Angry Birds sees 8 million downloads on Christmas Day, one for every other new device
Angry Birds continues to sell in droves. Rovio, the studio behind the hit game Angry Birds, announced sales figures for the holiday season, and they are rather impressive. Over the week December 22 to December 29, Angry Birds saw 30 million downloads, with Christmas Day seeing a full 8 million downloads.
In the picture above, you can see the numbers broken down. According to the graphic, there was one Angry Birds download for every other new device on Christmas Day. Of course, not every single one of those downloads was a sale, but I'd venture to guess at least 20 percent or more were, meaning the company netted some serious cash.
Of course, this fad will eventually fall by the wayside and Rovio hasn't shown an ability to create games other than those set in this universe. It will be interesting to watch how the company reacts--and what games it produces--when this happens.
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Free-to-play Age of Empires Online ends development, goes into support phase
Microsoft has halted development on its free-to-play Age of Empires Online game that came out in 2011. What this means is that there will be no new content coming for the game, though the game will continue to operate. Microsoft detailed what it means in a blog post:
Age of Empires Online has finished its development phase, and now moves on into the support phase. It means that there will be no new content created for Age of Empires Online. There is a small amount of content still in the pipeline that will be released in the next few weeks, but that is all. No new features will be added. Most significantly, no new civilizations will be released. However, nothing else changes for players, nothing that currently exists will be removed.
So, the game will eventually die, and until then, bug support will be slow and possibly non-existant: "Fixing and remaining bugs and addressing balance issues will be slower and, frankly, more difficult for the team. Some may, in fact, be unfixable. We will be watching carefully in case any critical bugs appear."
Microsoft could be devoting the resources towards developing a new version of the game, or something else. It's always possible it could be ressurected in the future by another publisher, as well.
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ReportTT: Microsoft Surface Pro to arrive January 26
CNET is reporting that the new Surface Pro will be arriving on January 26. The report states that one store gave that specific date, while others around the country reported "end of the month." Microsoft also said that it would be available "about 90 days later" after general Windows 8 availability, which took place on October 26.
90 days later places the launch date as January 26, which is the same as what the one store said. A rumor has placed the launch date as January 29. Either way, you can expect to wait until the very end of the month to get your hands on the new Surface Pro.
The Surface Pro will pack a 1920x1080 ClearType display powered by an Ivy Bridge processor.
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$635k worth of counterfeit Apple products seized in Alaska
A shipment from China was seized in Alaska by US Customs and Border Protection agents. The shipment, valued at more than $635,000, was a collection of counterfeit Apple Lightning Cables, complete with logos and everything. The agents say it was easy to tell they were fakes due to the sub-par packaging.
Frank Falcon, a spokesperson for the agency said they were sealed in "cardboard blister packs that were sub-standard compared to Apple's trademark white packaging." This isn't the first time fake Apple products have been seized by agents. Last July, a shipment worth more than $4 million was seized in North Texas.
"We intercepted 281 cartons that contained cell phone cases that included a paper insert that infringed on the Apple Inc. trademark," said CBP spokesperson Yolanda Choates. "The importer would ship these cases out and a consumer would look at the case and see the Apple logo and just assume that it was an Apple product."
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Library of Congress Twitter archive through 2010 will be complete this month, 170B tweets on file
The Library of Congress and Twitter agreed back in April 2010 that the LoC could archive all public tweets from 2006 to April 2010. It's taken the Library of Congress a while to do that, almost three years in fact, and they have announced that they will complete the archive this month.
The archive now contains 170B tweets and is growing by 500M tweets per day. Compare that with the 140M tweets per day that it was archiving back in February 2011 when the collection system launched.
All of the tweets measure up to be 133.2 terabytes. That number includes two compressed copies of the 2006-2010 archives. "We were excited to be involved with acquiring the Twitter archives because it's a unique record of our time. It's also a unique way of communication," said Bill Lefurgy, digital initiatives program manager at the library.
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Google's Street View cars driving around documenting Hurricane Sandy damage
On Thursday, Google Street View cars were seen driving around Staten Island, documenting the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to be used to update Google maps. The New York Post first reported the car's presence, and some residents are not one bit happy with Google taking pictures of their destroyed homes to post online.
A Google spokesperson is trying to spin it in a better light by saying they hope that the updated maps will help with the on-going recovery efforts. "We hope this accurate, updated imagery that will soon be available in Google Maps will help people around the world better understand the extent of the damage and the importance of coming together as a community to aid in the recovery efforts."
Google has previously used its extraordinary mapping ability in the wake of disasters to help with recovery efforts, but like the map of gun permit applicants, some people feel some stuff shouldn't be posted online for all to view, even though it is public information. What do you think of Google updating and publishing this data? Is it appropriate?
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RumorTT: Apple to release iPhone mini this summer, cost less than $250
The latest rumor from the mill places Apple as releasing an iPhone mini this summer that would set customers back less than $250. The rumor comes courtesy of Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics, who told CNET that he believes Apple will launch an iPhone mini. Samsung is dominating the smartphone wars because of its wide variety of mobile devices across the cost spectrum.
This new iPhone mini would cost less and would cater to those on pre-paid plans who can't afford the current iPhone. He expects it to be released in the next three years. Another analyst agrees with Mawston and places the launch as early as this summer, with pricing being somewhere between $200 and $250.
It would likely be a chopped down version of hardware, much like the iPad mini, if it ever does materialize. Treat this rumor with a grain of salt until something a bit more concrete is found.
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PayPal largest target for phishing scams, other financial firms follow
During the 2012 holidays, PayPal's website was the most phished, with it receiving nine times more phishing sites than the next closest site. According to data by Trend Micro, PayPal had 18,947 phishing sites created during December 2012. Wells Fargo, the second place site, only had 2049, a far cry from PayPal.
Trend Micro says shopping online, while more convenient, puts you at a much greater risk of having your personal information stolen. Often, these phishing sites install malware onto the unlucky user's system. This year's malware for the PayPal sites was TROJ_QHOST.EQ, while Citibank sites infected users with WORM_CRIDEX.CTS.
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Bug in Google text-to-speech causes Google services to praise iPad
Google's text-to-speech service has a bug in it that causes Google Now and Google Translate to add the phrase "he now praises the iPad" to any sentence that ends in phrase ssuch as "end with," "enraged with," and "filled with." The bug originally showed up in October 2012 and has resulted in some humorous sentences.
You can see the bug in action in the video above. You can also recreate the bug yourself on the
Google Translate website by ending a sentence with any of the key words. Use the text-to-speech option to have it add the "he now praises the iPad" portion.
Google will likely fix the bug, but until they do, you can make use of it to create funny sentences or videos for the world to enjoy on YouTube.
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US DoD to bring Windows 8 to 75% of employees, signs deal with Microsoft
At least one major employer feels Windows 8 is the right thing to have in the workplace. The US Department of Defense has signed a new deal with Microsoft to bring the latest version of Windows to 75 percent of its employees. The three-year licensing agreement will see Windows 8, Office 2013, and SharePoint 2013 Enterprise to 75 percent of DoD personnel.
This is Microsoft's biggest deal yet, valued at around $617 million. The Army believes it will save $70 million a year because of the upgrade.
"There's a move afoot throughout the department to bring about efficiencies in the [information technology] world," David L. DeVries, DOD deputy chief information officer, told American Forces Press Service. "We took a long, hard look at it ... realizing that the Department of Defense relies upon the network and upon information technology to do its business."
Is this the start of Windows 8 catching on?
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SpaceTT: Engineer petitions White House for real-life Starship Enterprise
Captains Log, Star Date 90616.41: A petition to build a real life Starship Enterprise was sent to the White House by engineer BTE Dan. No surprises here but Dan is the author of detailed plans for constructing a life-size, flyable starship Enterprise as posted on his website last year.
The proposal was submitted to the White House's official "We the People" channel, which promises an administration response to any petition that gathers at least 25,000 signatures. "We have within our technological reach the ability to build the 1st generation of the USS Enterprise," BTE Dan wrote in the petition,
viewable here.
This comes just a month after a petition to build a Death Star like the spherical spaceship in the movie "Star Wars" garnered that critical mass, and is currently awaiting its official response.
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Teen arrested after boasting about drunk driving on Facebook
In what can only be described as a night of epic genius, teenager Jacob Cox Brown not only drove home from a party drunk, but he hit not one but two cars on the way home, left both scenes, and then posted about it on Facebook.
On his Facebook page, Brown posted "Drivin drunk... classsic but to whoever's vehicle i hit i am sorry." Normally you would not post something like this for the world to see but Alcohol not only causes loose lops, but loose fingers as well.
Two of Brown's friends notified police of their buddy's post, and the police quickly arrested the teen. The police posted a press release which read "Astoria Police have an active social media presence. It was a private Facebook message to one of our officers that got this case moving, though. When you post...on Facebook, you have to figure that it is not going to stay private long."�
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Chinese dad hires virtual assassins to harass video game-obsessed son
Some say gaming addiction is real, while others say it is a myth. Either way, spending all of your waking hours playing Star Craft or WOW is just simply not productive. 23 year old Xiao Feng's father decided to take his sons "excessive" game play down a notch.
After several hours of repeated deaths in an online game from the same character, Feng figured out that the high-level assassins had been hired by his father in hopes that the repeated attacks would cause his son to loose interest in the game.
The father reportedly took these drastic (and comical) measures because he "wanted his adult son to find a job". Xiao Feng maintains that he's not going to settle for just any job and that he hasn't found the right fit yet.
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Namco developing potential chain of entertainment restaurants
Those of us old enough to remember the arcades of the 80's and early 90's will most likely recognize the name Namco. Well the company is banking on making comeback and reviving the Arcade industry by opening "Upscale Entertainment Restaurants" in a couple of US Cities.
Not much info has been released yet, but we do know that the company is planning on two initial stores located in Chicago and Kansas City. The idea seems strange at first but this business model is functioning somewhat well for Chuck E. Cheese.
Chuck E. Cheese has seen a decline in sales in recent years though, and Sega owned GameWorks failed in 2010. I hope it works out for Namco and really would love to be able to pay my bill with a fist full of prize tickets!
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Spotify disables song purchases in the UK
Spotify, everyone's favorite music streaming service has quietly disabled track purchasing in the UK. Users trying to downloas new tracks will see a notice stating that Spotify is "currently not supporting new download purchases."
Clicking on the notice brings you to a page that states that users with download tokens will still be able to use them to get tracks. Users that have a valid gift card will also be unaffected.
This is one feature many users in the US have been anticipating, but it looks like Spotify may be scrapping the whole idea now. As a Spotify user myself, I see no need to buy tracks. My $10 premium membership fee already allows me to save tracks to my devices. What are your thoughts on Spotify removing this feature? Let us know in the comments.
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RumorTT: Sony eyes broadcast with online TV service
It seems like every one wants a slice of the "Net-TV" pie these days. Sony is rumored to be in the process of setting up its on internet based TV service. Reports are coming in that the company is in "active negation" with at least two content companies.
Other than those tidbits of information, we do not know much else about the venture. Sony is keeping silent on any official details. Rumors are circling that the service could launch as early as fall 2013.
Is Sony looking at this new business model as a way to pull them out of the financial troubles they have faced over the last few years? Personally I think they are just trying to stay competitive in the technology market. With companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple shopping around for internet based TV services, they almost have to work out their own plan.
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LeakedTT: Possible Samsung Galaxy IV photos leaked
SamMobile, a website that reports on all things Samsung Mobile has released photos said to be of the next generation Galaxy smart phone. The photos reportedly come from an insider at Samsung, but at this time, we have no conformation as to if they are real or not.
The first noticeable feature is that the home button is missing, a feature that was popular on previous Samsung phones. It is also notable that the screen seems taller which could mean that the company may be moving the buttons to the screen. Moving the home buttons to the screen is something Google has been pushing since the release of ICS.
As with all "leaked" photos, we should take them with a grain of salt. Photos are easily altered and a good fake is not hard to come by. If by chance, this photo is the real deal, I am betting we see something official by Q2 of this year.
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Megaupload says US government lied so they could get a search warrant
The Megaupload saga continues, this time with Megaupload complaining that the US government lied in order to get a search warrant. According to the motion, a recently unsealed search warrant shows that the US Department of Justice asked Megaupload to keep 39 copies of copyrighted movies on its servers for an investigation.
The part they didn't mention? It was an investigation into Megaupload. They then used the fact that the files were still on Megaupload's servers as primary proof that the company knowingling harbored copyrighted content:
By all indications, the Government tapped Carpathia to convey the June 24, 2010 warrant to Megaupload, thereby planting what the Government would later claim, for purposes of this case, amounted to criminal knowledge that Megaupload was hosting infringing files, while simultaneously lulling Megaupload into thinking it was not a target of its ongoing investigation (which the Government dubbed its 'Mega Conspiracy' investigation) - and, what is worse, affirmatively leading Megaupload to understand from the warrant's sealing order and Carpathia's representations that Megaupload should take no action with respect to the infringing files lest it tip off the ostensible targets. In sum, the Government came to paint as criminal the very course of conduct by Megaupload that the Government had induced in requesting good-faith cooperation with an investigation that was to remain secret. Most incredibly of all, however, the Government then came before this Court, ex parte, with a selective, distorted account whereby the Government omitted mention of facts - well known to the Government - indicating that Megaupload was of an innocent state of mind in cooperating with what it was told was an ongoing, secret investigation of the infringing files at issue.
This is just the latest in a line of accused misconducts committed by law enforcement. Dotcom continues to fight the charges and is launching the new Mega upload service on January 20.
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Gorilla Glass 3 announced by Corning ahead of CES 2013
Corning Gorilla Glass and Gorilla Glass 2 is used in just about every smartphone made these days, but Corning isn't stopping with its improvements. The company has just announced Gorilla Glass 3, which is said to be 40 percent more resistant to visible scratches as well as a 50 percent boost in retained strength after the glass is damaged.
Gorilla Glass 2 was debuted at last year's CES and Gorilla Glass has been used in the iPhone since the original model. It's likely the next generation iPhone will make use of this latest Gorilla Glass. We'll be sure to check it out at CES.
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'jOBS' movie with Ashton Kutcher debuting in April
The new 'jOBS' movie, about former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, is set to arrive in theaters in April, according to the movie's distributors. The premier will take place at the closing night of the Sundance Film Festival, which takes place this month. It's important to note that this is not the film that Sony Pictures is creating.
A synopsis:
Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, written by Matthew Whitely, shot by Oscar- winning cinematographer Russell Carpenter and produced by Mark Hulme, jOBS details the major moments and defining characters that influenced Steve Jobs on a daily basis from 1971 through 2000. jOBS plunges into the depths of his character, creating an intense dialogue-driven story that is as much a sweeping epic as it is an immensely personal portrait of Steve Jobs' life. The filmmakers were granted unprecedented access during shooting to the historic garage in Palo Alto, that served as the birthplace to Apple Inc.
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Samsung Series 7 Chronos update detailed
Samsung has gone ahead and detailed the update to the Series 7 Chronos and Ultra Windows 8 notebooks and they feature what you would expect: loads of memory, 1080p screens, and more. The Chronos is a 15.6-inch beast, packing an Intel Core i7 processor, the new AMD Radeon 8870M GPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and a terabyte of storage.
With all of those high specs, the system remains under 6 pounds and claims to feature 11 hours of battery life, an impressive achievement, if true. The Ultra is a 13.3-inch beast that comes with an i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of SSD storage. The battery life is quoted at 8 hours and it comes with optional 4G/LTE connectivity.
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Sumsung Series 7 Chronos update detailed
Samsung has gone ahead and detailed the update to the Series 7 Chronos and Ultra Windows 8 notebooks and they feature what you would expect: loads of memory, 1080p screens, and more. The Chronos is a 15.6-inch beast, packing an Intel Core i7 processor, the new AMD Radeon 8870M GPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and a terabyte of storage.
