IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 4/16/2012

MegaUpload saga continues: Judge wants MegaUpload user data preserved for now
MegaUpload had a pretty successful day in court: they got most of what they wanted, as far as user data preservation, from a ruling by U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady. In short, the Judge has agreed that the data needs to be preserved, at least for now. He has sent the interested parties back into negotiations to come to a compromise.

Unless the interested parties wanted to hire a mediator, or "special master," the judge will send them to a magistrate judge known for "bringing people together." If you're rooting for MegaUpload, like me, or have data on the service, this ruling is good. If you're rooting for the MPAA, government, or others, you may not be so happy.

It appears, from the Judge's demeanor, that he is unlikely to make a ruling which would result in the loss of the data. It seems as though most of the interested parties want the data preserved, they just can't seem to agree on how or who should pay for it. At least for now, the data is safe and Carpathia is still stuck footing the bill.

Industry sources say Ivy Bridge will launch Monday, April 23
It looks like we could be in for a treat. Industry sources are saying that Intel will launch the die shrink of Sandy Bridge, dubbed Ivy Bridge, this coming Monday, April 23, 2012. Previously, it had been rumored that Intel was launching the new Ivy Bridge April 29, so it will be coming just under a week early.

This has to be one of the worst launches in recent Intel history. Leaked chips and performance "previews" have been running rampant. Even we have managed to get a hold of one of these chips and put it through its paces. Rumors have been running around that a new, thinner MacBook Pro will be launching with the new Ivy Bridge chips.

The launch will be similar to other Intel launches where the high performance quad-core parts come out first. Then they will be followed by the more power-efficient processors destined for the MacBook Air and Ultrabooks. Intel has said some of these power-efficient chips may launch a few weeks later than originally planned.

A massive 38% of kids on Facebook are under 13 according to a study
I thought it was ridiculous when I saw an 8 year old with a cell phone last week, but apparently it's worse than I thought. A new study suggests that he was using Facebook on his phone as well, even though Facebook requires users to be 13 years of age or older. With all of the money and the technical prowess that Facebook has, shouldn't they be able to find an under-aged user?

Apparently not, or at least according to a new study released by Minor Monitor. I would like to point out the self interest that the company might have in a study like this. The study says that 38% of the kids on Facebook are under 13, with an incredible 4% being under SIX. I'll remind you we're talking about physical age--if it were mental age, I'm sure the number would be much higher.

It's incredible to think that parents either allow their kids on Facebook or don't know that they're on there. Three-quarters of parents surveyed in this study admitted to worrying about their children's safety on Facebook, but it doesn't appear to have caused them to prevent their children from using Facebook.

The most feared issue of Facebook is, obviously, Sexual Predators. It wins by a large margin against "Sharing too much info." 17% of parents, according to the survey, do not do any type of monitoring of the kid's activities on the site. 51% log-in using a username and password, which I believe is technically against Facebook's Terms of Service. See the above info-graphic for more information.

Wall Street mildly disapproves of Google, stock trading down 4%
I'm not sure what it was Larry Page said that Wall Street didn't approve of, but it could be either that the revenue was below expectations or the announcement of the stock split to create a new class of non-voting stock. The business will effectively run the same after the stock split so it's hard to see investors getting excited about the stock change.

I have a feeling the stock is down due to the revenue being slightly less than expected. That said, profit was higher than expected, so that would seem to me to cancel out any effect of lower revenue. It's probably more due to the continuing trend of decreasing cost-per-click. It has continued to decline and has fallen by 12 percent year-over-year.

Google's stock is trading down by 4 percent, and that's a fact. Some of the above is speculation, but I have a feeling it's pretty close to accurate. It will be interesting to see how the stock split affects prices. I imagine the non-voting will be quite a bit less than the voting stock. I may even be able to afford to invest in Google.

Intel cuts desktop Ivy Bridge pricing before it is even launched
If you are planning on buying a new CPU from Intel's upcoming line of Ivy Bridge processors, you will be happy to hear the news that's come out today. Intel has dropped channel pricing on the chips by an average of $7-8. Channel pricing isn't directly related to retail pricing, but usually if the channel price falls, the retail price falls as well.

There is no promise that the retail price will drop by as much as the channel price has, but it certainly should drop some. Whatever you do, don't go pre-ordering these chips because they are charging quite the premium right now. The top CPU, the i7-3770K, sees a $19 decrease from the expected price of $332.

