PowerColor PCS+ HD 7870 Myst Edition Review
An in depth look at the PowerColor PCS+ HD 7870 Myst Edition video card.
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Ancient Cooling Techniques Adapted for New A/C Design While the development of the modern air conditioner spurred a great deal of city growth, it is hardly the first example of an air-cooling system. Indeed man has been using one method or another to change the air around us for hundreds of years, if not thousands. Now researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have combined two of these old techniques into a new technology with some interesting benefits. One of the old ways to cool the air was to pull the heat out of it by using that energy to evaporate water. Unfortunately this method can only be applied where the air is dry and will readily absorb the water. To overcome this, the researchers added a desiccant to the setup, which dries the air before cooling it. When air first enters the Desiccant-Enhanced Evaporative (DEVAP) system it passes through channels submerged in a liquid desiccant. The channels are made out of a special membrane that will only let water permeate it, and not the desiccant or the air. The cooling part of the system then bleeds off some of the dry air to evaporate water and cool the rest of the air. This new design is considerably simpler than the traditional air conditioner, and benefits because of it by a reduced energy requirement and safer materials involved. With 15% of the energy we generate going to air conditioning, with that amount reaching 70% on the hottest days, any increase in efficiency would be appreciated, which is why commercial and eventually residential units are already in development.
Hardware Roundup: Friday Edition Today we get another look at the CM Storm Scout 2, a sub-$100 mid-tower case from Cooler Master. Intel has been pushing the ultrabook concept, which in the face of the tablet onslaught might seem like an uphill battle. Our roundup includes a review of Lenovo IdeaPad U410 14-inch Ultrabook that features an Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of memory. We also have reviews on the FSP RAIDER 750W power supply and a list of the top five CPU coolers for both AMD and Intel processors. Cases Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 Case @ TechSpot Cooling Top 5 Heatsink Charts Updated for January 2013 @ Frostytech Notebooks/Tablets Lenovo IdeaPad U410 14-inch Ultrabook @ ThinkComputers Power Supplies FSP RAIDER 750W Power Supply @ [H]ardOCP Miscellany Podcast #233 @ PC Perspective Read More ...
Samsung Shows Off New Series 7 Ultra, Refreshes Series 7 Chronos, and Drops New Series 7 Monitors CES 2013 is still several days away, but that isn't stopping companies like Samsung from revealing some new gear a little early. Samsung has shown off a brand new Ultrabook, refreshed the Chronos series, and introduced a multi-touch monitor for people running Windows 8. The new Ultrabook is part of the Series 7 Ultra line, which is a 13" model equipped with or without a touchscreen based on configuration. It's CPU can either be a Core i5 or i7, storage can be 128 or 256GB, and up to 16GB of RAM. That 13" screen is 1920x1080 and powered by a 1GB AMD HD8570M graphics chip. A backlit keyboard, JBL speakers, two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, HDMI, Ethernet, mini-VGA, and a memory card reader round out the package. No word on WiFi, but I suspect it'll be the usual 802.11b/g/n. Samsung rates the battery life at eight hours, which is probably the model without a touchscreen. The Series 7 Chronos laptops will receive a rather nice upgrade, as the 15" model features an AMD HD8870M with RAMaccelerator technology to increase browsing and general usage by 150%. A 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 3635QM CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and a 1920x1080 display should get many people salivating, while the thinner chassis (0.82 inches versus 0.94) means better portability. There's also JBL speakers, a backlit keyboard, the usual ports (two each USB 2.0 and 3.0, Ethernet, HDMI), and an optional touchscreen to round out the rest. Battery life is rated at eleven hours, which is impressive if it holds up in practice. At last we come to the monitors, which join Samsung's Series 7 line. The 24" model is the multi-touch one, while the 27" lacks touch capabilities. That 24" version, Series 7 Touch (SC770), has a 1920x1080 panel, support for ten touch inputs, 178° viewing angles, and can tilt up to 60° for ease of use. The 27" model, Series 7 (SC750), also has a 1080p screen, but can pivot 90° to view content in landscape or portrait mode. Samsung did not divulge when the Series 7 Ultra and Series 7 Chronos would arrive or at what price, but both models can be checked out at CES next week. The Series 7 monitors are set to arrive in the first quarter of this year, although no prices were mentioned. Read More ...