With all of those high specs, the system remains under 6 pounds and claims to feature 11 hours of battery life, an impressive achievement, if true. The Ultra is a 13.3-inch beast that comes with an i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of SSD storage. The battery life is quoted at 8 hours and it comes with optional 4G/LTE connectivity.
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Teens drug milkshake to get more time on the Internet
Two teenagers in the Sacramento, California area were hauled off to juvenile hall after the parents suspected they were drugged. The two teen girls, aged 15 and 16, reportedly offered to get milkshakes for the parents of one of the girls. They then drugged these milkshakes so that they would be able to go on the Internet past 10p.m.
The parents only drank about a quarter of the milkshakes, before deciding they tasted funny and had a grainy texture. The shakes had been filled with prescription sleep aids that were procured by the friend and the parents fell asleep. The next morning, the parents felt groggy and hungover, so they went to the local police department for a drug test kit.
"The girls wanted to use the Internet, and they'd go to whatever means they had to," the police department spokesperson said. "If they were adults, they could be facing prison time."
This appears to be the first instance of something like this happening.
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FTC ends anti-trust investigation, orders Google to stop excluding competitors from Motorola SEPs
The on-going anti-trust investigation into Google has finally been completed with a 4-1 ruling that Google must stop excluding competitors from using standards essential patents owned by subsidiary Motorola. These patents are what the FTC call the "cornerstone of the interoperability standards that we have taken for granted."
Google is also making two voluntary changes to the way some of its products work:
- More choice for websites: Websites can already opt out of Google Search, and they can now remove content (for example reviews) from specialized search results pages, such as local, travel and shopping;
- More ad campaign control: Advertisers can already export their ad campaignsfrom Google AdWords. They will now be able to mix and copy ad campaign data within third-party services that use our AdWords API.
"The changes Google has agreed to make will ensure that consumers continue to reap the benefits of competition in the online marketplace and in the market for innovative wireless devices they enjoy," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. "This was an incredibly thorough and careful investigation by the Commission, and the outcome is a strong and enforceable set of agreements."
Google appears to have gotten off with another slap on the wrist, just like it did back in August, 2012, when it paid out $22.5 million to settle charges of knowingly bypassing Safari's privacy settings. A similar result is expected in the European antri-trust investigation that is still on-going.
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US State Department not happy with Eric Schmidt's North Korea travel timing
Eric Schmidt is planning a trip to North Korea, a country where the internet basically doesn't exist. Eric Schmidt will be accompanied by former New Mexicon governor Bill Richardson. However, the US State Department isn't happy with the trip's timing, especially considering North Korea's long-range missile launch just a few weeks ago.
"We don't think the timing of this is particularly helpful," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters.
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Case Smithing: "Peeping Tom's" BitFenix Prodigy Window Mod
Introduction
As computer builders and modders we spend hours on getting the inside aesthetics of our computers just right. We add things like water cooling and lighting along with whatever else we can think of to make our individual PC stand out from the crowd. In realizing this, the market has adapted offering windows in a majority of today's mainstream chassis, although like most things, there are always exceptions to the rule.
Perhaps you have decided on a case that has exactly the features that you need, but has one downfall - it hasn't got a window. A prime example of this is the BitFenix Prodigy or Cooler Master Cosmo II. Other examples where a window mod may be handy are cases like the Antec DF-85 or Cooler Master HAF-X.
Both are factory installed with a window in the side panel, but these cases have uniquely designed windows that don't really take full advantage of the size of the panels, and instead concentrate on airflow. However, maybe airflow isn't your thing, and you would rather add a huge window showcasing your PC's glorious interior.
Join me as we venture into the world of window modding!
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GIGABYTE U2442F Ultrabook Laptop Review
Introduction
Today in the lab I have one of GIGABYTE's latest Ultrabooks. To be classified as an Ultrabook, the notebook has to meet certain specification criteria as set forth my Intel, the champion of the form factor. In exchange, Intel has been advertising the Ultrabook form factor and has set aside money to help companies engineer Ultrabooks.
Specifications for an Ultrabook include size, weight, boot time, and others, but not present is the requirement for a discrete video card. Due to the size and weight restrictions, most Ultrabooks don't include a discrete GPU, something that this offering does.
The GIGABYTE U2442F is going to be one of the best choices in the Ultrabook category if you want to be able to do any sort of modern gaming. Thanks to its discrete GPU, it can hang with systems that outweigh and outclass it.
During our testing, you'll want to keep an eye on how the GIGABYTE U2442F compares to the HP Folio 13 and ASUS S56C as they are both Ultrabooks. Based upon price, you'll want to compare the U2442F against the GIGABYTE P2542, as they are roughly the same price.
With the introduction out of the way, let's move on to the specifications.
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HIS Radeon HD 7970 6GB IceQ X2 (Dual GPU) Video Card Review
Introduction
In October of last year we looked at the
PowerColor Devil 13 HD 7990 6GB video card which brought with it two HD 7970 cores on a single PCB to make for an absolutely massive video card. We found ourselves extremely impressed with what PowerColor offered us, but found ourselves a little disappointed that it was tested just before we introduced our new benchmark line up.
Thinking that it was probably the first and last card of this type we'd see it was a little upsetting that we wouldn't get a chance to see how this dual GPU offering would perform in our updated benchmarks. Jump forward just a couple of months, though, and we find ourselves looking at another dual GPU offering based on the HD 7970.
This particular one comes from HIS and falls under the IceQ naming scheme which as we've mentioned before is one we really enjoy. What does the IceQ name mean to a video card that has such a large focus on power, though? Well there's only one way to find out.
Normally the first thing we'd do from here is check out the bundle to see what exactly HIS is offering us. Because this card hasn't hit retail yet, though, the final retail package hasn't been organized. Instead we've just got a black box and the card itself. It's fairly safe to assume we'll see a fairly standard HIS bundle, though, with a couple of convertors and power connectors. The normal line up of paperwork a driver CD and no doubt another CD that will include the iTurbo software. Of course we can't say with 100% accuracy this is what we're going to see, but it's a fairly safe assumption.
Because we don't have the package to look at we'll instead jump straight into the card itself where we'll take a look at what exactly HIS is offering us today. Once we've done that we'll head into the specification side of things to take a closer look at the clocks before we finally get into our testbed section.
We'll quickly cover our testbed and from there we'll quickly talk about the cards that we'll be including in our graphs here today before we of course get into the performance side of things to see just what this beasty dual GPU video card is capable of doing.
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Kaiser Baas Photo and Negative Scanner Review
Call it "
first world problems", but I'm somewhat envious of the under 18 year old crowd. They'll never know the inconvenience of rewinding a VHS tape. They'll never know how aggravating it was to span a 14 MB file over 10 floppy discs with WinZip, and wait 20 minutes only to have it fail at the last disc. And they'll never have to spend $15 to develop a roll of 24 exposure film to find that only five of them are any damn good. Everyone else probably has a dusty box full of printed photos hidden away somewhere in the house. Kaiser Baas has attempted to make it easier to give these relics a new lease of life.
Digital scanners are certainly nothing new, but over the last few years we've seen a move away from standalone printers and scanners, to the all-on-one type devices which favor convergence over quality. And scanning photo after photo while opening and closing the top, whilst individually saving each photo and cropping to the dimensions is a huge pain in the rear, not least is it time consuming and beyond the scope of the less technologically adapt. Best of all, because the unit scans directly to SD card, you don't even need to access a computer to use it. This product is for them.
The Kaiser Baas Photo and Negative Scanner is a simple affair, with everything in the box to get you started, although you will need to bring your own SD card to the table. Let's take a look at the inclusions. Inside the box, we have the scanning unit itself, 1x AC power cable, 1x USB A cable, 1x 35mm slide adaptor, 1x cleaning tool, 1x sheet protector and 1x brief set of instructions.
The unit can be powered via the supplied AC power adaptor or via 6 AAA batteries (not supplied). The unit requires a few seconds start up time, but then you're good to go. There is no on-screen display, just an LED button which indicates the scanning resolution. If it's green, it's scanning at 300 dpi, if it's orange then it's 600 dpi, the highest resolution available. Whilst 600 dpi is a good general resolution, it's a shame that the unit cannot go any higher, considering that at that resolution it wouldn't be scanning the full resolution that a standard 6x4 photo can resolve. Still we soldier on.
First we need to insert any standard SD card (formatted FAT32) into the rear of the unit. The scanning process is very simple. Simply place the photo vertically and move the slider to the size of the photo so it scans straight. Failing to do so will result in a skewed image, or potentially damage to the photo. The scanner will automatically feed the photo through and place it to the other side. Once it's done processing (around 60 seconds for 600dpi), you can move on to the next. Each photo will be saved to the stick as a separate JPG file.
Ditto for 35mm film negatives. Simply insert the scan adaptor into the grove and place the film into that. The scanner will automatically feed it through, although scanning time is a little longer. Surprisingly, the unit scans each slide and cuts them into its own JPG, which is a nice touch. The unit will scan negatives at 1200 dpi.
So, what's the quality like? Well, I guess that depends on your expectations, and the quality of the original images. The limitations are quite clear. The maximum resolution for photos is set to 600 dpi, the unit can only output lossy JPG's and the compression level of the unit is quite high, with each image only around 600 kilobytes in size.
There is no setting to loosen up the compression. Further, the unit does not come equipped with Kodak's Digital Ice algorithm which automatically cleans images of dust and scratches, a feature found in more expensive flatbed scanners.
Still, the little unit does scan a surprisingly good image. My observation is that it does output a rather dark image, with crushed blacks which works well to hide any surface scratches and dust inherent in the original. However, if you have the time to input the scans to a photo editing program such as Photoshop, you can instantly see that the unit does scan a high level of detail. Brightening up the image and turning down the contrast can show a significant improvement to the scan and in many of my test images - even the original photo.
I realize this is a somewhat unscientific method, but to illustrate, I have included an original digital photo of my 2011 trip to Japan (downsized), and the scanned version of a professionally printed 6x4 version of the image. Instantly you can see that the overall image is darker with a slight variance in colors. Note the crushed blacks visible on my shorts, and the darker cracks and lettering in the rock.
Be careful with images with a fine layer of dust and grime, you may find these build up and result in scanned images with nasty vertical lines, which sadly I learnt the long way - losing around 70 scanned images that I had to re-scan. To rectify, insert the supplied cleaning tool to the rear of the unit and wipe back and forth a few times to clean the optical sensor. Kaiser Baas have included no instructions or warning about this - which may stumble the more inexperienced.
Negative scans, despite the increase in resolution to 1200dpi, do not fare as well. Images are frequently blown out and harsh and abrasive looking. You won't be doing much with these images other than perhaps Facebook uploading, however short of taking the negatives to a professional printer, it's perhaps better than nothing.
So can I recommend the Kaiser Baas? Yes, I can. It does a very good job for a $229 AUD ($238 USD) product and fills a hole in the market for the mum and dad crowd who just want to digitize their old photos, without whizz bang results. For the more discerning, the Kaiser Baas is still a very good option, but the best results will require some light manipulation with Photoshop, which to a degree begins to undercut the benefits of the unit in the first place.
In the future, I would truly love to see Kaiser Baas release a more professional version of the scanner, equipped with a small LCD with access to more manual scanning controls, such as increased resolutions, looser JPEG compression and codec choices and the inclusion of Kodak's Digital Ice software, which would go a long way to repairing light damage and visible dust. Still, for what it is (and short of spending an additional couple of hundred dollars on a higher end flat bed scanner), the Kaiser Baas unit offers very good value for money, with a simple to operate product that virtually any one can pick up and use, and gives instant results.
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HIS Radeon HD 7850 2GB IceQ Turbo Video Cards in CrossFire
Introduction
The other day we got a chance to check out the performance of the new
HD 7850 2GB IceQ Turbo video card from HIS. Today we throw a second card into the mix and see what happens with CrossFire performance.
While testing CrossFire HD 7850 performance isn't anything new, we are excited about it since it's the first CrossFire setup tested with our new benchmark line up that we introduced recently. It will show us CrossFire performance on the new games while also giving us a judge on how performance from this setup is with the latest 12.11 drivers that we saw introduced recently.
Due to the fact we've already looked at the HIS HD 7850 IceQ Turbo in detail we'll refrain from covering it again. If you want to have a closer look at both the bundle and the video card itself, I recommend that you head over to
our original review that was published recently.
Saying that there are still a few things we need to do before we get into the performance side of things. We'll take a quick look at the test system on the next page while also quickly covering the video cards that you will see in our graphs today. Just before we get into the benchmark side of things as well we'll look at the specifications and just double check that everything is looking good on the CrossFire side of things.
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Corsair AX760 760W 80 PLUS Platinum Power Supply Review
Introduction
Last month we took a look at the new AX860i power supply from Corsair. It featured the same digital signal processing, monitoring, and control to that saw in the recently reviewed AX1200i and performed just as well. The AXi series power supplies were not the only ones that Corsair recently introduced so we decided to see what the new AX series could do as well.
Today we are taking a look at the new AX760 power supply from Corsair. It offers 760W of power which is still more than enough to power a pair of video cards these days and plenty more. Corsair claims the new AX series power supplies to be very quiet and very efficient.
Corsair has been putting out awesome power supplies for quite some time now and we have high hopes for the AX760, so let's start digging into what it is all about.
Specifications, Availability and Pricing
The Corsair AX760 features a single 12V rail that is rated for 63A or 756W. Both the 5.5V and 3.3V rails are rated for 25A each with a maximum combined wattage of 125W. The 5VSB rail is rated for 3A or 15W. Maximum combined output for the AX760 power supply is 760W.
The Corsair AX760 power supply scores a full list of features when looking at our feature summary. All protections are present, including OTP. The power supply is entirely modular and all cables are either fully sleeved with black mesh or of the flat ribbon variety. The AX760 is rated for 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency and Corsair says the AX760 is capable for 100% continuous output at 50C.
The new AX760 comes to market with a price of $199.99. This puts it towards the more expensive end of the spectrum when looking at 700W-800W power supplies though there are a few that are higher. Corsair stated that the power supply is available, but there are many places that are still acquiring stock of the unit.
A quick search online proves this to be true as the power supply isn't available on Newegg, but is for sale at TigerDirect. TigerDirect obviously knows that there is a limited supply of them at the moment since they are listing the power supply for $219.99 at the time of writing this article. The AX760 features Corsair's impressive seven year warranty.
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HIS Radeon HD 7950 3GB IceQ X2 Overclocked Video Card Review
Introduction
A few months ago we got a chance to look at the new
IceQ X2 based HD 7970 which impressed us with its updated cooler. Today we're looking at the IceQ X2 based HD 7950 from HIS to see how the cooler performs on the slightly lower end model.
At the moment the IceQ series has three main series with in it. The first is the IceQ version we've known to love with that large cooler that has the fan sitting at the back of the card helping push hot air straight out the back of the case. The other is the IceQ X cooler which we've seen on more mid-range cards. Finally we've got the IceQ X2 cooler which is what we're seeing on higher end offerings from HIS.
Instead of just checking the out of the box performance we'll be overclocking this video card today to see how it does and help expand our collection of video cards tested on our new benchmark line up.
As always, though, we've got to do a few things before we get into the performance side of things and the first is to check out what kind of bundle HIS is offering. Once we've done that we'll take a closer look at the video card itself before moving into the specification side of things where we'll check out both the out of the box clocks and the overclock we managed to get today. We'll then quickly move onto our testbed and cover the video cards that you'll see in our graphs today before we finally get into the performance side of things to see what the HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 is capable of doing.
Package
Looking at the front of the box you can see it's very similar to the HD 7850 IceQ we looked at the other day. The main difference is that instead of being an IceQ version you can see it's labeled as an IceQ X2. Looking at the back of the box you can see that some of the main features are highlighted and a brief description is shown to describe the benefits.
Inside the bundle it is identical to the HD 7850 we looked at the other day with two CDs - one including the driver and the other the iTurbo software. We've also got a manual, case sticker, DVI to VGA connector and a CrossFire bridge.