The price drops are less as you move down the list, but savings are savings, are they not? I've never really seen a company drop prices before a launch quite like this, especially when they have a pretty big dominance in the market. Hopefully Intel will finally make up its mind regarding Ivy Bridge and just get the launch over.

Corsair Carbide Series 300R Mid-Tower Case Review

Introduction

One of the first parties we got to go to during the week of CES was with Corsair. At that party slash meeting before the libations started flowing, we all had an introduction from Robert and he handed over things to the new chassis Corsair has in the works for this year. There were a couple of chassis concepts that were almost ready for market, but still had a few minor things to work out with them before they went retail with the designs. That was until just recently when there was a pair of cases that arrived at my door. It seems Corsair is ready to deliver the chassis and I am more than willing to bring you yet another product from Corsair.

On one side of the coin for the designs of that pair was something I didn't think Corsair was going to do when the rush of cases came out in the Obsidian, Graphite and Carbide series of chassis designs. That was to strip it down of all the things that get in the way or caused headaches and deliver a Carbide series case that is very affordable for all of those who liked their designs, but weren't willing to fork over what a chassis like the 800D demands. At this point you are probably thinking what about the 400R and to that I will say this. The new design isn't as aggressive, doesn't have the bulge at the top and while being thought of a chassis that has only what you need to get the components into the chassis and deliver a clean looking build, this new submission has a style all its own and it's really not bad to look at.

The newest chassis in the Carbide series is the 300R mid-tower chassis. This chassis takes out the top hard drive rack to allow for longer cards, since most of us remove that section anyways. It also removed the rubber grommets and there are things around the chassis that makes it easy to see there are things from other cases that these parts come from that just aren't included with this model. That isn't to say that this is a plain black box with nothing to offer, as I say, it is more about two things in this design.

Taking all the things that you really don't need in the chassis out and in doing so, Corsair can deliver a chassis that is more affordable. It looks like Corsair is now playing to the crowd a bit, offering the Carbide 300R with just enough to get you by without stripping your wallet of every last image of a president.

Stick around - I think what Corsair is doing here is great and I commend them on finally bringing a simpler solution to market that everyone could use. I hope you feel the same by the time I finish writing this.
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Synology Fixes Vulnerability in a Small Batch of DiskStations
Synology has confirmed a known system issue caused by flawed flash memory chips. This issue can occur when users reboot the DiskStation; the unit will not restart and the blue LED light will blink continuously. This issue does not affect data stored on the DiskStation and will not result in data loss.

The affected products include DS1512+ and DS1812+ worldwide, and DS212j for Asia shipments only. The best estimated quantity is 480, 120 and 700 units respectively and most of them have been returned or are on the way to Synology.

Users who encounter this issue should contact Synology at blueLED@synology.com and our technical support team will provide them with the best solution. If users did not encounter the above issue but still have any concerns, or users want to make sure the product that they are going to purchase is not affected, they are welcome to send serial numbers to blueLED@synology.com for verification.

For resellers who want to check whether their on-hand stocks are affected, they are also welcome to send serial numbers to blueLED@synology.com for verification. Synology strives to ensure all customers can receive our rapid and full support.

"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this issue, and appreciate your understanding in this matter. Synology has taken immediate action to correct the situation, and we remain one hundred percent dedicated to serving our customers," said Vic Hsu, CEO of Synology Inc. "Rest assured we have already identified and fixed this problem. No future shipments will be affected."

Supermicro Expands its Networking Product Line with New, 52 Port Switches
Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology and green computing, today announced additions to its Ethernet switch product line with a pair of powerful new 52 port 1 Gigabit Ethernet switches. The SSE-G2252 and its companion SSE-G2252P are IEEE 802.3az compliant providing Energy Efficient Ethernet services and offer 1 GbE connectivity over 48x RJ45 ports and 4x SFP ports. The SSE-G2252P model is IEEE 802.3at compliant and supports Power over Ethernet (PoE), offering the most flexible power budget allocation in the industry.

