabyte.us/.
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GIGABYTE retrive announcement for Intel 6-series B2 stepping based motherboards
GIGABYTE retrive announcement for Intel 6-series B2 stepping based motherboards
GIGABYTE technology received an official announcement from Intel indicated the 6 series chipest was concerned designed error, due to Code-named Cougar Point, and has implemented a silicon fix. In some cases, the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports within the chipsets may degrade over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives.
Based on a long time usage may considered causes the performance problem of SATA 2.0, for the originally native chips and additional SATA3.0 of 6 series, is still stably function and worry-free.
This is a situation happened in all motherboard manufacturers. On behalf of the NO.1 motherboard reputation, the GIGABYTE Technology will take its responsibility for worldwide customers and partners.
We have suspended all the shipping of 6 series B2 stepping based motherboard.
For avoid this impact, GIGABYTE will co-operate with Intel's B3 stepping schedule to re-new our new 6 series motherboards to the market. And absorb the cost regarding to this product exchange.
Announcements:
1. GIGABYTE have stopped shipping out and selling all Intel 6 series B2 stepping based motherboards.
2. All the Intel 6 series B2 stepping based motherboards stocks are retrieve for all disti, and dealers.
3. Any sold Intel 6 series B2 stepping based motherboards are accept retrieve in all conditions based on B2 stepping problem.
4. The Intel new 6 series B3 stepping chipset supply schedule will be in April. GIGABYTE will corporate with Intel exact production schedule, to provide the B3 stepping products to our customer.
5. The actual cost for retrieving Intel 6 series B2 stepping, all dealers and disti must to keep the receipts indicate the descriptions for further claim approval and internal check.
6. GIGABYTE will be using brand-new motherboard based on Intel 6 series B3 stepping to produce new 6 series motherboards.
GIGABYTE is sincerely taking its action providing dealers and distis to make all the product exchange for this issue.
And also request all dealers stop selling any B2 stepping base motherboards from now on, and to assist customers how to choose and use the normal SATA 3.0 connector, to avoid SATA 2.0 problems it may be caused.
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AVADirect Responds to New Sandy Bridge Chipset Flaw
AVADirect Responds to New Sandy Bridge Chipset Flaw
February 1st, 2011 - Intel disclosed yesterday that a flaw has been discovered on a support processor that correlates with SATA port functionality on Intel's Sandy Bridge based motherboards. This issue will not be affective immediately, rather the course of weeks, months, or years depending on different variables. The code-named Cougar Point support chip is mainly responsible for full functionality of all SATA devices, whether the device be a storage or optical drive. The Sandy Bridge processors have been unaffected by this motherboard chipset flaw. Besides Sandy Bridge, no other components relevant to the chipset are impacted by the flaw discovered by Intel.
Intel has already begun a campaign to correct the issue for end-users and OEMs throughout the world. Intel discontinued and seized all production of current affected motherboards shipped after January 9th, 2011. Production on a support chip that does not feature this data-transfer rate flaw is in motion. Intel expects to ship revised chipsets by end of February and to fully recover by the beginning of April. This incident has lost Intel a projected $300 million in revenue, and inconvenienced over 500 different OEMs with plans to launch the Sandy Bridge chipset under specific form factors. In the end, Intel plans to make the transition as simple as possible for all those affected by the chipset flaw. Intel is also working with partners to offer solutions for any affected systems to alleviate any frustrations created at this time.
AVADirect is an Intel Premier Provider that will offer solutions by working closely with its customers to address the chipset flaw and will do what is necessary to make the process fast and efficient. More updates will be released as Intel discloses insight into their plans to implement a quick and viable solution.
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