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Future of Smart Devices - Fight between a Fruit, a Suit and a Robot
Where We Were Yesteryear
Smartphone is the buzzword right now, but do you remember some of the original popular Nokia phones? Or when Motorola took the world by storm with their RAZR phones? I do. I remember being the same person I am now, constantly upgrading my phone to the latest and greatest and back then it was all in the phone - there were no application stores or Wi-Fi on your handset.
4G was a pipe dream, heck so was 3G. Bluetooth was around the corner, and Retina displays were probably a wet dream of the late Steve Jobs. Those days saw huge companies such as Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola and more dominate. These companies were making so many phones, and even more money and the market was happy.
Consumers were happy, as most of phone purchases in the beginning were from corporate clients, but the consumer wasn't quite ready to plonk down $900 for a phone, nor did they want to jump on an $80-per-month contract for a device to just call their friends and family occasionally. The market could not have survived an iPhone, or the iPhone would not have survived the market. There needed to be a slow change in companies, consumers, and the middle ground - where virtually everything else lays - app stores, Internet access, and more.
If you remember back to iconic handsets like the Nokia 3210, or 3310, each phone had its specific killer-feature, and you would buy it because it did X over your phone which only did Y. Flip phone when you had a brick? Yes sir. Color screen when you had nothing else? SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.
These days were filled with small, incremental updates, but it took a while for technology to shrink down to the point of mass production - but even then, the market and consumers weren't ready. In this day, desktop PCs and cumbersome notebooks were used on dial-up connections to access the Internet. If you wanted to check out a website, you'd sit in front of your computer and visit it. There were no social networks, or Angry Birds to fling at pigs. These days were simple - and it made you have a device for your specific application.
A phone for actual phone calls, and a computer for computing. As the Internet became intertwined with virtually every faction of our lives, technology began to slowly seep into our skin - kind of like how Spiderman had the black goo slide onto him and take him over in the Spiderman 3 - this is what has happened to all of us, except we don't all realize that it's bad because we're all in love with our technology.
As with everything else, the market changes, consumers change, and new generations of citizens come along who want everything faster, smaller, thinner, better looking - the list goes on and on. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the iPhone was released. It. Changed. Everything.
We all know it did, because look at where we are today...
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InWin Commander III 800W 80 PLUS Gold Power Supply Review
Introduction
Not too long ago, we took a look at the first power supply from InWin we'd ever seen. It was designed as a budget power supply with an incentive that $1 would be donated to the WWF for every unit sold. The unit performed quite well considering the audience that it caters to, but it was certainly lacking for those seeking something of higher quality.
This time around, we have such a power supply; the new InWin Commander III 800W power supply. The Commander III 800W power supply offers a bit more juice than the GreenMe 750W as well as increased efficiency and a few more connectors.
We've got our fingers crossed for a bit more all the way around so let's move on and start taking a look at the specifications for the Commander III 800W power supply.
Specifications, Availability and Pricing
The Commander III 800W power supply features four 12V rails; each rated for 25A a piece. The four rails combined have a maximum output of 65.83A or 790W. Both the 3.3V and 5V rails are rated for 24A each with a combined maximum output of 120W. Combined maximum output for the Commander III 800W power supply is 800W.
InWin almost got away with a full list of features on the Commander III 800W power supply, but it is lacking Over Temperature Protection. Everything else is there including SCP, OVP, OCP and OPP. All cables are fully sleeved, both native and modular. The Commander III 800W power supply is rated for 80 PLUS Gold efficiency. While the power supply does not feature over temperature protection, it is rated for 100% continuous output at 50C.
InWin has stated that the Commander III 800W will come to market with an MSRP of $139. It isn't currently for sale, but InWin plans for availability to be around mid-December. When the Commander III 800W power supply is available it will feature a five year warranty.
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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Two (1988) Blu-ray Review
Following the surprise embrace of the
Star Trek revival;
The Next Generation, a follow up series was quickly commissioned, but a few hiccups remained to be dealt with. Actress Gates MacFadden was fired from the production and replaced. The looming writers strikes reduced the series down to 22 episodes (even with the horrid clip show) and caused the production to franticly search for usable scripts, even dipping into some written for the aborted
Star Trek Phase II TV series from the 1970's.
Where season one unsurprisingly struggled to find its feet, season two hits the ground running with a more confident run of episodes, that even the writers' strike couldn't stall. Perhaps the most regarded of the series two episodes is
The Measure of a Man, where Data is put on trial to assess his humanity (or lack thereof) and
Q Who? which introduces one of the deadliest adversaries the Federation will face - the Borg.
Whilst most
Next Generation fans rightfully recognize the third season as the point where the series really ratchets up to its highest gear, there is still a lot to like about season two, and no self respecting fan can afford to not add the first two series to their library - especially when CBS has gone to such immense lengths to remaster the series. And when you take a look at the loving care that has gone into crafting some of, if not the best, extra features ever prepared for a
Star Trek release, you'll rightly recognize this set as a must have.
Video
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Two is presented in the series' original intended aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (4x3), encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
After the high standards set by the first season, fans will know what to expect with season two. Or do they? Owing to the accelerated production of newly remastered series (2013 will see three seasons instead of the two planned), CBS Home Video has moved remastering offsite to HTV Illuminate, a production facility responsible for some good remastering efforts such as
Young Frankenstein and
Scarface, but also some terrible ones, including the grain removed disasters
Patton and
Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace. Sadly, their efforts, due to budgets, schedules or talent, has fallen invariably short of the incredibly high standards set by
Star Trek: The Next Generation Series One. Amongst some of the issues are inferior digital matte paintings (including poorly detailed planets), at least one instance of element misalignment, and digital noise reduced visual effects sequences.
That said season two is still light years ahead of the original standard definition release. There is an incredible amount of newly visible detail in each and every shot, with a significant improvement in color fidelity and vibrancy.
Similar to season one, there is a fair amount of visible film grain (apart from certain aforementioned visual effects scenes), and while production experimented with different film stocks, some episodes including the season opener
The Child feature significant amounts. Whilst it's noticeable, it's hardly distracting.
On balance, season two is a good remastering effort which fans are lucky to be able to enjoy. It's just that it falls short of the miraculous work performed by CBS Digital in house.
Audio
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Two is presented in DTS HD Master Audio 7.1, at 24 bits, and the original stereo audio tracks in Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kb/s).
Just the same as season one, whilst the show was originally presented in Dolby Stereo, the audio track has been expanded to a full 7.1 experience, by utilizing the original mag tracks. While not quite as breathtaking as the video restoration, this is by far and away the best the series has ever sounded and will likely ever sound. For those that prefer to listen to the original stereo audio tracks, they'll be pleased they are still catered for.
Season two features an inherently upgraded sound mix, no doubt aided by a larger budget and advances in available technology. It's also noteworthy that season two featured a re-recording of the main theme which sounds more involving in its remixed capacity. Fortunately, season two doesn't suffer from any of the same audio issues (dubbed 'anomalies' by distributor Paramount) that the initial release of the first season did.
Overall, no one will be disappointed by the efforts in the sound department.
Extras
Despite such loving attention given to the remastering efforts of series one, for many fans the highlight of the set was the spectacular new extra features produced by self confessed
Star Trek nuts Roger Lay and Robert Meyer Burnett. Thankfully, the duo return to provide some wonderful new features that in some ways are even more impressive than those produced for the first season. Let's jump in.
First up is the two part 80 minute long
Continuing Star Trek: The Next Generation documentary. It's rather unprecedented for a TV series to be given such meaty documentaries, but once again Lay and Burnett don't disappoint. Basically, anyone who is anyone fronts the cameras for new interviews, in addition to vintage behind the scenes footage and fans and commentators, including
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. There is such a wealth of information imparted, including a detailed discussion on how the producers dealt with the impending writers strike and dipped into material produced for
Phase Two and diehard fans will be intrigued to see never before seen test footage from the unmade show. Really, this is a must watch.
Next up is the 60 minute long
Reunification: 25 Years after Star Trek: The Next Generation documentary. Robert Meyer-Burnett hosts a forum that quite literally reunites the key cast for a breezy, and highly enjoyable discussion on life, age and of course,
Trek. It's quite clear that these guys hold each other in the highest regard - there are no
Original Series rivalries here. It's an absolute joy, and when the time is up you'll not to have to see it end.
The 10 minute
Gag Reel is quite hilarious, with some quite insane facial expressions from Jonathan Frakes and line fluffing by Michael Dorn, the
Energized! Season Two Tech Update featurette discusses the production differences of the season and the
1988 Reading Rainbow vintage featurette hosted by LeVar Burton which gives the younger target audience a good overview of the series production.
New to season two, two episodes feature
Audio Commentaries for the episodes
Q Who? and
The Measure of a Man. Speaking of the latter episode, it's presented here on Blu-ray for the first time in a 13 minute longer extended cut, reconstructed from the original 35mm footage. These are new scenes that have never been released before and that it's featured on one of the most regarded episodes is an even bigger plus.
Finally, we have the archive of original DVD features, in the format of brief featurettes. First up is
Departmental Briefing: Year Two, which looks at, amongst other things, the series new villain; The Borg.
Inside Starfleet Archives: Penny Juday Star Trek Coordinator which looks at the props and sets that Paramount have archived on the lot,
Mission Overview: Year Two gives a breezy look at the ch-ch changes, and
Selected Crew Analysis: Year Two features some brief, now 10 year old interviews with key members of the cast which lightly touch on their relevant characters.
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Ted (2012) Blu-ray Movie Review
Seth MacFarlane seems to be popping up everywhere these days; be it from
Family Guy to American Dad, to voice work in unrelated TV shows and features, and even a big band / jazz studio album. Now, he moves to uncharted waters - a big budget cinema outing in his directorial debut,
Ted.
Ted is an off the shelf everyday teddy bear owned by the young John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) until he's wished into reality and becomes a living, breathing bear. Rather than being hidden away,
Ted becomes a pop culture icon, with appearances on TV, adored by the public. Flash forward 30 years, and John and Ted continue to live it up, despite never growing up. John has a dead end job at a car rental store, and Ted continues to be his best friend - which means copious drinking, babes and drug use. John's girlfriend Lori (Mila Kinus) is getting fed up with the influence of Ted on John's life and hopes that by cutting him loose, John will man up, giving him the ultimatum - her or the bear.
How the world accepts that a Teddy bear can come to life, become a celebrity and not destroy itself in the process is slightly beyond me, but hey, it's a film.
Ted is a slick product and audiences raised on
Family Guy will know what to expect to a certain degree. However, despite its envelope pushing humor, and 'you-can't-say-that-on-TV' language,
Ted is a far more conventional feature film than its television counterparts.
Since MacFarlane's shows are conducive to no more than short bursts, it's no surprise that the 106 minute long feature is not without its lapses. The film sags at the halfway point, worsened by the films subplot featuring Giovanni Ribisi and Aedin Mincks as father and son stalkers. Their sequences would certainly have been cut (and should have), had they not been the catalyst for the films climax.
I enjoyed
Ted, despite its lack of transparency in attempts to provoke its audience. But even when the initial shock of seeing the seemingly friendly bear utter absurd profanities wears off, there is still enough charm in the character and strong performance by Wahlberg to retain attention.
The Blu-ray gives viewers the option to watch the original theatrical cut, or a seven minute long extended cut with even more obscenities, but a nice addition to the Donny theft subplot where
Ted discovers a pile of dismembered teddy bears in the basement.
Video
Ted is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.851, encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
I feel like a bit of a scratched record these days, but for a recent film, lensed on top of the line 4K digital cameras, there comes with it an expectation that it will look spectacular on a down-sized 2K transfer. And that's what Universal provides.
The production design lends itself to some bold and vibrant colors, making for a pleasant visual palette. The image is crisp and clear and bereft of any video nasties.
A pleasing transfer, but one which perversely shows up some of Universal's less pleasing catalogue titles.
Audio
Ted is presented in DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 at 24 bits.
For a dialogue heavy comedy such as
Ted, I don't think anyone should be expecting an aggressive new demonstration disc. That said, the film sounds pretty good, albeit conservatively confined to the front soundstage for the most part. There is some slight leakage to the rear speakers on occasion, with some general ambience mixed at a relatively low level, and to support the big band themes provided by
Family Guy composer Walter Murphy.
The subwoofer is irregularly called in to provide some boom to some of the more action oriented sequences, but for most of the film it will probably shut itself off.
Extras
Ted features a solid range of extra features that are more a case of quality than quantity. Let's dive in.
First up is the
Audio Commentary featuring Director and Writer Seth MacFarlane and an extended guest cameo by Mark Wahlberg. Seth is an extremely smart, funny and articulate guy. The back cover refers to the track as "an audio commentary you'll actually want to listen to". I'd concur with that statement.
The 25 minute
Making of Ted featurette split over three parts is substantive enough to please fans, without going too in-depth and thus remaining interesting for casual fans. Of particular interest is the look at shooting with Seth MacFarlane standing in as the voice of Ted on-set, along with the puppet and blank plates. This is also investigated further in the making of the hilarious fight scene in the short
Teddy Bear Scuffle featurette.
Next is a further 15 minutes of
Deleted Scenes that weren't integrated into the extended cut, and a further 11 minutes of
Alternate Takes which provide slightly different variants of scenes in the film.
Finally, we have a six minute
Gag Reel which is unsurprisingly pretty funny.
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HIS Radeon HD 7850 2GB IceQ Turbo Video Card Review
Introduction
Just as it felt like we wouldn't really see any new video cards for the remainder of the year, we got a nice box from HIS with a couple of new variations from the company with the first one being the Radeon HD 7850 IceQ 2GB.
We've always been a fan of the AMD models after the HD 7800 series since they've brought some excellent performance at a strong price point. The HD 7700 series on the other hand got off to a bit of a rocky start due to the high price tag it launched with. We always felt that the HD 7700 series was going to struggle to really gain momentum as it wasn't just us who felt this way. With just about every review saying it was a good product, but just priced too high. It was a stigma that stuck with the model and has never been shaken.
The HD 7800 series alongside the higher end HD 7900 series hasn't been plagued with such issues. Instead the HD 7850 came in only a little more expensive than the HD 7770, but did an excellent job of separating itself enough to make it look a lot more desirable.
As always there's a few things we've got to do before we get into the performance side of things today and the first is see what's going on with the bundle. Once we've done that we'll move onto the video card itself where we'll check out the IceQ cooler before looking at the specification side of things. Once we've done that we'll move straight into the performance side of things and see just what the HIS HD 7870 IceQ 2GB is able to do.
Package
We've got clear labeling of the model here and you can see some of the main features on the front of the box. Turning over the box you can see more of the features that are on offer with a description with what they bring to the table.
Getting into the package you can see it's a fairly typical HIS bundle with a driver CD and a second CD which includes the iTurbo software. Alongside that we've got a manual, HIS case sticker, DVI to VGA connector and a CrossFire connector.
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Seasonic Platinum 1000W 80 PLUS Platinum Power Supply Review
Introduction
For those that aren't familiar with Seasonic (shame on you), they have been around longer than almost anyone in the power supply industry. Over the last 35 years, they have become synonymous for their high quality and efficient power supplies. Seasonic not only produces power supplies under their own name, but also acts as an OEM for a very large number of different manufacturers. Chances are that if you've had five or more power supplies throughout the years, one of them was built by Seasonic.
Today we are taking a look at a new offering from Seasonic. The power supply in question is the Platinum 1000W unit, claiming to offer up 1000W of power with 80 PLUS efficiency and silent operation up to 40% load to name a few of the highlights for this power supply. We've always had great results when testing Seasonic power supplies on our bench and always without issue so we're expecting great results with the Platinum 1000W as well.
That's enough talking for now so let's start looking at the features and specifications for the Platinum 1000W power supply.