Supermicro's Layer 2 switches undergo rigorous compliance testing to ensure compatibility with IEEE Ethernet standards and are designed for top-of-rack or standalone applications. They offer extremely cost-effective networking options for Data Center, Cloud Computing, HPC and SMB environments. They provide a choice of management interfaces using either a Web-based GUI or an industry compatible command-line-interface (CLI). The PoE model supports and makes possible rapid installation of PoE-based devices such as wireless access points for conferences and shows, support for VoIP phones, as well as PoE surveillance cameras and a myriad of new PoE devices becoming available on the market.

"By incorporating the latest Energy Efficient Ethernet technology in our new 1U networking switches we have added another dimension to our 'We Keep IT Green' initiative," said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "PoE functionality with 30W per port further extends our solutions for Enterprise IT and SMB applications. These new cost-effective switches offer high density, Layer 2 switching with 52 ports of 1 GbE to meet growing IT demands and complement our extensive line of high-performance, high-efficiency server and storage products."

The SSE-G2252 and SSE-G2252P also offer a full range of popular Ethernet features like Jumbo Frames, Link Aggregation, VLANs, and Quality of Service. All of this is done in a compact 1U form factor for maximum flexibility in rack-mount installations.

The SSE-G2252 and SSE-G2252P are available now. For more information about Supermicro's full line of networking products, go to http://www.supermicro.com/Networking.

MAINGEAR Introduces the Quantum SHIFT 4K Workstation
MAINGEAR, an award-winning custom PC builder offering custom desktops, gaming notebooks, PC workstations, updates their Quantum SHIFT4K workstation, designed for maximum scalability and performance in Adobe Creative Suite while working with 4K source material.

MAINGEAR's powerhouse Quantum SHIFT4K PC workstations steps up the standard for workstation excellence by offering robust support for Adobe Creative Suite version 5.5. Designed to enhance workflow instead of requiring workarounds, the Quantum SHIFT 4K is a graphic and video editing PC and content creation powerhouse; courtesy of the new 8-core Intel Xeon processors E5-2600 product family that deliver up to 80% more performance vs. previous generation of Intel Xeon 5600 processors. With support for XML, EDL, and OMF import/export and networked storage, collaboration between editors and 3rd party post production houses is seamless with Quantum SHIFT 4K PC workstations. And with a wide selection of hardware options, the Quantum SHIFT 4K supports the hardware necessary to build a 4K editing PC that fits any professional editing environment. The Quantum SHIFT 4K with Adobe CS5.5 can be built to suit an existing infrastructure, not forcing the need to reinvest in new equipment.

The Quantum SHIFT 4K starts at $8,499 and can be configured with a wide variety of powerful NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions for real-time playback and editing of up to three layers of 4K footage, and muscle from Intel Xeon E5 2600 processors in multi-CPU configurations. It also supports up to 12 SSDs or 9 mechanical hard drives internally and the fastest in hardware RAID solutions for real time scrubbing and editing of uncompressed footage. Creative professionals can take digital content creation to a whole new level with this high performance workstation PC. The Quantum SHIFT 4K also supports up to four simultaneous Red Station media acquisition solutions courtesy of 4 eSATA ports, covering all Red Mag formats. It is also Red Rocket ready for enhanced transcode and playback abilities with multiple PCI-E x16 slots with active cooling. The Quantum SHIFT 4K even supports multiple Red Rocket cards for more robust performance when working with R3D files. An optional Blackmagic Design Decklink 4K solution provides uncompressed 4K capture and playback, while a second Quadro GPU can be configured for DaVinci Resolve acceleration.

The Quantum SHIFT 4K also offers MAINGEAR's 180 mm cooling solution for Intel Xeon processors E5-2600 family with the MAINGEAR EPIC 180 X2. This closed-loop, maintenance-free, 50,000 hour watercooling solution is able to dissipate up to 900 watts of heat, more than three times necessary for two Intel Xeon E5 -2600 processors. The largest closed-loop, dual processor liquid cooler on the market, the EPIC 180 X2 was built to deliver maximum performance in demanding environments and at a sound level below that of any major dual processor workstation or multi-processor platform.

"In a fast moving, fast demand creative professional environment, high-performance computing with the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 family delivers the performance to move concept to production faster." said Joe Curley, Director of Marketing at Technical Computing group, Intel Corporation. "The MAINGEAR Quantum SHIFT workstations, combined with Intel's Xeon processors E5-2600 family, allow creative professionals to work faster and more seamless than ever before."