FTC Announces Results of Google Anti-Competitive Investigation In the middle part of 2011, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) started to investigate Google for various anti-competitive practices. Earlier today those findings were revealed, and the good news is Google gets to avoid a potentially lengthy trial. FTC Chairman John Leibowitz announced Google has reached a settlement to change parts of its business in relation to patents, online search, and advertising. In regards to the patents, Google cannot seek an injunction against a licensee if the patents "are essential to industry standards used to provide wireless connectivity and for internet-related technologies." Basically it protects smartphones, tablets, game systems, operating systems, and any other Internet-connected device or high definition video product. Google was found to have altered its search algorithms in order to promote its services instead of competitors, specifically the Universal Search function. However, the FTC ruled those changes "could be plausibly justified as innovations that improved Google’s product and the experience of its users." The folks in Mountain View won't have to worry about that, but its AdWord program has to be changed to become compatible with the competition. FTC investigators ruled it was difficult for advertisers to manage campaigns through AdWord and the competition due to restrictions on the AdWord APIs. Google has agreed to remove those restrictions and give advertisers an easier time. You can read the full findings at the FTC site or Google Blog; just be prepared for a ton of information. Read More ...
Xbox 720 to be Revealed at E3 2013? Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb, the man in charge of Xbox Live has added a countdown to the upcoming E3 gaming show in June to a recent blog post, along with saying “And it’s on…”. Based on how early this countdown has been posted, it is believed to be pointing to something big. There are a variety of possibilities of what it could be, but the next generation Xbox is the popular choice. Other rumored possibilities are a second generation Kinect or an incorporation of technology from the recently acquired R2 Studios, which specialized in media-streaming and home automation. Read More ...
Ultrasonic Scalpel Developed Sound waves are, at their simplest, pressure oscillations in one media or another, though we are most familiar with that media being air as that is how we hear. They can also be used to see though, as demonstrated by sonar and sonograms, which reflect sound waves off of objects to determine what they look like. Now researchers at the University of Michigan have found a way to use sound as a non-invasive and potentially painless scalpel. Focused sound waves have been used in hospitals before, as a means to destroy cancer cells and kidney stones, but never with great precision. Typically this technology is precise only to several millimeters, but the researchers have found a way to make it precise at the micrometer scale. Specifically the researchers are able to focus the light down to a 75 by 400 micrometer area. The researchers achieved this precision with a special lens that converts laser light to mechanical motion, which is not a new phenomenon. What is new are new are layers of carbon nanotubes and polydimethylsiloxane which together amplify the sound waves. When the laser light hits the nanotubes they heat up the polydimethylsiloxane, which expands rapidly as a result, and that amplifies the sound. The researchers see great potential for this technology, including the potential to use it in painless procedures, by aiming around nerve cells. However this has yet to be proven possible as the technology has not yet been tested in animals. Read More ...
Gelid's 7 Heatpipe Black Edition CPU Cooler Unveiled Thermal solutions provider Gelid has readied The Black Edition, its latest CPU cooler which boasts seven power heatpipes and two 12 PWM fans. The cooler is targetted towards the high-end market, with support for up to three fan attachments. Heat transfer is managed by power heatpipes (three pieces of 8mm and four pieces of 6mm) embedded within the cooler to move rising CPU temperatures towards the aluminum fins. Gelid also designed the Black Edition's heatsink to be less resistant to airflow while providing efficient air channels. Built with high-end hardware in mind, the cooler will fit in nicely on X79 motherboards without blocking the rams. The cooler ships with two high airflow fans (Slim 12 PWM and Silent 12 PWM) with an option to add a third 120mm fan to further reduce temps. Gelid's GC-Extreme thermal compound is included, along with mounting clips for a wide array of AMD and Intel sockets, such as AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1, FM2 and 775, 1155, 1156, 1366 & 2011. Gelid's The Black Edition cooler is available for $75, which also has a 5-year warranty thrown in for good measure. Read More ...
Hardware Roundup: Thursday Edition In the cooling department today we picked up a review of the NZXT Respire T20 tower-style CPU cooler with exposed copper heatpipes and a single 120mm fan. If you're looking to upgrade your mouse or gaming surface, we have articles on each of these today covering the ROCCAT KONE XTD gaming mouse and the Ensis 320 aluminum mouse pad from Mionix. We also have a chance to examine the MSI Z77 MPower Big Bang motherboard and a 500GB solid state drive from Samsung. Cooling NZXT Respire T20 Heatsink @ Frostytech Input Devices ROCCAT KONE XTD Gaming Mouse @ Benchmark Reviews Motherboards MSI Z77 MPower Big Bang Motherboard @ PC Perspective Mouse Pads Mionix Ensis 320 Aluminum Mouse Pad @ Madshrimps Storage/Hard Drives Samsung 840 Series 500GB TLC SSD @ [H]ardOCP Read More ...