Specifications, Availability and Pricing
As you can see from the I/O specifications for the Platinum 1000W unit, it features a massive single 12V rail design. The 12V rail is rated for 83A of power or 996W. Both the 3.3V and 5V rails are rated for 20A each and share a combined maximum load of 125W. The power supply also has a 5VSB rail that is rated for 3A or 15W. Total maximum combined output for the Seasonic Platinum 1000W power supply is 1000W.
Seasonic is never one to skimp on features or quality and this list proves that to be true. Everything we check for is present including SCP, OVP, OCP, OPP and OTP. The power supply is fully modular and all cables are fully sleeved. Seasonic promises the Platinum 1000W power supply to be efficient enough to obtain 80 PLUS Platinum levels of efficiency and for it to run at 100% continuous out at 50C temperatures.
The Seasonic Platinum 1000W power supply has an MSRP of $259.99, making it one of the highest priced 1000W Platinum rated power supplies on the market. The unit is currently on sale at Newegg for $219.99 after $30 off and a $10 mail-in-rebate. That price makes the power supply much more attractive to the wallet and more closely priced against many units with lower efficiency. Seasonic covers the Platinum 1000W unit with an impressive seven year warranty.
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Fractal Design Adjust 108 Fan Controller Review
Introduction
With fan controllers there are four major things you need to do right, and after that you should be able to sell your controller to just about anyone with the desire to buy one. First in my list of requirements is power. Now I don't mean just a couple of watts per channel, I want a controller that I can connect a few fans from a radiator to one channel if I want, and with some of my triple radiators, that can be six fans at once.
The second thing I look for is that the fan controller has accurate and easy to use mechanisms. I prefer sliders because they are lower profile than knobs, but I will even take a touch screen if there is that option. Third in line, but not less important is in the wiring. Not only do I need the cables to reach the back of the case, a bit of slack to manage them is always welcome, too. On the same side of the coin, they also should be wired in all black to disappear into the chassis. Last for me is looks, as I would always use a bare looking controller if it offers my first three requirements.
As Fractal Design went to the table to discuss the fan controller they wanted to deliver its customers, they not only covered all of my requests, but they added a couple of other cool features to spice things up just a bit more. Aluminum is all the rage currently and Fractal thought of that with the face plate. LEDs are also nice to have, and offering functionality past the LED just denoting the channel has power, Fractal made it so that the LEDs will change based on fan speed, and you also can change the illumination from 50% to 100% and even have the option to use the controller with no LEDs active.
As we take a much closer look at the new Adjust 108 fan controller from Fractal Design, I plan to test out the functionality, grade it on performance and aesthetics, as well as getting a chance to play around with the LED features, as well as connecting a digital multi-meter to bring to you everything I can possibly find. This way, by the end of this review, you and I will both know whether the Adjust 108 should be on the top of your list when shopping for your next fan controller.
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XSPC Raystorm 750 RX360 Liquid Cooling Kit Review
Introduction
It seems ever since I got together with Swiftech to review the first of the Drive kits, other manufacturers have been sending emails looking to showcase their products as well. Since that original loop, we have seen its redesign in the HD series, and we also took a look at what EKWB has to offer. Today it is XSPC's turn to get its name in lights as we take a look at the latest series of custom water loops that come as a kit, all in one box to take all the decisions out of it, so users can easily get into liquid cooling without much fuss.
I have used some XSPC products before. Just recently I removed the 655 and XSPC top from the loop when going to my new build, I even picked up a triple radiator version of their older RASA series of loops and got a chance to play around with that, even adding it to a Danger Den chassis I reviewed here.
As far as the reservoir I bought a few years back, it has been solid and shows no signs of wear or anything that makes me think I shouldn't continue using it. The RASA kit on the other hand had some issues that made me stop using the kit all together and traded it away some time ago. Issues like barbs that would loosen under the pressure of the slightest twist of the tubing are never good, the fans then were quite loud, and it could be that it was used, but the pump/reservoir combo unit was loud and is where I had the most issues keeping the barbs tight. So I already have a fifty-fifty experience going into this review, and I do have a few things I am going to keep my eye out for as I complete my build.
This is going to be a long review, so grab a beverage and get really comfy as I bring you what I found in the XSPC Raystorm 750 RX360 kit. I have seen some of the best loops money can offer already, so the bar is set pretty high for XSPC to jump into this and compete head to head. Stick with me as I plan to cover every little aspect, pros and cons of this kit, and see just how the Raystorm stacks up against previous submissions as well as against its own pricing.
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SuperSSpeed Hyper Gold S301 128GB w/5.03 FW SSD Review
Introduction
We've looked at the SuperSSpeed S301 SSD before on a few occasions. The first time we had a very early sample with firmware 5.0.1, one of the less than perfect SandForce releases. We liked the drive so much we worked with SuperSSpeed to make the first TweakTown branded product ever, the TweakTown Chris Ramseyer Signature Edition SSD, limited to just 50 now sold out units. SuperSSpeed took some of the ideas from our drive and wrapped them in the final form of the product. With everything nailed down all SuperSSpeed needed to do was import a bunch of them so you can order and have your drive delivered just days after. SuperSSpeed has S301 SLC drives in stock and ready to go.
SuperSSpeed doesn't go into a lot of detail in its spec sheet. The S301 is available in two capacity sizes, but only one was available at the SuperSSpeedUS.com website, the 128GB model we're looking at today. You can purchase the 128GB SLC SSD at either Amazon or on SuperSSpeedUS.com. Both list the drive at $250. This is less than the Special Edition drive, but more than any other 128GB consumer SSD on the market today.
The reason for the higher price is simple; the S301 uses very expensive SLC NAND flash from Intel. SLC or single-level cell is generally reserved for high-end enterprise products costing thousands of dollars. SLC is very expensive and even enterprise SSD markers are starting to shy away from the technology for all but their most extreme drives designed for tier 0 use.
SLC has two program states, on or off. MLC flash has four states and TLC flash has eight. SLC's dual state on or off is very easy to read and write thus it's faster and requires less 'thinking' or overhead by the controller. Imagine doing math problems, 100 problems on each page. On the SLC page your combinations are 0 and 1 - so either 0+0=0, 1+0=1 or 1+1=2. Those are the only combinations available. You would be able to do 100 problems very quickly. With MLC you have 0, 1, 2 and 3 so a little more thought goes into each problem so you wouldn't finish the 100 questions as fast.
SLC with only two states also lasts longer than MLC flash, up to 100K PE cycles is the starting point. MLC flash is rated for 3K, 5K and the best MLC is rated at 10K PE cycles. New TLC flash comes in at roughly 1K PE cycles, but few outside of the lab have actually run tests on new TLC flash. As you know, SSDs are all about latency. This is another area where SLC flash performs better than MLC and TLC. Reducing latency increases user experience and was one of the reasons why we choose to work with SuperSSpeed to make a TweakTown Edition of the S301.
Every time we published performance data of the S301 we were asked about comparing the drive to 256GB models since they are priced about the same. For this round we use the S301 with firmware 5.0.3 (the TRIM fix firmware), and compared it to the newest 240/256GB models on the market.
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DIGISTOR Archive Your Life REWIND Bundle Review
Introduction
DIGISTOR calls its REWIND software "The Ultimate Archiving Application". The software was designed for ease of use so I don't know about the ULTIMATE part, but I can tell you it's very easy to use. More importantly, DIGISTOR's REWIND software is easy to teach. Although I love them, I wouldn't attempt to teach my mother or grandmother how to use Image Burn or any number of other software solutions. After using REWIND, I think they can handle this one without any fuss.
DIGISTOR is more than just a software developer, they also sell and even bundle all-inclusive packages. Sometimes you don't want to leave compatibility to chance and let's be honest about it; some people just lack the technical knowledge to be presented with options. That may sound harsh, but most of you reading this are the
go to computer person in your family, a title often mistaken to mean 24/7 free tech support.
DIGISTOR sent us one of its bundle packages. Even though DIGISTOR intentionally made this bundle for the technically challenged, it's actually pretty neat.
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Logitech UE Ultimate Ears Boombox
Logitech have being offering great multimedia gear for many years now, but most recently we have seen the Ultimate Ears range of audio products. If you recall we took a look at some of the more modestly priced earphones from this range some time ago with good results. Today we have a slightly different offering from the UE line up which comes in the shape of a pretty cool looking silver Boombox.
Now in times where it seems nearly everyone has some type of portable device capable of carrying music, it would make sense to have a speaker of some type that can be moved around to various locations in order to playback and enjoy that music. The Boombox should make quite a good deal of sense, but there's only one way of finding out.
The UE Boombox is as it should be today a wireless device that runs on Bluetooth like many others do. The idea being that a handheld device sends a signal to the Boombox via Bluetooth and allows anyone within range of the speaker to hear music. Now all of this does sound quite familiar in today's would, but let's not forget that wireless technology is not always perfect and what can sound like an amazing idea can in fact have its niggles in practice.
The UE Boombox has a striking alloy case which feels quite nice to hold and does give the unit a quality feel and it should also aide in protecting the speakers inside when it comes to moving around. In terms of weight it's not the lightest thing in the world, but that is just how it must be because any further loss of weight here would only suggest a numbing down of quality materials being used.
Inside can be found a total of eight drivers which are tuned to provide the best from the unit they are installed in. Now this does seem like quite a lot of speakers to cram inside, but there is sadly no removable cover to check if they are telling the truth, but we'll believe them. To be honest this surprised us when we read it on the Logitech website.
Installing the system is just like any other Bluetooth device; a link must be made between the Boombox and the mobile device, and once this is done it should be clean sailing for as long as the battery lasts.
From a technical perspective the UE Boombox comes stacked with plenty of drivers to help get the sound out there. On the surface this seems a little over eager because there is the limitation of the rechargeable battery and that is a lot of drivers to run.
Actual battery life is going to vary somewhat as stated by Logitech depending on usage conditions and will be a limiting factor as all batteries are to some extent different.
Logitech's UE Boombox coming from the heritage that it does should sound really impressive. And when taking the specs into consideration also things do get interesting. Overall the sound quality in a word did not match the construction quality and the wireless capability. It's not that the UE Boombox cannot pump out some powerful and well and truly enjoyable sound, it's just that the level of sound quality is really quite dated today and surpassed by other similar type units which we have tested.
Listening to music through the UE Boombox was a mixed experience we found during our testing. The overall tonality was not too bad with some nice sounding vocals on our test tracks. We did think the mid-range sounded a little bulked up.
The low-end while being enough most of the time for a small to mid-sized room, is not really producing any deep notes below 50 Hz with any power behind them. For many users this will be enough, but we were not happy with the low-end overall. There was just not enough of it to push deep notes out.
We found the mid-range to be both balanced and full much of the time with a good amount of detail. The high-end was quite good for the most part we found with a nice airy feel to it and nothing too harsh like many small speakers like this can be a times. We would compare the overall results of testing here to maybe a small Hi-Fi unit worth a couple hundred dollars to give you a rough idea.
The wireless function works really well and can be set up really fast using your usual favorite portable device. We had everything setup and running in less than five minutes - top marks here.
The UE Boombox is not designed for gaming so we can skip this; however with improvements in screen size and overall quality of portable devices, many people are now turning to them in order to watch movies on the go.
The UE Boombox has great wireless capability and comes from people who really know their game. It's built well from quality materials, feels sturdy and is easily portable. The sound quality overall can do the job, but we just wanted more from such a big powerhouse brand. The low-end really left us wanting more bass, but we did love the smooth mid-range vocals - not all is lost.
It's really a shame this little UE Boombox was not quite as refined and tightly tuned as we would have like because the other areas of the unit are well appointed.
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Corsair Carbide Series 200R Compact Mid-Tower Chassis Review
Introduction
Just when you thought the Corsair line of case numbers couldn't go much lower, they drop the latest addition to the Carbide series of cases. Ever since I saw the 800D and pretty much every case since in the Obsidian, Graphite, Vengeance, or the Carbide series of cases, I have really liked what Corsair delivers in the chassis market. From what I have seen develop in this time, is that you don't have to buy the super high-end cases to get things you can really use, or even things you just demand of a chassis - Corsair covers the feature set well with all of its cases. That being said, I am sure I won't be disappointed with its latest either.
The concept behind this latest chassis had two major things that Corsair wanted to incorporate. First off was a size limitation. While this chassis is a mid-tower by size specifications, it is very stout and compact. This does remove a bit of the free space in some mid-tower offerings, but the chassis has plenty of room for all the mandatory components. The second thing Corsair wanted to offer in this chassis was the simplest user experience as possible during the build. To accomplish this, there are built in clips, a new 2.5" drive rack, and thumbscrews for the expansion slots. The only thing you need a screwdriver for is to mount the motherboard and the PSU.
Along with the two things I just covered, there is one other thing that really makes the Carbide Series 200R stand out, and that is the sub-$50 pricing I am seeing currently. So as we take a closer look at what the 200R from Corsair has to offer, keep in mind just what is offered in this feature set, how cool the chassis looks, and just how gentle it is to your wallet as we get in-depth with this chassis today.
There is a nice mix of a few of their other designs combined with a few new things in the 200R. If you were or currently still are a fan of Corsair cases, we both know what to expect, and know that the build quality is top notch. All that is left is to touch on are the fine points and to see if you will be advising your friends to buy one of these by the end of the review.
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SMART Optimus 400GB Enterprise SSD Review
Introduction
The SMART Optimus family heralds the beginning of a new era for the datacenter, the inclusion of MLC NAND SSDs into roles typically only served via SLC high-endurance SSDs.
Extracting SLC-like endurance from MLC using a variety of techniques, collectively referred to as the Guardian Technology Platform, has led SMART down the path of explosive growth. SMART Storage Systems can claim every single Tier-1 OEM as a customer and they are currently the only SSD vendor with its SSDs qualified across multiple IBM platforms. This deep entrenchment into the enterprise space speaks volumes to the quality of the products that SMART offers its customers. Endurance, performance, reliability, and value are the hallmarks that can make or break an enterprise-class SSD solution, and SMART looks to deliver with the Optimus series.
The Optimus series leverages DSP and adaptive flash programming at the core of its controller, dramatically reducing errors and increasing the longevity of the underlying NAND. These new approaches to NAND management bring a compelling enterprise-class storage solution within reach of consumer price points.
In the past, datacenters and enterprise applications consisting of heavy write workloads have been constrained to deploying expensive SLC solutions. These SLC SSDs can come at a hefty premium of up to $11 a gigabyte. Recently eMLC has begun to make a splash, offering higher write endurance in tandem with more palatable pricing.
Rapid advancements in flash management technology have brought garden-variety MLC into the datacenter, providing enough endurance for light enterprise workloads. Low cost is the primary motivator for users to make the jump to MLC, but SMART's goal is the transformation of this same low-endurance MLC into a direct competitor with SLC products while also preserving the lower cost structure of MLC products. The Optimus offers an amazing 10 DWPD (drive writes per day) for a five year warrantied period.
Sporting high performance in tandem with impressive endurance in capacities of 200GB, 400GB, 800GB and 1.6TB provides customers with a wide range of available capacity options. Read speeds weigh in at 100K IOPS and 500MB/s of sustained sequential transfer. The write speed is also impressive, with 50K IOPS and 500MB/s of sequential write speed. Perhaps most impressive is the capability of the SSD to offer up 1GB/s of sustained read performance in applications that support dual-port 6Gb/s SAS functionality.
SMART designs its SSDs to operate within 1% performance variability over the life of the SSD to guarantee consistency of service. Adaptive flash programing and DSP (Digital Signal processing) are emerging technologies that provide increased endurance. STEC, with their CellCare products, and Anobit are SMART's most notable competitors utilizing similar technologies. Apple snapped up Anobit earlier this year, effectively removing them from the picture. This leaves STEC and SMART's high performance and endurance MLC SSDs to compete directly with each other.