Mac Pro users can take advantage of the power and performance that the MAINGEAR Quantum SHIFT 4K offers with a special incentive to switch over and receive a 10% rebate. For more information on this promotion, please visit http://www.maingear.com/solutions/custom-computer-workstation.php for details.

ASUS Releases ROG Xonar Phoebus Gaming Soundcard Set
Entry by the Republic of Gamers into the dedicated sound product arena brings PC enthusiasts ROG Xonar Phoebus, a high fidelity audio component that directly addresses the needs and concerns of contemporary gamers. The Xonar Phoebus features the exclusive ROG Command technology which reduces up to 50% of ambient noise thus providing authoritative voice quality during online multiplayer gaming sessions. And with its clear 118 dB SNR, and a powerful 600 ohm headphone amplifier, the Xonar Phoebus delivers precise positioning and lifelike immersion audio for a distinctly impactful gaming environment. Its dedicated control box extends convenience and puts more intuitive functions within easy reach for a more ergonomic desktop gaming environment.

Exclusive ROG Command technology for clean, seamless in-game communication

Gamers often face noisy conditions that drown out voices during online multiplayer gaming. This creates lack of clarity and confusion within squads, leading to lower win ratios. Exclusive ROG Command technology offers the world's first design to specifically bring noise cancellation to a gaming soundcard set, as designed by the Xonar team. Intelligent sound detection algorithms and array microphones (two on the dedicated control box) enable up to 50% ambient noise reduction, effectively turning loud locations such as LAN parties into something as quiet as a lab. The technology works equally well whether using an external microphone or the microphones embedded into the ROG Xonar Phoebus control box. Gamers benefit from being able to communicate and coordinate with team members clearly and with greater precision, adding to enjoyment and win ratios.

Finest components and design for superior sound

ROG Xonar Phoebus utilizes a stylish and effective EMI shield and ASUS exclusive Hyper Grounding technology to ensure reduced electromagnetic interference. Based on the experience of Xonar professionals, Hyper Grounding technology brings ASUS motherboard expertise to audio products with a multi-layer PCB that helps block noise from nearby components and the power supply to render more lifelike and extra clear sound. The PCM1796 digital-to-analog converter on ROG Xonar Phoebus delivers clear and crisp 118 dB SNR high fidelity audio. The new soundcard's SNR profile therefore outperforms competing gaming audio products by a factor of four, and onboard audio by an impressive 32 times. It excels in total harmonic distortion (THD) performance, with a miniscule 0.00039% of sound output experiencing distortion.

Power for headphone users

Since many gamers choose headphones to refrain from disturbing others while insisting on the best sound quality and privacy, ROG and Xonar teams integrated the top-flight TPA6120A2 headphone amplifier on ROG Xonar Phoebus, driving up to 600 ohm impedance for genuinely impactful headphone output.

Dedicated control box

Clad in the trademark ROG red and black color scheme, the ROG Xonar Phoebus control box offers gamers improved response and convenience. Connected to the card via the back I/O, the control box can be placed on the desk so it remains within easy reach. Gamers can then adjust volume and mute quickly without bringing up game or operating system menus, or having to hunt around for display remote controls. The control box further offers microphone and headphone connectors, making connections easier.

The latest audio technologies

ROG Xonar Phoebus includes one-click activation of Dolby Home Theater V4, helping enhance audio through complete compatibility with new sound processing technologies. The latest standard offers greatly improved surround, with smart sound enhancement and a more user-friendly approach to high end audio. The exclusive ASUS GX 3.0 game audio engine has also been integrated, offering EAX compatibility to ensure boosted game sound, a wider range of simultaneous sound effects, and overall clearer sonic performance in every PC game.

Product crossover benefits consumers

ROG Xonar Phoebus presents the first soundcard set from ROG, the ASUS division entirely devoted to gaming as a lifestyle and branch of pioneering technology. This launch coincides with ROG's fifth anniversary, and delivers the results of cooperation between ROG gaming philosophy and innovative Xonar PC audio experts. As such, ROG Xonar Phoebus offers gamers enhanced sound custom-tailored to improving in-game experiences.

Available Tags:Ivy Bridge , Facebook , Ivy Bridge , Intel , ASUS , Gaming ,

Monday, April 16, 2012

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 4/16/2012

Introduction

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