CTIA and MobileCon to Merge in 2014 for a 'Super Mobile Show' A new year has dawned, which means the slate of conventions, trade shows, and press events are going to be in full swing over the next twelve months. It's the same every year, however, when 2014 rolls around things will look a little different for two mobile shows. Earlier today, the Wireless Association announced CTIA and MobileCon (the enterprise version of CTIA) will be merged in 2014 to create a "super mobile show." Currently, CTIA is held in Las Vegas in the spring (May 21-23 this year) and MobileCon in San Jose in the fall (October 9-11). This upcoming merger of the two gives the consumer and enterprise worlds a better chance to see everything at once and get some excitement back, especially after the fairly quiet 2012 shows. CTIA 2014 is set for September 9-11 in Las Vegas, with the two events this year featuring "super show programs" to welcome the merger. Read More ...
Hardware Roundup: Wednesday Edition Self-contained liquid cooling kits offer a convenient way to introduce water cooling to your rig and today we have reviews on two different kits from Corsair and Swiftech. Another pair of reviews cover the Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M mouse and the Corsair Vengeance K90 mechanical keyboard. We also get a look at the CM Storm Scout 2 mid-tower chassis and the PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 MYST Edition video card. Cases CM Storm Scout 2 Case @ ThinkComputers Cooling Corsair Hydro H60 Watercooling System @ Frostytech Swiftech H20-320 Elite Custom Liquid Cooling @ Bjorn3D Input Devices Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M Mouse @ Madshrimps The Best Gaming Keyboard of 2012 @ ThinkComputers Video PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 MYST Edition @ [H]ardOCP Read More ...
Steam Greenlight Spotlight: Claustrophobia: The Downward Struggle Claustrophobia: The Downward Struggle is a roguelike dungeon crawler with retro graphics. Roguelike, if you're not familiar, is a sub-genre of RPGs, typically characterized by randomized levels, permadeath, and turn-based movement and combat, though some modern games have given the sub-genre a twist. The Binding of Isaac is roguelike in every sense except it's not turn-based, giving it a more arcade feel. Dungeons of Dredmor is a true turn-based roguelike, except it does provide you the option to turn off permadeath (but where's the fun in that?). There's a reason I mention both those games: I've put 150+ hours into Isaac and 50+ hours into Dredmor. Yes, over the past year, I've found a lot of enjoyment from roguelikes, so maybe my intrigue over Claustrophobia is a bit biased. Still, there's a lot to love here. First there is obviously the randomization of dungeons, enemies, and gear, making each experience unique and, along with multiple difficulties, providing high replay value. It also promises a clean integrated interface with all relevant character information shown on screen at once. This is important to note because it's the one knock I have against Dredmor – the interface can get rather cluttered as you explore more of the map, making it difficult to keep your character sheet and inventory screen open at all times. Taking a cue from Isaac, boss rooms called "Lairs" will be marked by golden doors, so you can plan accordingly. Unlike Dredmor, where you can stumble upon a "Monster Zoo" or named enemy and, to put it mildly, be screwed – not that either system is better or worse than the other. All that being said, what sets Claustrophobia apart are its combat system and skill tree, though both seem to be evolving over time, as the game is still in development. Each character can have six skills equipped at any given time, selected via the QWERTY keys. Enemies can also have up to six skills, though most will have fewer. Originally, your first two skills would be determined by your weapon class, your next two by your chosen character, and your last two by your skill tree, which could change or improve as you level up. However, with the unveiling of the new skill tree, it seems that system has changed, with skills and passive abilities no longer being bound by your weapon. Now, upon leveling up or finding "Skill Tomes", you gain points to spend in a singular branching skill tree, allowing you to mix and match from Strength, Agility, and Intelligence trees. The Strength and Agility trees have been completed, while the Intelligence tree is still a work in progress. While there is still a lot of work to be done on the game, an alpha version will be released on Desura in the first week of January, which will include one randomly generated level, 15 enemy types plus one boss, over 100 pieces of loot, and the aforementioned Strength and Agility trees. Developer The Indie Forge is promising major post-launch patches that will keep adding content, and will be launching a forum to gather feedback. Lastly, it should be noted that the game features five levels of zoom, so don't worry if you think the game looks too "small" in the video and screenshots. If you've never played a roguelike, go pick up Isaac or Dredmor while you wait for this and discover how frustrating and addictive they can be.
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