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Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme CPU Cooler Review
Introduction
Back in late April of this year I was given a very unique take on a dual tower cooler design from Thermalright. From what the charts at that time showed, it was only the third cooler I had tested in the new test configuration. That being said, at that time the Silver Arrow SB-E was only bested by the water cooling I had just tested previously to it. Even today the SB-E stands tied in ninth place in the overclocking results. One thing that really stands out in my mind about the original SA SB-E cooler was the low levels of noise that users had to deal with. That combined with top ten results, there really isn't any reason to pass that cooler by, unless you are an extremist with air coolers and want to push your hardware a little bit past what the Silver Arrow could accomplish.
Well, that all changes now with the release of this latest cooler from Thermalright. Someone went back to the drawing board and asked the simple question "what happens when sound is no concern and we just go all out for performance?" It seems the answer to that question has been answered, because this time around instead of a 140mm and 150mm fan that were delivering around 84 CFM has been replaced with better performers. This time around we are given 130CFM fans to lay waste to any heat that might think it had a chance of lingering somewhere in this cooler.
Another change I really like is that the mundane colors of the original SA SB-E fans are gone and replaced with red frames and super bright orange blades on these fans. One look at this cooler, there will be no questions as to what is keeping your CPU cooled.
As the title has already stated, today we are looking at the Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme CPU cooler to see just what 130 CFM with two 140mm fans is capable of with a really solid design in a dual tower cooler. There have been no changes to the type and quantity, or even the diameter of the heatpipes. Just the same as there were no changes made to the special arrow fin design. Unless silence is mandatory, and you already have the SA SB-E, be on the lookout for the TY-143 high speed fans to go retail to be able to take yours to the level of cooling that you are about to see from Thermalright's Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme.
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Far Cry 3 PC Review
If publishers want a case in point in how to build hype at an E3 reveal, Far Cry 3 is the perfect case. Ever since we first heard Vaas utter those now famous words, "Did I ever tell you the definition of insanity?", we have waited with baited breath. The video had action, intense gameplay and also psychological elements that sent the hype levels of the game through the roof. And so now 18 months later it's time to determine if the developers have delivered on the promise from that video and aside from a few quirks here and there and a poor ending to the story, the answer is a resounding yes.
In Far Cry 3 you take control of Jason Brody, a young college kid with rich parents enjoying life to the max on an island paradise when things go awry. Jason and his friends are captured by pirates and the infamous Vaas. Taken for ransom from their wealthy parents, Jason manages to escape with his brother and from there the story becomes that you as Jason must rescue your friends, but also as you build acquaintances on the island, decide how you want the future to be for those people. There is a point where the story just becomes boring and formulaic unfortunately, but until then it's one of the best stories of this generation.
As expected based on the first two games, Far Cry 3 puts you in a massive open world with side missions and main story to complete. One of the key facets of the title is exploration and the game significantly rewards you for exploring. Whilst there are scripted elements to some of the missions, sometimes it's just interesting to wander about the island and see what the enemy and other NPCs are doing. One example was we were closing in on an enemy kill, only to see a crocodile jump out of the water to take him alive. If someone else was to go to that exact spot, it may not happen because those sequences are not scripted.
In fact, Far Cry 3 gives one of the best representations of a living breathing world in a video game to date. You can of course choose to main line the story if you wish, but that is to completely devalue the amount of effort that Ubisoft has not only put into the side missions, but also the world itself. You will miss a lot of the awesome areas of the island and some interesting, story building sequences as well. There is also a meta game within the game where you can hunt animals present throughout the world to improve Jason's overall abilities and weaponry.
For example, if you get some shark skins, you can craft a new pouch which improves your inventory level - something which is a lot more interesting to do than just buy a new pouch. You can pick up leaves and plants to help you concoct medicine to heal Jason. At no real point in the game are you forced to buy things. For example, one area which encourages exploration is the local stores. If you manage to take over the local radio tower, the shops will give you free weapons as a reward whilst that tower is not held by the enemies. It's a really interesting mechanic that rewards exploration in a manner that is tangible rather than just 'let's see this entire island'.
For the most part the missions are also enjoyable to play as well. There are over thirty campaign missions with quite a number more side missions to complete. To complete Far Cry 3 without doing side missions will take you about 10 hours and so it is a fairly meaty game when you compare it to most releases. The game does contain fast travel once you have visited a location although sometimes it is better to just explore and see the world on offer.
What Far Cry 3 manages to achieve is a believable world. This island could be a real world thing (although it's not), and the developers have clearly put a lot of work into building a fantastic world for the game. It has the crazy professor and the tribal warriors to complete the mix. But what takes it to the next level is the various fauna milling about the place. You can be swimming quietly in the rivers or ocean and the next minute a shark or crocodile attacks. The first time this happens you will literally jump in your seat and it's generally over before it even starts. You can imagine this is how it happens in the real world as well with most victims attacked before they even know it's happening.
The design of the island also allows for some open world elements to creep into the campaign missions as well. Whilst you are somewhat restricted as to the zone you can move in during missions (we guess to not break the mission entirely), you are given leeway as to how you approach the mission. Go in guns blazing? Or snipe from the mountain side? Many different ways are available to generally complete each mission and it is this variety that keeps the game fresh to the end.
On the PC at least, Far Cry 3 is a visual tour de force and one of the best games graphically we have ever played. If you have the hardware and video card to push this to the max you will see a visually stunning world with amazing graphics. Tone the graphics done a little and the game still shines even on older hardware, so it is clear Ubisoft has done its job in optimizing this game for fairly run of the mill systems as well. This is something that the original Far Cry game was criticised for not doing.
The game also features a co-operative multiplayer portion for up to four players to take part in. It is set six months before the actual events of the single player campaign and so in many ways is its own story. Introducing co-operative into such an awesome, open world game is something that Ubisoft had to do to take this game to the next level. With a length of about six hours, you certainly get your money's worth even though it's not the main campaign.
Far Cry 3 started out with a great E3 presentation that put the hype levels through the roof. Usually when this happens games significantly let us down, but in this case Ubisoft has delivered. No doubt they felt the pressure of such an awesome opening with Vaas and our main character, but instead of crumbling, they produced what is sure to be one of the best games of 2012.
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Hitman: Absolution Xbox 360 Review
As a series Hitman has been quite successful and this is why it's puzzling that we are now only just getting the return of the game. Hitman Blood Money was one of the better games from the earliest times of this generation, but IO Interactive decided to put that to the side and come up with the new IP.
This game became Kane & Lynch which had middling success in both sales and critical format. So six years later we have the return of Agent 47 and it's not without changes. Absolution completely changes up the series in many ways and we still aren't sure if all the changes and decisions made were the right ones.
Absolution picks up with Agent 47 being tasked to kill his agency handler Diana. She has gone rogue and has been selling secrets to enemies of the agency so his final contract becomes her. The agency has produced another agent from a child, Victoria with Diana on her deathbed asking 47 to protect her at all costs. This is what the story primarily revolves around; the protection of Victoria and escaping from the agency that 47 once called home. From the outset this shows just how much of a departure Absolution is to the regular format with previous games tasking 47 with contracts to fulfil for the agency.
In terms of the gameplay there are a lot of elements that have returned from previous games. On some of the missions you will be tasked with taking down a target and you can either choose to go in all guns blazing or make the death look like an accident with the latter not only scoring you more points, but generally being more satisfying to do as well. Hitman can be seen as a puzzle game - trying to concoct together various environmental elements such as leaking oil and a bullet to take out enemies unseen.
This is only apparent on some of the levels. On many levels within the game there are no targets and instead it is 47's goal to reach another area to continue the story. As well as this there are times where the game takes control from you and performs kills in cut scenes. For a series which has focused so much on clean quiet kills from a gameplay perspective, to have this happen is frustrating. There are some sections in the game where quiet kills just cannot occur.
This is where you will like this game or not. Whilst in the past each mission was one huge environment for 47 to traverse and come up with sneaky ways to take out the target, in this game you are instead tasked with basically getting from point a to point b. Hitman in many ways becomes a third person shooter with the amount of sandbox missions able to be counted on less than two hands. Given that there are 20 missions overall in the game, this is a bit disappointing.
However, on those levels which do give you the freedom to explore and come up with various ways to take out the targets, the game absolutely shines. Previously seen at E3, the King of Chinatown level is one such example where there is many different ways to take out the target such as poisoning fish or blowing up a car. And it is these missions that you will revisit over and over again to try and come up with different ways to end the mission without being seen.
As well as the actual targets each mission contains a number of challenges to complete. Sometimes these challenges are to take out the targets in various different ways whilst other times it can be tasks such as finishing the mission only using 47's suit. Given that you very often traverse areas where you should not be, doing this is harder than it sounds.
Many of the elements we have seen in previous titles have again come back. You can still take the disguises of other characters although this is a bit harder than last time around.
Enemies will spot that you are not one of them quite easily and so it becomes a case of still having to focus on stealth even when blended in. To aid with this, 47 now has an instinct ability which allows you to see enemies through walls and walk near enemies in disguise without being spotted. You gain more instinct by performing quiet kills and tasks.
One of the more frustrating elements of Absolution is the change from limited save games to checkpoints. Instead of being able to save at any point in the game (within a limited number), you now have to track down and find checkpoints in the level. They are generally off the beaten track and this can be very frustrating especially on the tougher levels. The checkpoints also do not get retained if you leave your game which we have no idea why IO Interactive decided that was a good idea.
The enemy AI generally revolves around them being able to determine you are 47 rather than actually being tough. When things go bad you generally can get out of a tight spot with your bullets except towards the end of the game where that type of tactic just gets impossible due to the weaponry they have. Once they spot you the game moves into a very Metal Gear like alarm system. At the highest level they hunt you and shoot on sight whilst if you can manage to hide long enough, they will give up and lower the alarm level. Of course the best way is to not be spotted at all and in general this is possible on every mission.
On the visual and environmental side of things the game is generally impressive. Whilst there is quite a variety to the locations that you will visit during your time with the game, it is not as varied as it was in Blood Money with some locations being visited more than once. Some of the missions are quite large in size whilst others are almost corridors only. It goes without saying the larger missions are the ones where 47's abilities can really shine. One thing that is true is that in general IO Interactive has used the environments to the best of their abilities with 47 being able to perform numerous environmental based kills on his targets.
Multiplayer comes in the form of contracts mode and in an ironic twist this system is much closer to that of the older games. You can either build or download contracts from other users and basically you are dropped into a world and have to kill targets silently to fulfil the contract. As you do so you gain money which can be used to upgrade your weaponry in multiplayer. This is an interesting take on multiplayer and we hope that users really embrace this system because it's entirely possible this could give the game a lot of legs.
Hitman: Absolution is a game that made us think about how we review games in many ways. Should we review a game based on what the name is on the box, or what the content actually is. Of course the latter is the answer, but we can't help but feel that this is not the greatest Hitman game. It's significantly different to other Hitman titles, but it's also not a bad game. If you come into the game expecting Blood Money 2 you will be disappointed, but if you look past this you will find a competent Hitman game that has just enough elements of its predecessors to ensure you should play as 47 again.
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Assassin's Creed III: Liberation PlayStation Vita Review
It's fair to say that whilst the Assassin's Creed II series of games were some of the most well received games this generation, the portable versions of the game haven't really set the gaming world on fire. Appearing only on the PSP (aside from the iOS games that were not 3D), the games focused on Altair, the original protagonist, rather than the very likeable Ezio.
However, with the release of a new platform, the PS Vita, Ubisoft decided to give the portable space another crack with the AC series and have come out with mixed results. Liberation is not necessarily a bad game, but there are some areas which can be quite infuriating to play.
Liberation for the first time introduces a female character as the main lead. You play as Aveline, the black daughter of a rich businessman in the 1700's. A result of infidelity, Aveline lives with her step mother and father in New Orleans as one of the wealthy and famous. However, Aveline wants to rid the world of slavery, especially for her people and sets about trying to bring down the tyranny which existed in the time. Set in the 1700's, the game takes place during the same timeline as that of the main console game, and to get the most out of the story, you need to play both.
There are a few major changes for the franchise aside from the fact you now control a woman. The game introduces for the first time personas. Aveline has three; wealthy lady, slave and assassin. Depending on the persona (clothing) you are currently wearing will limit or improve the abilities Aveline has available to her. For example, in the wealthy dress, Aveline cannot climb buildings or walls whilst in the assassin clothing she will draw suspect looks from the guards right away.
This is probably the most interesting change to the franchise because it means you often have to change your clothing to complete tasks. Having to change clothing to complete a task can be a tad tiresome (especially when it's not clear which clothing you should be wearing), but all the same the addition enhances the franchise.
As well as the main city, you will also visit the bayou of New Orleans which gives you the opportunity to partake in tree climbing and jumping. Ripped directly from the console game with Connor you can at will climb trees and often have to when completing assassination tasks. The game controls well and it's very obvious when you can and cannot climb trees. The Bayou has a very Metal Gear Solid 3 feel to it - a large, lush jungle full of crocodiles and other animals that can hurt Aveline. The main difference being that Aveline does not need to eat animals to survive.
The structure of the game takes on that of its console big brothers. The game includes nine sequences to complete which is a little on the short side and you will have this game down in around six to eight hours depending on how good you are at it. There is no difficulty setting so once you finish it, that's it really.
There are a number of side tasks to complete and there is a meta game where you can control a shipping company to gain money, but really in the grand scheme of things, you can ignore these and easily complete the game. One of the interesting elements is that the story you get if you just play the main missions is not the actual story. To get the real ending you need to take out a particular hidden character in each sequence.
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One of the biggest bugbears we have with the game is the PS Vita controls. The main controls themselves are fine, but when the developer is trying to shoe horn in the touch mechanics of the game, it just starts to break. For example, the game will at times ask you to put the Vita camera near a bright light. It took us a while to find a light that would give the Vita what it wanted, and there was no indication at all whether we were getting closer or not.
There are also other sections of the game which use the back touchpad such as paddling a canoe. There is nothing wrong with trying to include Vita specific controls, but when they work like they do in Liberation (it's a lucky dip as to whether your motions will be picked up), it would have been best to leave them out.
The environments that the game is set in are impressive for a handheld product. The city of New Orleans is beautifully represented by period buildings and the actual city itself is quite large, but nowhere near what you find in the console games of course. The split of the bayou and the city is an interesting feature with both environments having graphical problems as well as also some impressive sections. Voice acting on the system is impressive especially for a handheld and whilst the soundtrack can become repetitive, it suits the game and setting well.
There is no doubt that Assassin's Creed III: Liberation is the most impressive handheld version of the series yet. Ubisoft has used some of Vita's power well, but also included some utterly frustrating mini games based on the touch and camera features. It is on the short side and that means it's not really suitable as something for a long distance trip, but for short spurts on the way to work, it works almost perfectly.
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Super Talent Technology to Showcase Spectacular Product Lines at CES 2013
San Jose, California- January 5, 2013 - Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of NAND flash storage solutions, today announces it will be presenting its most recent and innovative consumer products January 8-11 at CES 2013 in Las Vegas.
By utilizing high density industrial grade NAND Flash chips, Super Talent is able to offer SSDs for high performance consumer and commercial use. Super Talent produces SSDs for laptop, desktop, and tablet use. STT's booth will also feature their extensive USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 product lines.
STT will have a live demonstration of the USB 3.0 Express RC4, which is known for its outstanding SSD like performance and incredible speed. STT products balance exceptional performance and reliability with affordability.
"We are very excited to participate in this year's CES show. We have an incredible selection of amazing products we will showcase."�-Abraham Ma, CEO Super Talent Technology
Stop by to learn more about STT's products and get questions answered by their knowledgeable engineers and friendly staff. Their booth will be located in LVCC, South Hall 3, Booth #30472
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Lian Li Announces CES 2013 Facebook Photo Contest
January 4, 2012, Keelung, Taiwan - Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd, is pleased to announce the "Post and Vote - CES Photo Contest" that will take place during CES 2012. With this contest not only will visitors to Lian Li's booth be given a chance win products, but also Lian Li fans at home can witness the next generation of brushed aluminum chassis and win prizes in the process.
By taking a picture at Lian Li's booth of one of the new chassis and posting it on the "Post and Vote - CES Photo Contest" app on the Lian Li HQ facebook page, attendees at CES will be eligible to win. Once posted in the app Lian Li HQ fans at home as well as at CES can vote on their favorite picture.
The uploader who has the picture with the most votes will win a PC-Q25B. Additionally, a random voter will win PC-Q07B. So whether you can make it to the booth or not, you have a chance to win just by participating in the Facebook contest.
Visitors to Lian Li's booth will also have another chance to win a prize. One lucky winner who fills out a simple survey will have a chance to win an iPad.
Don't miss your chance to win prizes from Lian Li. Visit the CES booth (LVCC, South Hall 2 #25405), and participate in the "Post and Vote - CES Photo Contest".
To go to Lian Li's Facebook page to enter the "Post and Vote - CES Photo Contest" click here:
https://www.facebook.com/LianLiHQ
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G.SKILL's TridentX Series DDR3 Memory Nominated for 2013 Edison Award!
Taipei, Taiwanー 4th Jan, 2013ー G.SKILL International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of high performance memory and solid-state storage, is proud to announce G.SKILL's TridentX Series DDR3 Memory is nominated for the world's fastest DDR3 memory frequency achieved - DDR3 3,900MHz by Edison Award!
Edison Award
Since 1987, the Edison Awards™ have recognized and honored some of the most innovative new products, services and business leaders in America. The Awards are named after Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) whose extraordinary new product and market development methods garnered him 1,093 U.S. patents and made him a household name across the world. The Edison Awards symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Edison, while also strengthening the human drive for innovation, creativity and ingenuity.
G.SKILL TridentX Series DDR3 Memory - World's Fastest Memory Frequency - Link :http://hwbot.org/submission/2328217_
This world record again proves that G.SKILL 's exclusive product development technology offers distinctive advantages over our competitors, offering the best quality & performance memory solution that no other vendors can, differentiating from rest of the pack which ultimately leads G.SKILL's TridentX becoming the world's fastest DDR3 RAM in the market.
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INFINITE CONTROL FOR ALL HAND SIZES WITH THE RAZER ORBWEAVER MECHANICAL GAMING KEYPAD
CARLSBAD, Calif. - 4 Jan. 2013 - Razer™, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, software and systems, today announced the release of the Razer Orbweaver, a customizable, mechanical gaming keypad designed with tournament-grade controls, ergonomics and full customizability.
Building on the huge success of its predecessor, the Razer Nostromo, the Razer Orbweaver lets gamers bind an infinite number of controls to 20 mechanical keys and a programmable eight-way directional thumb-pad. Only 50 g of force is required to trigger each key, ensuring that commands are executed as fast as users' fingers can act-and faster than the enemy can react. The thumb-pad can be used for movement or as a modifier for endless combinations. Armed with the Razer Orbweaver, gamers will be able to rapidly fire a vast number of spells, macros and abilities at their helpless foes, and they'll be able to do so with hyper-responsive speed and efficiency.
In addition to its inherent technical merits, the Razer Orbweaver also delivers comfort over extended hours of play with its adjustable rests modules for the hand, thumb and palm. Each of these parts can be slid back and forth or tilted to suit any hand curvature or size, allowing every gamer to customize a perfect fit.
"The Razer Orbweaver is the ultimate gauntlet of game control," said Min-Liang Tan, CEO of Razer. "The feeling of having every command at hand to destroy the competition in so many different ways is just sublime, and the tactile feedback and fast key actuation from the mechanical key architecture gives you a feeling of satisfaction and an added edge in the games you play."
About the Razer Orbweaver mechanical gaming keypad
Get complete control with the Razer Orbweaver gaming keypad, featuring 20 mechanical keys and a programmable eight-way thumb-pad. You can bind an infinite number of commands to these keys that can then be rapidly actuated for the ultimate competitive advantage in combat. The Razer Orbweaver is also designed to deliver absolute comfort during extended play with adjustable hand, thumb and palm-rest modules that fit perfectly to your hand.
This is the gaming keypad you want on hand to help you win every game you play.
Price: USD $129.99
Availability:
Razerzone.com - Order Now
Worldwide - Q1 2013
Product features:
- Full mechanical keys with 50g actuation force
- 20 fully programmable keys
- Adjustable hand, thumb, and palm-rest modules for maximum comfort
- Programmable eight-way directional thumb-pad
- Razer Synapse 2.0-enabled
- Instantaneous switching between eight key maps
- Unlimited macro lengths
- Stores unlimited gaming profiles
- Backlit keypad for total control even in dark conditions
Approximate size & weight:
- Width - 154 mm / 6.06 in.
- Length - 214 mm / 7.95 in.
- Depth - 55 mm / 2.17 in.
- Weight - 300 g / 0.661 lbs.
For more information about the Razer Orbweaver, please visit
http://www.razerzone.com/orbweaver.
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HighPoint Launches Industry's first Next Generation eSATA Storage Docks - 6Gb/s per port Bandwidth!
January 2012, Milpitas, CA - HighPoint Technologies, Inc., a leading SAS, SATA and USB 3.0 HBA and storage solutions manufacturer, Proudly announces the next generation of eSATA storage devices; boosting performance from 3Gb/s to 6Gb/s - the RocketStor 5322 Dual 6Gb/s eSATA Storage Dock. HighPoint's innovative dual-dedicated 6Gb/s eSATA architecture optimizes the transfer speeds of 6Gb/s SATA storage devices. Each of the RocketStor 5322's dual 6Gb/s SATA bays is built for today's fastest SATA storage devices, and deliver twice the performance of eSATA 3Gb/s storage docks - up to 12Gb/s of aggregated transfer bandwidth!
HighPoint RocketStor -Performance Companion for SATA 6Gb/s SSD's
HighPoint's no-compromise approach to eSATA technology aims to revolutionize desktop and workstation storage. The RocketStor 5322 overcomes the known performance shortfalls of existing 3Gb/s eSATA devices and delivers dual-dedicated 6Gb/s eSATA host connectivity. Each 6Gb/s SATA bay is capable of fully leveraging the performance potential of today's high-speed SATA 6Gb/s SSD's.
The RocketStor 5322 was designed specifically for high-performance desktop and workstations, and is the ideal high-speed companion for 6Gb/s SATA SSD's and high-capacity 4TB hard disk drives. No other eSATA Storage Dock can match the RocketStor's zero-compromise approach to external storage - an unrivaled combination of performance and value. The RocketStor 5322 is designed for the enthusiast that is serious about storage performance.
Each SATA device bay is powered by a dedicated 6Gb/s SATA channel, and can operate fully independently or in unison to deliver up to 12Gb/s of transfer bandwidth - the ideal external storage solution for hardcore gamers, power-users, media enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Small-Footprint Powerhouse!
The RocketStor 5322's compact, open topped design promotes cooling and maximizes your workspace - ideal for crowded desktop and workstation environments. The quick release buttons and built-in hot-swap support allow you easily add or remove any SATA SSD and hard drive as the need arises. RocketStor 5322 Storage Docks are fully compatible with PC and Mac platforms and are suitable for individual drives and RAID arrays configured with eSATA PCIe controller cards. Put your old drives to work! Each 6Gb/s SATA bay supports any generation of 2.5"� and 3.5"� SATA device, including today's fastest 6Gb/s SSD's and 4TB hard disks.
Seamless Compatibility with Industry Standard eSATA Host Connectivity
HighPoint's RocketStor 5322 utilizes industry standard 6Gb/s SATA technology to deliver blazing transfer performance. The RocketStor 5322 was designed with maximum usability in mind, and is compatible with all standard motherboard 3Gb/s or 6Gb/s eSATA ports, and PCIe eSATA host adapters, including our own Rocket and RocketRAID 600 series HBA's.
The Perfect Storage companion for HighPoint RocketRAID 600 Series 6Gb/s SATA HBA's
The RocketStor 5322's dual-dedicated 6Gb/s eSATA ports are a perfect match for RocketRAID 600 series HBA's and together deliver complete host-to-device storage solutions for PC and Mac platforms. The affordable price point, compact designs, and industry standard port connectors are well suited for any storage upgrade, integration or expansion project. RocketRAID 600 series HBA's include HighPoint's intuitive web-based storage management suite, which allows users of any experience level to quickly and easily configure RAID 0, 1 and JBOD configurations between any hard disk and SSD installed into the RocketStor 5322's dual 6Gb/s SATA bays.
Availability and Pricing
RocketStor Storage Docks are available immediately from our worldwide network of Distribution and Reseller channels.
Distribution Channels: ASI, Avnet, D&H Distribution, MaLabs
E-Commerce Channels: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, B&H, Newegg.com
MSRP
RocketStor 5322 - USD $119.00
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Transcend Outs JetFlash 520 Line of Water-Proof USB Flash Drives
Transcend rolled out the JetFlash 520 line of USB flash drives. Built in a metallic monolithic body design that's 4.5 mm-thick and 37 mm long, the drives are water-proof. Available in 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB capacities, and two body color options - gold and silver, the USB 2.0 drives provide about 19 MB/s maximum reads, with up to 7 MB/s writes. The drives will be sold at entry-mainstream price-points.
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Toshiba Launches New Bus Switch ICs Supporting PCI Express 3.0 (8 Gbps)
Toshiba Corporation today announced that it will launch two-lane SPDT switches that support PCI Express 3.0 (8 Gbps). The new products, TC7PCI3412MT and TC7PCI3415MT, reduce switch terminal capacitance to achieve high bandwidth characteristics of 10GHz at -3dB, making high-speed transmission with lower signal degradation capable.
The new SPDT switches have optimal configurations for all arrangements of PCI Express slots, connectors, and switches on the motherboards of desktop PCs and notebook PCs. They can also be used for high-speed differential lines, such as USB3.0, DisplayPort1.2, and SATA3.0. Samples are available now with mass production scheduled for the end of January.
Applications: Motherboards (desktop PCs), laptop PCs, servers
Key Features
- Operating power-supply voltage: VCC=3.0V to 3.6V
- Wide -3dB Bandwidth: 10GHz (typ.) @VCC=3.3V
- Low insertion loss: IL=-1dB @VCC=3.3V, f=4GHz
- Low switch terminal ON-capacitance: CI/O=1.5pF (typ.) @VCC=3.3V
- Standard package TQFN42 (9.0x3.5x0.55mm)
For more information, visit the
product page.
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QNAP Expands its Turbo NAS Compatibility List with New HDDs
QNAP Systems, Inc. announced today a major expansion of the number of compatible peripherals available for its Turbo NAS products. The major additions include ten 3.5-inch internal SATA hard drives and a Kingston 2.5-inch internal SATA hard drive.
The newly compatible 3.5" internal SATA hard drives:
- Seagate - ST2000DM001 (2TB), ST2000NC000 (2TB), ST1000NC000 (1TB), ST3000NM0033 (Constellation ES.3) (3TB), ST2000NM0033 (Constellation ES.3) (2TB), ST1000NM0033 (Constellation ES.3) (1TB), ST500DM002 (500GB)
- Western Digital - WD4000FYYZ (4TB), WD3000FYYZ (3TB), WD2000FYYZ (2TB)
- The newly compatible 2.5" internal SATA hard drive:
- Kingston - SSDNow E100 (100GB)
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Micron and Elpida Announce Clearance of Transaction by Japan Fair Trade Commission
Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:MU) ("Micron") and Elpida Memory, Inc. ("Elpida") today announced that the Japan Fair Trade Commission has cleared Micron's previously announced acquisition of Elpida. Clearance under Japan's Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and Maintenance of Fair Trade (Act No. 54 of April 14, 1947) satisfies one of the conditions necessary for consummation of the transaction. The transaction has also cleared premerger review in the United States, Czech Republic and Korea.
The closing of the transaction remains subject to other conditions-including approval by Elpida creditors, the Tokyo District Court and regulatory approvals in other countries-and is expected to be completed in the first half of calendar 2013. Elpida's proposed reorganization plan was submitted to the Tokyo District Court on Aug. 21, 2012, and the Tokyo District Court's approved the submission of Elpida's proposed reorganization plan to creditors on October 31, 2012.
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Micron Technology, Inc., Reports Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2013
Micron Technology, Inc., (NASDAQ: MU) today announced results of operations for its first quarter of fiscal 2013, which ended November 29, 2012. For the first quarter, the company had a net loss attributable to Micron shareholders of $275 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, on net sales of $1.8 billion. The results for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 compare to a net loss of $243 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.0 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, and a net loss of $187 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.1 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2012.
Revenues from sales of NAND Flash products were 4 percent lower in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, due to a 9 percent decrease in sales volume, partially offset by a 5 percent increase in average selling prices. Trade NAND Flash sales volume in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 decreased compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 primarily as a result of lower production of NAND Flash products. Revenues from sales of DRAM products in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 were 9 percent lower compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 primarily due to an 11 percent decrease in average selling prices. Sales of NOR Flash products were relatively unchanged for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.
The company's consolidated gross margin of 12 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 was up slightly from 11 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. Improvements in margin from sales of NAND Flash and NOR Flash products were offset by slight declines in margins from sales of DRAM products.
Cash flows from operations for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 were $236 million. During the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the company invested $538 million in capital expenditures and ended the quarter with cash and investments of $2.8 billion.
The company will host a conference call Thursday, December 20 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 website until December 27, 2013. A taped audio replay of the conference call will also be available at (404) 537-3406 (conference number: 79770323) beginning at 5:30 p.m. MST, Thursday, December 20, 2012 and continuing until 5:30 p.m. MST, Thursday, December 27, 2012.
Other operating (income) expense included losses of $62 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and gains of $9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 from changes in the market value of the company's yen currency hedges executed in connection with its planned acquisition of Elpida Memory, Inc. In addition, other operating income in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 included a gain of $25 million resulting from the termination by the company's Transform Solar joint venture of a lease to a portion of the company's manufacturing facilities in Boise, Idaho.
(2) Income taxes for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 included a tax benefit of $14 million related to the favorable resolution of certain prior year tax matters. Remaining taxes in fiscal 2013 and 2012 primarily reflected taxes on the company's non-U.S. operations. The company has a valuation allowance for its net deferred tax asset associated with its U.S. operations. Taxes attributable to the company's U.S. operations in fiscal 2013 and 2012 were substantially offset by changes in the valuation allowance.
(3) During the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the company entered into two credit facilities. The first was a revolving credit facility providing for borrowings of up to $255 million. Amounts drawn under the facility would be collateralized by certain accounts receivable. As of the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2013, no amounts had been drawn under the facility. The second was a term note providing for borrowings of up to $214 million. Amounts drawn under the facility are collateralized by semiconductor production equipment. As of the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the balance outstanding under the note was $173 million.
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Thermaltake Announces Level 10 GTS Mid-Tower Chassis
Thermaltake, being the industry pioneer brand with expertise in PC power and thermal solutions, continues to drive toward the corporate mission of "delivering the perfect user experience" as the optimized mission. The windowed version of Thermaltake Level 10 GTS and Level 10 GTS snow Edition, born as a member of collaborations between Thermaltake and BMW's DesignWorks, shrink the size but not the fine characters.
The Thermaltake Level 10 GTS series mid-tower chassis, inheriting the unique shape of Level 10 and Level 10 GT with 4 EasySwap PitStop HDD bays, equipped USB 3.0 front ports, advanced cable management, tool-free drive locking devices and HDD security lock system. It also contains a large transparent side window for displaying enthusiasts and gamers grand internal components. By the 20cm front Blue LED Fan, 12cm rear fan and two optional fans in both top and the bottom; the Level 10 GTS series presents the superior power of ventilation. This mid-tower chassis provides sufficient space for graphics cards up to 315mmin length, CPU coolers up to 175mm tall, as well as fitment optimizations for CPU liquid coolers such as the WATER2.0 units. Level 10 GTS makes it possible to take advantage of excellent airflow and liquid coolers to vastly reduce temperatures of system components.
A little feature leads to greater convenience
The headset holder located on the left side, 3cm cable management spaces in the right side of the case and the rubber grommets designed for improved cable management; these features lead an efficient way for gamers to tidy up both the inside and outside of the chassis.
Level 10 GTS - Born to be free
The beloved concept of the HotSwap function of the Level 10 GTS is now upgraded by integrating QuickLink and FaceCloud. The QuickLink Box and QuickLink adapter allow users to store the hot drive by simply removing the HDD with tray from Level 10 GTS and plug it into QuickLink box, and access the data through the QuickLink adapter. FaceCloud, maximizing the usage of the exiting PC, enabling the PC as a NAS device for users to access their important data everywhere at any time. The Level 10 GTS may be the lightweight version of Level 10 and Level 10 GT, but it is without a doubt the ideal mid-tower solution the enthusiasts and gamers hunger for.
For more details on the Thermaltake Level 10 GTS information please visit the product pages of
Level 10 GTS,
Level 10 GTS Snow Edition.
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SteelSeries and Wargaming Announce Partnership and World of Tanks Peripherals
SteelSeries the leading manufacturer of premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals and Wargaming, the award-winning online game developer, publisher and leader in the free-to-play MMO market, today announced their partnership and new product line-up for World of Tanks. Recognized as the first and only team-based, massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare, World of Tanks is one of the best known and played online games in Russia. Working with the Wargaming team, SteelSeries will be launching an official mouse and a series of mousepads designed to enhance gameplay.
"The SteelSeries and Wargaming teams have been working together now for more than two years during global industry events and campaigns, knowing that there was an opportunity for us to do more together. Today, we are proud to announce our official partnership and introduce the exclusive line-up of co-branded World of Tanks peripherals, specifically to players in Russia," said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO.
"World of Tanks has become an eSports sensation reaching an incredible amount of players globally" said Victor Kislyi, Wargaming CEO. "With the great relationship we have with one of the most recognized global peripherals makers and supporters of eSports, it was just a matter of time before we introduced custom products with SteelSeries for World of Tanks that help our players take gaming experience to the next level."
The SteelSeries QcK Mousepad World of Tanks Edition features the official game logo and imagery from the game along with the recognized tagline, "Roll Out". Coming in early Q1 2013, the SteelSeries will also launch additional mousepads and the official World of Tanks gaming mouse. More information and mouse specification details will be revealed closer to launch date.
The SteelSeries QcK World of Tanks Edition Mousepad will be available in January at select retailers including, Eldorado (www.eldorado.ru), M.Video (www.mvideo.ru), GameZone (http://gzstore.ru/storesfull), MediaMarkt (www.mediamarkt.ru) and as per today available for pre-order at online retailers including
http://www.ozon.ru,
http://www.citilink.ru,
http://www.clife.ru,
http://www.es-gaming.ru,
http://place4.pro/ and of course
http://shop.worldoftanks.ru/. For more information on the official World of Tanks peripherals and upcoming events, please visit
http://steelseries.com/wot and
http://worldoftanks.com/.
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Samsung Delivers Strong 14 nm FinFET Logic Process and Design Infrastructure
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that it reached another milestone in the development of 14-nanometer (nm) FinFET process technology with the successful tape-out of multiple development vehicles in collaboration with its key design and IP partners. In addition, Samsung has signed an agreement with ARM for 14 nm physical IP and libraries. This agreement is the latest in a series from Samsung and ARM that has delivered production proven SoC enablement. Samsung, together with its ecosystem partners, is in a position to offer leading edge customers a robust design infrastructure to drive an ever expanding advanced mobile SoC market.
"As we move closer to true mobile computing, chip designers are eager to take advantage of the gains in performance and significantly lower power of 14 nm FinFET to deliver PC like user experience on a mobile device," said Dr. Kyu-Myung Choi, senior vice president of System LSI infrastructure design center, Device Solutions Division, Samsung Electronics. "The design complexities at 14 nm require complete harmony between the process technology, design methodology, tools and IPs. We are synchronizing all the key elements so our customers can deliver their newest chips to market quickly and efficiently."
As part of its 14 nm FinFET development process, Samsung, and its ecosystem partners - ARM, Cadence, Mentor and Synopsys - taped out multiple test chips ranging from a full ARM Cortex-A7 processor implementation to a SRAM-based chip capable of operation near threshold voltage levels as well as an array of analog IP.
The full ARM Cortex-A7 processor test chip tape-out represents a significant milestone for silicon manufacturing for the fabless ecosystem. The Cortex-A7 implementation on FinFET demonstrates the low-power component of the ARM big.LITTLE processor configuration/technology strategy for mobile computing platforms. The Samsung 14 nm FinFET enablement for SoC design provides improved leakage and dynamic power advantages to the expanding mobile computing market. This collaboration builds on the long-standing partnership between Samsung and ARM including SoC design enablement for the production proven 32/28 nm High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) technology. Enabling SoC design on FinFET allows the continued fast pace of innovation that is the hallmark of the mobile market segment.
The Cortex-A7 processor test chip was implemented by Cadence in collaboration with ARM and Samsung. Cadence delivered a full RTL-to-signoff flow, building upon a tool set that has been thoroughly tested on 20 nm designs requiring automated double patterning. The tight collaboration with Samsung and ARM enabled Cadence to hone its technology for 14 nm FinFET designs, paving the way for 14 nm market readiness. ARM used Cadence tools to develop the 14 nm FinFET libraries, and Cadence tools were also used for a full-flow RTL-to-signoff tapeout of the processor core on Samsung's 14 nm FinFET process, as well as chip-level integration and verification.
Samsung used Synopsys tools optimized for FinFET devices to implement additional IP on this vehicle, including low power SRAMs intended to operate with the power supply close to threshold voltage levels. The move from two-dimensional transistors to three-dimensional transistors introduces several new IP and EDA tool challenges including modeling. The multi-year collaboration between Samsung and Synopsys has delivered foundational modeling technologies for 3D parasitic extraction, circuit simulation and physical design-rule support of FinFET devices.
Samsung is also extending their work with Mentor to enable a complete solution at 14 nm FinFET that addresses customer challenges in design, validation, manufacturing co-optimization, and post-design production ramps. The collaborative efforts leverage the unique capabilities of Samsung's processes, while helping designers deal with the complexities of multi-patterning lithography, FinFET transistors, and more complex reliability requirements.
Silicon-based PDK Availability
With its process design kit available to customers today, customers can start designing with models, design rule manuals and technology files that have been developed based on silicon results from previous 14 nm FinFET test chips run in Samsung's R&D facilities. This PDK includes design flows, routers and other design enablement features to support new device structures, local interconnects, and advanced routing rules. The investments that Samsung is making into the entire ecosystem at 14 nm will give customers early access to all elements of the design infrastructure to accelerate their chip development.
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MSI Slider S20 Ultrabook Starts Selling
The Slidebook S20, the ideal mobile work station and leisure companion, just hit the market. Its elegant streamlined exterior, all-in-one design, Intel's third generation Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor, and all-weather, long-life battery meet are designed to meet your work and leisure needs and make the Slidebook S20 stand out from the crowd of other ultrabooks.
Another MSI ingenious design, the Slidebook S20 not only offers all the audiovisual, multimedia, reading, and gaming enjoyment of a tablet, it also sports a keyboard, USB, and HDMI capabilities of a mobile office notebook. This chicly mobile machine satisfies the needs of both on-the-go businesspeople and students and the extended battery power ensures that you have plenty of time to do what you're doing. Ideal for Internet browsing, social networking, and word processing, the Slidebook S20 is the perfect choice for anybody on the go. The S20's design with keyboard and sliding cover eliminates the limitations most people feel when they use tablets. MSI's innovative, user-friendly design have you the user in mind.
Mobile platform for work and play
Eric Kuo, associate vice president for global sales, MSI Notebook, points out that the new Slidebook S20 is this year's most talked-about super-thin full HD ultrabook. Integrating stylish lines, smooth touch control, powerful performance, and free-standing multi-angle view, while still being light and fun, the S20 offers the best of both worlds. In addition to being preloaded with Windows 8, the S20 also packs a full array of ports, including a card reader, mini HDMI, USB3.0, BT4.0, and Giga LAN port. This ultrabook slips into tablet mode smoothly and naturally. We are confident that it will enhance your work performance and leisure life enjoyment.
Elegantly flowing design
Intel 3 gen Core i multi-core predecessor
The dual mode Slidebook S20 packs Intel's third generation Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor employing 22nm production technology and Tri-gate transistor fabrication, which increases frequency and performance, while reducing power consumption. It supports DDR3-1333 DRAM, comes with USB3.0, and supports SATA 6Gb/s and PCIe 3.0 interfaces.
Intel's newest integrated graphics
The Slidebook S20 features Intel's newest integrated HD4000 graphics to greatly enhance the fluidity of 3D gaming graphics. IGP supports the newest Microsoft DX11, OpenCL v1.1, and OpenGL 3.1 and accelerates QuickSync coding speeds by 50~80%.
Rich color, full HD screen with extra wide viewing angle
The S-PVA 11.6-inch IPS LCD display boasts over 350 lumens of brightness and 1920x1080 full HD ultra-high resolution for rich color contrast from any angle. For individuals that strive to lead a LOHAS lifestyles (Life of Health and Sustainability) and try to squeeze every drop out of life, the Slidebook S20 is the ultimate choice in tablets.
High speed system storage design
The Slidebook S20's system storage design allows you to choose an SSD as your primary storage device to save power, accelerate boot up time and read performance and protect data loss resulting from dropping, making it ideal for the on-the-go lifestyle.
10-point sliding touch-control display
The Slidebook S20 is the ideal balance between tablets and conventional notebooks. The exclusive sliding cover can be used at any angle, making it the obvious choice over other computers with limited viewing angles. The 11.6-inch capacitive 10-point touch control screen offers smooth, easy finger control. The touch screen can also be slid open and the computer controlled via the keyboard for comfortable typing.
Crisp, clear sound
The Slidebook S20, which tips the scales at just 1.2 kilogram, comes with high fidelity speakers with a wide frequency range for crisp audio that is faithful to the original. The crisp, clear sound quality is ideal for a variety of music types and the S20 and features THX TruStudio Pro wrap around sound for high fidelity movie, music, and gaming experience.
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Mad Catz Ships Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Arcade FightStickâ„¢ Tournament Edition On The Wii U, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 Platforms
San Diego - December 20, 2012 - Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. ("Mad Catz") (NYSE MKT: MCZ) announced today the Company has begun shipping the Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition S, the first fighting game controller released by Mad Catz for the new Wii U console from Nintendo and the similar Tournament Edition S+ FightStick for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. Licensed by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc., the Tournament Edition fighting game controller has been designed for competitive play featuring genuine arcade components.
"We're pleased to extend our relationship with NAMCO BANDAI Games and particularly excited to introduce a Tournament Edition fighting game controller to the new Wii U console." said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. "We believe that the new FightStick will enable us to further grow our position as market leaders in this category."
Both fighting game controllers use genuine Sanwa Denshi™ arcade components and the new Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition S+ features underside foam padding for sustained comfort and interchangeable graphic decals.
Additional information available at:
http://www.madcatz.com/ttt2
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SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost sets new price: performance point for graphics
SAPPHIRE Technology has just announced a new graphics card in its HD 7000 series - the SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost. Like the other cards in the HD 7000 series, the new card is based on the highly acclaimed Graphics Core Next architecture from AMD.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost delivers a new price:performance point to the series. It is based on AMD's Tahiti architecture with its 256-bit memory interface, and 1536 Stream processors and 96 TMUs, unlike the remainder of the HD 7800 series that uses the Pitcairn architecture. Configured with 2GB of high speed GDDR5 memory running at 1500 MHz (6GHz effective) the SAPPPHIRE HD 7870 XT has a core clock of 925MHz which dynamically rises to 975MHz with PowerTune Boost, AMDs dynamic performance enhancement for games.
This new model also features SAPPHIRE's latest Dual-X cooler technology, with its graduated heatpipes and two aerofoil fans with dust repelling bearings for efficient cooling and low noise operation. Output configuration is Dual Link DVI-I (supporting VGA with dongle supplied), HDMI and two mini-DisplayPorts, allowing a wide range of monitor types to be connected. AMD's multi-monitor SLS technology, Eyefinity is supported.
For enthusiasts wishing to maximise performance of this graphics card, the latest version of the SAPPHIRE overclocking tool, TriXX supports this technology and is available free to download from the SAPPHIRE website. SAPPHIRE TriXX allows tuning of GPU voltage as well as core and memory clocks, whilst continuously displaying temperature. Manual control of fan speed is supported, as well as user created fan profiles and the ability to save up to four different performance settings.
The HD 7000 series is the third generation of DirectX 11 compatible solutions from the graphics division of AMD - formerly ATI. The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT is ready for DirectX 11.1 and the new Windows 8 operating system as well as delivering all the features of the current DirectX 11 such as DirectCompute11 and multi threaded communications with the CPU. Communication with the host PC is optimised with the implementation of the latest high speed PCI-Express Gen3.0 interface, and multiple cards can be used to further enhance performance in CrossFireX mode on a suitably specified mainboard.
HDMI specifications have also increased in the HD 7000 series. Fast HDMI 1.4a supports Stereoscopic 3D with enhanced frame rates of 60Hz per eye - 120Hz total. It is also ready for the next generation of 4K displays that can be driven from a single high speed input of 3GHz HDMI 1.4a or DisplayPort 1.2 HBR2.
APP Acceleration is the name given to the enhanced performance of a wide range of applications using the stream processing capabilities and specific hardware features of the graphics architecture. The HD 7000 series has been optimised for this type of task. Typical applications include Video encoding and decoding, compression and multiplexing for media distribution, gaming or video conferencing. APP acceleration can also enhance everyday tasks such as Internet browsing, Office applications and file compression with supported software suites.
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SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost Announced
SAPPHIRE Technology has just announced a new graphics card in its HD 7000 series - the SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost. Like the other cards in the HD 7000 series, the new card is based on the highly acclaimed Graphics Core Next architecture from AMD.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost delivers a new price : performance point to the series. It is based on AMD's Tahiti architecture with its 256-bit memory interface, and 1280 stream processors and 80 Texture units, unlike the remainder of the HD 7800 series that uses the Pitcairn architecture. Configured with 2 GB of high speed GDDR5 memory running at 1500 MHz (6 GHz effective) the SAPPPHIRE HD 7870 XT has a core clock of 925 MHz which dynamically rises to 975 MHz with PowerTune Boost, AMDs dynamic performance enhancement for games.
This new model also features SAPPHIRE's latest Dual-X cooler technology, with its graduated heatpipes and two aerofoil fans with dust repelling bearings for efficient cooling and low noise operation. Output configuration is Dual Link DVI-I (supporting VGA with dongle supplied), HDMI and two mini-DisplayPorts, allowing a wide range of monitor types to be connected. AMD's multi-monitor SLS technology, Eyefinity is supported.
For enthusiasts wishing to maximise performance of this graphics card, the latest version of the SAPPHIRE overclocking tool, TriXX supports this technology and is available free to download from the SAPPHIRE website. SAPPHIRE TriXX allows tuning of GPU voltage as well as core and memory clocks, whilst continuously displaying temperature. Manual control of fan speed is supported, as well as user created fan profiles and the ability to save up to four different performance settings.
The HD 7000 series is the third generation of DirectX 11 compatible solutions from the graphics division of AMD - formerly ATI. The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT is ready for DirectX 11.1 and the new Windows 8 operating system as well as delivering all the features of the current DirectX 11 such as DirectCompute11 and multi threaded communications with the CPU. Communication with the host PC is optimised with the implementation of the latest high speed PCI-Express Gen3.0 interface, and multiple cards can be used to further enhance performance in CrossFireX mode on a suitably specified mainboard.
HDMI specifications have also increased in the HD 7000 series. Fast HDMI 1.4a supports Stereoscopic 3D with enhanced frame rates of 60 Hz per eye - 120 Hz total. It is also ready for the next generation of 4K displays that can be driven from a single high speed input of 3GHz HDMI 1.4a or DisplayPort 1.2 HBR2.
APP Acceleration is the name given to the enhanced performance of a wide range of applications using the stream processing capabilities and specific hardware features of the graphics architecture. The HD 7000 series has been optimised for this type of task. Typical applications include Video encoding and decoding, compression and multiplexing for media distribution, gaming or video conferencing. APP acceleration can also enhance everyday tasks such as Internet browsing, Office applications and file compression with supported software suites.
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GammaTech Introduces the U12Ci Rugged, Convertible Notebook
GammaTech Computer Corp., a major international manufacturer and supplier of innovative notebook and tablet computers, has the perfect solution for critical enterprise applications calling for a rugged computer: its convertible U12Ci notebook. Featuring the advanced Intel Pentium processor, the unit is designed to meet the many varied needs encountered daily by companies of all sizes and in scores of industries.
"Our Durabook U12Ci rugged tablet starts at under $1,000 and is ready to ship, which makes it a perfect last-minute 2012 company IT purchase," stated Jen Chen, GammaTech president. "Any company that keeps a close eye on its budget will appreciate the access this value-oriented unit provides to the latest technology while offering Ultrabook features, such as long battery life and Intel Smart Response Technology. All of that in addition to Military Standard 810G for shock, drop, spill, and dust resistance."
Business Basics
The U12Ci comes standard with a 12.1" convertible TFT, LED display with a resistive touch-screen. An optional digitizer is available for e-Signatures in the field, as is a sunlight-readable function for bright-light usage inside or extremely sunny days outside. Additionally, its expandable memory capability and long battery life are ideal for critical situations where reliability is absolutely essential.
Business Smarts
The U12Ci comes with a choice of either an Intel Pentium, Intel Core i5 or an Intel Celeron Dual Core 867 i3 (Sandy Bridge) processor. Two DDR3 memory slots offer a 2 GB to 16 GB range of memory. A high-definition stereo audio, USB 3.0 port, 1.3-megapixel web camera, and WLAN and WiFi compatibility are also included. Bluetooth is available. Additionally, a swappable I/O module offers a RS-232 port, WWAN, GPS, rear camera, smart card reader, and more. For the road warrior, a mountable vehicle dock is also available.
Business Tough
The GammaTech U12Ci is built to withstand demanding work environments, whether indoor or out, and in places that other commercial laptops would never survive. Meeting stringent MIL-STD-810G requirements, it is specifically designed for maximum protection from daily mishaps and general hard use. It also includes a variety of security features to protect sensitive data.
It is the ideal solution for companies within industries such as education, public utilities, construction, fleet management, service industries, mining, insurance, automotive, field services, oil and gas, government, and many others.
Availability
The Durabook U12Ci convertible notebook is available through authorized resellers nationwide and at the GammaTech website. It has an MSRP starting at $999, and comes with a two-year warranty. As with all GammaTech products, it may be customized to customer specifications.
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IBM to Acquire StoredIQ
IBM today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire StoredIQ Inc., a privately held company based in Austin, Texas. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. StoredIQ will advance IBM's efforts to help clients derive value from big data and respond more efficiently to litigation and regulations, dispose of information that has outlived its purpose and lower data storage costs.
With this agreement, IBM adds to its prior investments in Information Lifecycle Governance. The addition of StoredIQ capabilities enables clients to find and use unstructured information of value, respond more efficiently to litigation and regulatory events and lower information costs as data ages.
IBM's Information Lifecycle Governance suite improves information economics by helping companies lower the total cost of managing data while increasing the value derived from it by:
- Eliminating unnecessary cost and risk with defensible disposal of unneeded data
- Enabling businesses to realize the full value of information as it ages
- Aligning cost to the value of information
- Reducing information risk by automating privacy, e-discovery, and regulatory policies
Adding StoredIQ to IBM's Information Lifecycle Governance suite gives organizations more effective governance of the vast majority of data, including efficient electronic discovery and its timely disposal, to eliminate unnecessary data that consumes infrastructure and elevates risk. As a result, business leaders can access and analyze big data to gain insights for better decision-making. Legal teams can mitigate risk by meeting e-discovery obligations more effectively. Also, IT departments can dispose of unnecessary data and align information cost to value to take out excess costs.
StoredIQ software provides scalable analysis and governance of disparate and distributed email as well as file shares and collaboration sites. This includes the ability to discover, analyze, monitor, retain, collect, de-duplicate and dispose of data. In addition, StoredIQ can rapidly analyze high volumes of unstructured data and automatically dispose of files and emails in compliance with regulatory requirements.
"CIOs and general counsels are overwhelmed by volumes of information that exceed their budgets and their capacity to meet legal requirements," said Deidre Paknad, vice president of Information Lifecycle Governance at IBM. "With this acquisition, IBM adds to its unique strengths as a provider able to help CIOs and attorneys rapidly drive out excess information cost and mitigate legal risks while improving information utility for the business."
"Together, IBM and StoredIQ can empower organizations to more efficiently use and govern their unstructured data to increase its value and eliminate unnecessary cost and risk," said Phil Myers , StoredIQ CEO. "IBM and StoredIQ are longstanding partners with existing integration between IBM's Information Lifecycle Governance suite and StoredIQ's active data management software."
Named a 2012 Cool Vendor by Gartner, StoredIQ has more than 120 customers worldwide, including global leaders in financial services, healthcare, government, manufacturing and other sectors. Other systems require months to index data and years to configure, install and address information governance. StoredIQ can be up and running in just hours, immediately helping clients drive out cost and risk.
IBM intends to incorporate StoredIQ into its Software Group and its Information Lifecycle Governance business. Building on prior acquisitions of PSS Systems in 2010 and Vivisimo in 2012, IBM adds to its strength in rapid discovery, effective governance and timely disposal of data.
The acquisition of StoredIQ is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2013.
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EK Working on Water Block for ASRock's Z77 Extreme11 Motherboard
EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is working on a new water block for ASRock premium Z77 based motherboard Z77 Extreme11.
This water block will directly cool Intel Z77 PCH, PLX PEX series PCI-express lane splitter and the power regulation (VRM / MOSFETs) module. Base of the water block will be made of nickel plated electrolytic copper while the top will be made of quality satin finish acrylic or POM Acetal material. More details will be disclosed through our social media websites during the upcoming month.
The water block will be available for purchase through EK Webshop & Partner Reseller Network by the end of January 2013.
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Dell Reaches Agreement to Acquire Credant
Dell today announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Credant Technologies, an industry-leading provider of data protection solutions to control, manage and secure data sent from endpoints to servers, storage and the cloud. The addition of Credant technology strengthens Dell's computing solutions and improves the manageability, reliability and security engineered into its enterprise computing portfolio.
Credant technology is a simple, comprehensive and transparent solution that is easy to deploy and protects data across its full lifecycle. Credant protects and encrypts user and corporate data - from PC to mobile to cloud - and works with enterprises' existing systems management processes. Further, the technology supports multiple mobile operating systems allowing companies to confidently embrace the growing "bring your own device" movement.
Credant Leadership
Credant secures more than 2 million endpoints with customers in a variety of industries including, Aerospace and Defense, Energy, Financial Services, Universities, Public Sector, Drugs and Healthcare, Retail and Consumer, and Telecommunications, IT and Media.
Credant offers:
- Simplified Security Management. Single console for full end user ecosystem PC, tablets, external media, mobile devices and public clouds.
- Lower cost of PC lifecycle maintenance for encrypted machines. Works seamlessly with existing IT tools and processes. Data-centric approach to encryption doesn't interfere with existing IT maintenance tools like patch management, application updating or password recovery.
- Flexible data protection. Protects wherever data goes from smart phone to the cloud including core PC device data, largest variety of removable media, self-encrypting drives, MS BitLocker clients, mobile devices and end user data in the cloud.
- Ease in deployment and provisioning. Provision users up to 5.5x faster than competitive solutions - saving more than three hours per PC. Remotely manage end point encryption and authentication policies from single console.
- High levels of security and protection. The Dell Hardware Encryption Accelerator solution equips end-user systems with military-grade protection. It also reaches the highest level of U.S. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) certification for endpoint disk encryption commercially available, 140-2 Level 3.
Dell has taken significant steps over the past three years to expand its security portfolio to offer customers a complete range of world-class security solutions. Today, Dell delivers comprehensive solutions to help customers identify the appropriate technologies and services to manage risk, regardless of the resources available to manage security. Dell's security services and solutions enable organizations of all sizes to protect their IT assets, comply with regulations and reduce security costs.
Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Quotes
"In today's work environment data is always in-flight -- from work being done on a local PC, being sent via email, stored on a USB drive and saved in the cloud. Each one of those experiences represents a potential security risk. As a result, businesses need a data protection strategy that is comprehensive, flexible and easy to deploy," said Jeff Clarke, president, End User Computing Solutions at Dell. "The Credant assets will complement and extend current Dell device security features to make Dell Latitude, OptiPlex and Dell Precision computers among the world's most secure. When combined with the change in compute behaviors and data in-flight, Dell can now offer a differentiated security proposition based on its own intellectual property."
"Protecting critical information has only become more important as organizations globally struggle to protect their data in an ever more complex world," said Bob Heard, chief executive officer and founder of Credant. "This combination allows Credant to bring its deep capabilities in data security to Dell's robust solution set and customer base. Together, we will continue to focus on innovation and building value that result in beneficial outcomes for our customers."
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Phanteks Launches PH-TC12DX Series CPU Cooler
Phanteks launches PH-TC12DX, a U-Type dual tower heat-sink with four 6mm heat-pipes allows for optimal airflow and cooling. PH-TC12DX's 6mm heat-pipes are linearly aligned and developed to have the least amount of air and thermal resistance. Incorporating P.A.T.S and C.P.S.C Technologies, PH-TC12DX delivers better heat dissipation and heat transfers. PH-TC12DX includes dual PH-F120HP PWM Premium fans to allow for higher performance and/or silent operation.
Features:
Patented. P.A.T.S (Physical Antioxidant Thermal Shield) will greatly increase the cooling performance and reliability while deflecting other thermal radiation from other heat sources, such as the GPU, South Bridge, North Bridge, etc. P.A.T.S, ran at a long period, will display significantly better results in an enclosure, closed environment, than a tech station, open environment. In extreme conditions, PATS is able to withstand temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius. P.A.T.S is environmental friendly and non-toxic.
Patented. C.P.S.C (Cold Plasma Spraying Coating Technology) is a brand new technologic forming deposit that displaces heat onto corresponding metals at a quicker rate. With this technology, the Phanteks PH-TC12DX enhances thermal conductivity on the soldered surfaces of the heat-pipes through the copper deposits.
Phanteks PH-F120HP PWM Premium fans use UFB (Updraft Floating Balance) bearing, Nine blades and MAFO (Maelstrom Air-Fort Optimization) drive system to achieve massive airflow and perfect dynamic balance. The PH-F120HP fans with the support of the anti-acoustic rubber pad and rubber bar produces low level dB(A) and eliminates vibration. With PWM functions built in, PH-F120HP fans allows you to set speed adjustments for either performance and/or silent operation.
Compatibility
PH-TC12DX Series are compatible with Intel LGA 2011/1155/1156/1366/775 and AMD FM1/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2.
Pricing and Availability
Now available at your local retailers. The recommended retail price for standard Phanteks, PH-TC12DX is $54.99 and Blue/Red/Black colors edition at $59.99.
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Latest Renesas Electronics USB 3.0 Hub Controller Gets USB-IF Certified
Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that its latest Universal Serial Bus 3.0 (USB 3.0) hub controller (part number uPD720210) has passed USB 3.0 compliance and certification testing by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). It is one of the world's first USB 3.0 hub controllers to achieve this recognition, following Renesas' world's first USB 3.0 host controller certification in 2009.
The "Certified SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)" certification from the USB-IF offers manufacturers and consumers the assurance that the device will function in accordance with the specification and will interoperate with the billions of USB-enabled devices that exist in the market today.
Renesas has continued its effort to create USB certified devices, including its world's first certified USB 3.0 xHCI (eXtensive Host Controller Interface) controller (part number uPD720200), its three descendants, and a USB 3.0 SATA bridge (part number uPD720230). Renesas Electronics now offers six USB-IF-certified USB 3.0 products, which will pave the way for the swell of industry support for the USB 3.0 standard.
Leadership in USB
As a member of the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) since 1996, Renesas Electronics (formerly NEC Electronics) has played a leading role both in defining USB standards and in developing USB technology. In April 2000, the company (then NEC Electronics) launched the uPD720100 (the world's first USB 2.0-compliant host controller chip), the uPD720110, (the world's first USB 2.0-compliant hub controller chip) and an extensive lineup of other USB devices, and has earned a reputation for delivering dedicated customer service and high quality.
In May 2009, Renesas Electronics (then NEC Electronics) introduced the industry's first USB 3.0 xHCI host controller and, only after four months of its release, the company became the world's first to earn the "Certified SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)" certification from the USB-IF, and also started mass production of the uPD720200 host controller. Renesas contributed to the USB-IF certification tests, providing the organization with the host controller products as the platform for other USB 3.0 device certification.
"The USB-IF is pleased that Renesas has achieved certification for its USB 3.0 hub controller (uPD720210)," said Jeff Ravencraft, President & COO, USB-IF. "USB certification is a key factor to ensuring interoperability across the growing SuperSpeed USB landscape. Renesas has been a strong supporter of USB device standardization efforts from the beginning of the USB-IF, and its contributions continue to help drive the development and growth of the USB 3.0 ecosystem."
Availability
Samples of Renesas Electronics' USB-IF-certified uPD720210 hub controller are available now, priced at US$3.50 per unit.
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Toshiba to Launch a New CompactFlash Memory Card Line
Toshiba Corporation today announced that it will launch a new line of high performance CompactFlash (CF) memory cards, the EXCERIA PRO 2 series, expressly targeting the digital single lens reflex camera market. The initial line-up of 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB cards will come to market in spring of 2013 and offer the world's highest level3 read and write speeds. EXCERIA PRO will position Toshiba to meet the demands of the high-end DSLR market, including high resolution image capture, sustained continuous shooting, HD video recording and high speed data transfers to other devices.
The EXCERIA PRO CF cards integrate Toshiba's high performance NAND flash memory and specially developed dedicated firmware. They achieve a read speed of 160 MB/s and write speed of 150 MB/s, the highest level yet reported.
The new cards are compliant with the CompactFlash Association (CFA) standard CompactFlash Specification Revision 6.0 and compatible with the UDMA7 high speed interface, ensuring they can support high performance DSLRs to the full. The cards are also compatible with the latest Video Performance Guarantee standard, VPG-20. VPG-20 secures Full HD video capture streams at a minimum write speed of 20 MB/s for compatible host devices and recording media. VPG-20 enables high quality Full HD video capture at high frame rates with no dropped frames.
The market for DSLR is expected to grow by some 50% in the period 2012 to 2015 and demand for CF cards will grow with it. Toshiba aims to capture a 30% market share by 2015 by developing high performance memory cards.
Specifications
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New Version Antec True Quiet and True Quiet Pro Fans Now Available
Antec, Inc., the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets, announced the availability of their newest enclosure fans.Earlier this year, the TrueQuiet Pro 120mm fan revolutionized case cooling with its innovative fused fan blade design. The result was a quieter, stronger fan that increased airflow while reducing the number of noisy moving parts. Now, just in time for the holidays, Antec is releasing two new enclosure fan models.
TrueQuiet Pro 120 White enhances the great features of the TrueQuiet Pro 120 with a sleek white appearance while delivering excellent airflow and low noise operation thanks to the revolutionary fused fan blade design. TrueQuiet 120 LED is based on the successful TrueQuiet enclosure fans with the addition of beautiful bright LED illumination. Four vivid colors are available: Red, white, green, and blue light emphasize any hardware setup within an enclosure.
Pricing
- TrueQuiet Pro White | UPV : € 26,95
- TrueQuiet LED | UVP: € 18,95
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